Byron Nelson Bobcats
Head Coach: Zach Woodward (2nd season; 10-3 record)
Last Season: 10-3; 7-1 in district (Lost to Denton Guyer in regional semifinals)
Returning Lettermen: 19 (5 returning starters on offense; 6 on defense)
Byron Nelson Key Players and Storylines
Byron Nelson carried on the winning legacy of their late head coach Travis Pride a year ago, finishing 10-3 in its first season since his passing.
Zach Woodward had his interim tag removed over the offseason and has half his starters returning as he prepares for his second year in charge.
Offensively, the Bobcats will have a new starting quarterback, but there’s very little concern about the change. Junior Ben Odom, a Division I prospect, is coming off an impressive 2025 campaign where he threw for 2,294 yards and accounted for 23 total touchdowns. There’s no doubt his go-to receiver will be standout junior Nolan Hawkins (1,042 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns), while track star running back Macavion Hill (323 rushing yards and eight touchdowns) is set to lead the ground game.
Sophomore season highlights
1,042 rec yards‼️
66 rec‼️
14‼️
16 carries 123 yards‼️
1 int‼️
3 pbu‼️
10 tackles‼️@coachwoodward @CoachLeeBN @CoachHughes87 @craig__owen @coachcilumba @that_guy_maddog @AlexAthletics_ @ByronNelsonFB @SkysTheLimitWR @Eduardo14001164 @DentonCountyFB… pic.twitter.com/e2E7hfjBdI— Nolan Hawkins (@nolan_hawkins1) December 11, 2025
Defensively, expect Byron Nelson to be a force to be reckoned with in the trenches. 6’2”, 325-pound defensive tackle/defensive end George Toia (39 tackles, 12 TFLs), a UCLA commit, specializes in causing chaos, while defensive end Fine Vailahi (41 tackles, 10 TFLs) is not only a top pass rusher but he’s strong against the run too. In the secondary, Hawkins will put his receiving skills to work as a ball hawk at safety.
With just 19 returning lettermen, there will be some inexperience the Bobcats have to combat this fall. However, there’s no shortage of talent in the pipeline. After coming up just three points short of a regional final appearance a year ago, the Bobcats are determined to go deeper in the playoffs than last year’s third round run.
Byron Nelson 2026 Schedule
*Denotes District 4-6A Matchup
Thursday 8/27/2026 7:00 vs. Arlington at NISD Stadium
Friday 9/4/2026 7:00 @ Lewisville at Max Goldsmith Stadium
Friday 9/11/2026 7:00 @ Rockwall-Heath at Wilkerson-Sanders Memorial Stadium
*Friday 9/18/2026 7:00 vs. Eaton at NISD Stadium
*Thursday 9/24/2026 7:00 @ Keller Central at Keller ISD Stadium
*Thursday 10/8/2026 7:00 @ Keller HS at Keller ISD Stadium
*Friday 10/16/2026 7:00 vs. Northwest at NISD Stadium
*Friday 10/23/2026 7:00 vs. Southlake Carroll at NISD Stadium
*Friday 10/30/2026 7:00 @ Boswell at Pioneer Stadium (Boswell HS)
*Thursday 11/5/2026 7:00 @ Keller Timber Creek at Keller ISD Stadium
