Eagles head coach Bryan Troxclair looks forward to the 2024 season
St. John’s doesn’t have many seniors on its 2024 football roster, but the Eagles have what it takes to be competitive this season, head coach Bryan Troxclair said.
He begins his second year at the helm of the program after leading the team to a 5-6 season that ended with a first-round playoff loss at Hanson Memorial.
Tyler Edwards will take over the role of quarterback for the Eagles. He took over the position in Week 3 last year and has made a name for himself in the role.
“He’s gained about 25 pounds since last season, grown a little and started to bulk up,” Troxclair said. “He’s still small, but he plays with a lot of confidence.”
Other seniors in the squad are Benjamin Gourgues, Jaron Primeaux, Jackson Walker and Caden Canella.
The Eagles mentor had several rookies on the roster last year, and many of them got a lot of playing time.
“Now they are in their second year of college and all back,” he said.
Troxclair is excited about the prospects on defense, especially with coordinator Chris Schexnayder entering his second season in that role. Bringing back a coordinator is a big deal, Troxclair said.
“Continuity has been a big theme in this program, so being able to play the same offense and defense will be a big help to us,” he said. “When all the guys come back, I think we’ll be where we need to be.”
Troxclair expects traditional frontrunners Ascension Catholic and White Castle to remain the top contenders in District 8-1A.
Another program could impact this year’s district election.
“We beat Ascension Christian last year, but they beat us really hard,” Troxclair said. “Having North Iberville back in our district also creates an interesting dynamic. It’s very exciting and I’m really happy that the community has its school back.”
The work ethic the Eagles showed in the offseason could benefit them greatly in the 2024 run, he said.
The workouts and emphasis on drills that help players with prevention could be helpful as SJHS heads into the middle and final stages of the season.
“We’ve worked hard in the summer and the offseason, focused on training and focused on things that help with injury prevention,” Troxclair said. “All of those little things help over the course of a season.”
