Not so fast my friend
Comfort High is home to open the 2026 football season and takes on former district foe Brady Friday night at Bobcat Stadium, 7 p.m.
Both the Bobcats and Bulldogs had solid seasons in 2025 and were playoff teams. However, both were bounced in the first round after Brady lost to City View, 30-12, and Comfort was eliminated by then No. 1 ranked Tidehaven, 62-7. Brady dropped from 3A-DII to 2A-DI this year and while they may not have numbers, they have good size. The Bulldogs are led by 6-foot-5, 365pound linemen like Nasir Menefield and 6-foot-4, 265-pound Cooper Powell.
Comfort coach Jay Rieken said the Bulldogs have three or four players that weigh at least 265 and noted that Menefield weighs 175 pounds more than the Comfort player that will be lined up against him.
Rieken knows Brady wants to pound the ball behind their linemen and says they can’t let it happen.
“They’re big and they’re scary,” he said. “They want to get behind them big kids and ride them for a while. We can’t let them big guys just lean on us all game.” Rieken said when Comfort has the ball, he knows it’ll be tough running between the tackles against that kind of size but hopes to use their speed to their advantage.
“When they’re on defense we need to make those big guys run and get them out of their game plan,” he said. “It’s risky business going in between the tackles, so we’ll have to use smoke and mirrors here and there. Offensively, we’ve been explosive and we need to do what we’ve been doing.”
Comfort and Brady have been in the same volleyball, basketball and baseball district for the last several years but not in football. The last time the Bobcats and the Bulldogs were in the same district was from 2016 to 2019, and Comfort won three of their four games.
Comfort and Brady last played in 2019, and the Bobcats won 35-20. CHS also picked up wins of 20-12 in 2017 and 21-0 in 2016, with their only loss coming during the 2018 season, 35-20.
Brady dropped to 2A-DI after the recent UIL realignment and won’t be in the same district with Comfort for at least the next two years.
Rieken said dropping down to 2A will help the Bulldogs and added that he expects a tough game from them despite the smaller classification.
“They’re very physical and coached well,” he said. “Their coach always gets the most out of his kids.”
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