The Dave Campbell's Texas Football staff offers some thoughts on the first day of the 2021 Texas 7-on-7 State Tournament in College Station.

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The most remarkable thing about the the first day of the state 7-on-7 tournament is how unremarkable it felt, and how wonderful that is.

Walking around Veterans Park in College Station on Thursday, talking with fans and coaches, everything felt almost entirely normal. Players making incredible plays, celebrating with their teammates. Coaches — who can't actually coach their teams — pacing the sideline, temporarily relegated to the role of fan. Spectators hollering encouragement to the players and complaints to the officials. It was football, and it was...normal!

A year after the state 7-on-7 tournament was canceled due to COVID-19, it came back with a roar in the Brazos Valley, and a sense of relief hung over everything. Coaches are usually jovial, but were in an especially good mood because hey, here we are, watching football, and what can be better than that?

It was hot, it was humid, but by God, for the first time, football is back.

—Greg Tepper

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In the Division III bracket form held for the most part with tournament favorites Franklin, Crane and East Bernard dominating most of the day rolling to a 3-0 record. Gunter, despite missing their QB and Texas Tech commit Hut Graham may have had the most impressive Day 1 going 3-0 and winning their pool games by an average of eighteen points. Waskom also showed promise winning their pool, but the Wildcats faded in their final game dropping a close one to Alpine. The surprise team of Day 1 in the D3 bracket proved to be plucky Eastland who despite losing a great senior class put together a strong day going 3-0 and winning their pool.

Division II had a few more surprises and it started with Dumas who much like 2019 came into this tournament with little fanfare, but the Demons proved to be a problem rolling to a 3-0 mark and winning a tough pool. Carthage, not known as a 7-on-7 power, put together a big day as the Bulldogs went 3-0, including opening the day with a dominant 29-6 win over El Campo. Little River-Academy was impressive going 3-0 in a pool that featured three 4A-Division I programs, while The Woodlands Christian on the strength of an upset win over Argyle in the final game of the day grabbed the top spot in their pool. 

— Matt Stepp

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First of all, it’s hot.

Second of all, it’s also humid.

Third, Gunter’s 3-0 run was insanely impressive considering star Hut Graham wasn’t the one behind center and rising sophomore Luke Dodd stepped in impressively. Aside from a few controversial calls against Albany, Gunter stood composed and ran the show in pool play. Austin LBJ is another team that shook of multiple bad starts, particularly against Tyler Chapel Hill and Tuscola Jim Ned, to also go 3-0. If they can clean up the beginning, the Jaguars are a team to watch for in tournament play.

— Ishmael Johnson

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Day 1 of the 2021 State 7-on-7 Tournament was a hot one, but the feeling of normalcy again was unmatched.
 
The new format of the games – one-minute halves and 15 minutes between each game – really makes a difference.
 
Austin LBJ’s young quarterback impressed me the most. He has quite the arm on him and can really sling the ball under pressure. A big win over Jim Ned towards the end of the day really puts them on the radar. Carthage looked impressive, as always – a team full of playmakers. They were put in a difficult pool with Melissa, Whitney and El Campo but comes out unscathed heading into elimination day.

— Mallory Hartley

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Lexington S Jared Kerr (6’0, 185) was the highest-rated 2022 prospect playing in the 7-on-7 Texas State Tournament on Wednesday. 

Kerr, who has collected 20 scholarship offers, has recently worked in official visits to see Texas A&M and Baylor. 

Begging the question, who else does he need to see before making a commitment? 

“No one,” Kerr reported “I’m going to be having a decision coming real soon.”

Kerr informed that his decision would be coming down to Baylor and Texas A&M and it looks like one in-state program will be getting good news sooner versus later. 

— Greg Powers