The McAllen Memorial Mustangs are looking to defend their undefeated district championship this season, but the roster looks very different from a year ago.

The team returns only 2 players on offense and 2 on defense. The Mustangs also graduated their starting quarterback, with junior Aaron Ponce set to take over under center.

The biggest returning name is senior running back Braxton Speights, who ranked 13 in Texas last season with 2,080 rushing yards.

"Any time you lose talent like that it's going to be tough but I think through the offseason work and tradition, I think a lot of guys are ready to step up to the challenge and looking forward to everything we saw in the spring it can play in the fall," Head Coach Moses Patterson said.

Despite the turnover, Speights is confident the team has reloaded.

"I think you'd be pretty surprised on how well we reloaded. We have a couple young receivers," Speights said. "Our receiver depth is way deeper than it was last year. We have four or five guys that can go out and make plays. Me as a running back and we have another new guy who's going to show people what's up and our quarterback Aaron Ponce is really stepping up."

The Mustangs play in one of the toughest districts in The Valley, but the goals haven't changed.

"Like every year it doesn't change. Our expectations are to be the best team in the history of McAllen Memorial," Patterson said. "Moving forward is a lofty goal but I think we're going to claim that just moving forward working as a team and relying on each other."

McAllen Memorial opens the season with non-district games against Sharyland, Weslaco and Los Fresnos. District play begins in week four with a crosstown clash, followed by Rio Grande City in week five and a bye in week six.

The second half of the season starts against PSJA Memorial, then Mission, Nikki Rowe, Palmview and closes out against Donna North.