The start of the football season for the Bryan Vikings was worth the wait.

Bryan hosts League City Clear Springs on Friday at Merrill Green Stadium, making the Vikings the final Brazos Valley football team to play a game.

"We've enjoyed having the open date," Bryan coach Bob Bellard said. "The press of the beginning of school and in-service meetings before school put workouts on the back burner. We were able to settle in the first week of school and get the kids a good foundation in the classroom.

"I'm in favor of this, but there's an urgency that we need to go play now. Sometimes the first ballgame you've got to settle back down, get your second wind and get back into it. That concerns me, because it's going to be our first go-around."

The Clears Springs Chargers (1-0) wanted to make the road trip to Bryan. They want to be used to road trips when they begin their playoff run.

"I told our athletic director that I wanted to take our kids out of Houston," Chargers coach Clint Hartman said. "He encouraged us to do it if we found one. At first I had Tyler John Tyler lined up, but they backed out. That's when we made an agreement with Bryan."

It is hardly false bravado. The Chargers, in only their second years of existence, played Katy for the Class 5A Region II Division II championship last year and led the state finalist in the third period.

Hartman sees the road trip as preparation for the future, and as a way for his team to bond.

"It's very important to learn how to travel," Hartman said. "We have to teach our kids how to take care of business after driving a couple hours from home. We wanted our kids to get out of Houston, too, and see there are more teams than the ones they read about in the paper at home."

The Chargers' defense is lead by four Division I commits and has others who are getting strong consideration.

Senior linebacker Trevon Randle is a Rivals Top 100 player who says he will play his college football at Louisiana State. Two of the starters have committed to Texas A&M -- linebacker Donnie Baggs and free safety/kick returner Howard Matthews. Cornerback Sam Richardson is pledged to Iowa State, while defensive end Keishe Wilcox has received an offer from the Cyclones.

Their test comes against Bryan's option running attack led by Nate Jones, who rushed for 1,525 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior.

"When you end up facing great talent, you hope you are going to execute really well," Bellard said. "We're going to try to reduce their athleticism by coming straight at them. The big key is if we can go run a bunch of snaps [then] I fell like we are going to have a chance to do well offensively. We can't get out there and do the three-and-out thing."

Clear Springs hopes to run more this season, but a blitzing Pearland Dawson team forced more passing in the opening week.

It worked out magnificently for Clear Springs.

Senior Dylan Doebler hit 15 of 20 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns. Marcus Johnson had six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown. Dimiti Donald had 105 yards on just three receptions, scoring twice.

"Their run plays, a lot of times, are their short passing game," Bellard said. "They throw the screens a bunch and we consider that part of their run package. They get the ball to a back behind blockers, with some space. And they do it often."

*

NOTES -- On Wednesday, the Vikings held a locker room ceremony to add the initials of late assistant coach Jim Bob Helduser to their helmets. Helduser's wife and two daughters attended. A video tribute will be presented prior to Friday's game. "Jim Bob was such an influence on our coaching staff and he was a great influence on the kids around him," Bellard said. "He's a guy who is going to hang around here for a long time in our minds and hearts. We had huge respect for the man. Yeah, he was a coach from Texas A&M. He was at Alabama, but as a man, he was one of the most quality people I've ever known."