The Brazos Christian football team will do its part to conserve gas for the next couple of months, but the Eagles hope to do some traveling in November.

With Brazos Christian's first football field ready for use, players no longer will have to drive across town for practice. The Eagles will be able to go from their classrooms to the dressing room in the new gymnasium and walk down a few steps to the field.

Brazos Christian coaches hope to be spending more time on the road come November, when the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools playoffs begin.

The Eagles should be bigger and stronger than they were last season, when Brazos Christian went 4-6 and missed the TAPPS playoffs for the first time in three years. Along with the new field, the Eagles have a new weight room that got lots of business over the summer as players did their part to get Brazos Christian back to the playoffs.

"This weight room has been a big, big help," BC coach Boyd Brigman said. "A lot of guys took advantage of it this summer -- I think Jacob Schrader was here every day -- and we're going to continue to maintain. I can think of two or three of our [sophomores] who put on 2 inches and 20 pounds this summer. Those are guys that were in the right spots last year and couldn't do a lot about it."

The effects of the weightlifting could prove especially important as the Eagles rebuild their offensive and defensive lines.

"We're a lot thinner in the offensive line," Brigman said. "That's our main challenge."

Senior center Luke Rother, a three-year starter, will be the leader of the line. Brigman expects several players to step forward and bolster the blocking, including juniors Austin Elms and Jordan Lightfoot.

The Eagles have a veteran runner in senior Chad Milburn, but BC will have a new starter at quarterback. Junior Stephen Sutphen earned the job after competing in the offseason with sophomore Cole Brigman and freshman Jake Bronowski.

On defense, Brazos Christian could start five seniors and four juniors. Linebacker Scott McCurdy, a 6-foot-4, 220-pounder who also plays tight end, should be the leader of the defensive unit.

"He's a very key guy for us," coach Brigman said.

Brigman expects major contributions from linebacker Jon Michael Toler, safety Daniel Ordonez and cornerback Mark Norman. Linemen Elms and Lightfoot will play both ways, as will several of their teammates.

"We lost some pretty good players, but it helps that we are a year older, especially in our defense," Brigman said. "Last year, there were some times when we were mismatched physically, and I think we're going to be better in that way."

Brigman picked his team as the favorite to win TAPPS Division IV District 3, even though the expanded league includes defending state champion Hallettsville Sacred Heart. Having a home field should help the Eagles, who previously played their home games at College Station Middle School.

"It's going to be a huge, huge boost to us," Brigman said. "We were so blessed that College Station let us use that field, but it wasn't our field. We'll use that 'defending our home' stuff. We've never been scored on on our home field. We'll see how long that lasts.

"There are going to be some tough, tough games. But I think we're better than we were last year."

The Eagles will open the season at Cypress Christian on Aug. 29. Brazos Christian's home opener is set for Sept. 12 against Texas School for the Deaf.