The defensive line at Angleton High School is the beneficiary of some serious country strength. 

About halfway through the 2018 season, injuries opened a spot for Landris White to become a starter at defensive end for the Wildcats. White was impressive enough to hold his starting spot for the rest of the season and has become one of the best players for the Angleton defense.

Part of what makes him a good defensive end is his strength, which he is able to work on in a way few others do: When the 6-foot 210-pound White isn’t dominating opposing offensive linemen in the fall, he’s dominating local steer in preparation for rodeo season in the spring.

He added to his list of athletic accomplishments by being named the Region 7 “Year End Champion Steer Wrestler” by the Texas HS Rodeo Association. Fortunately for coach Jason Brittain, steer wrestling season doesn’t affect White’s football schedule and the Wildcats benefit from a little true country strength.

“It helps to be more aggressive,” White said. “Steer wrestling helps keep me in shape [in the spring] when it’s not football season.”

Perhaps the best news for Brittain is strength and ability aren’t even White’s best talents. He’s a natural leader who helps keep the locker room in order and will likely be voted as a captain before the season.

“Everything about that kid is country,” Brittain said. “He’s a big, strong, polite kid. He’s physical and everything you think of when you see a bulldog on the football field.

“He’s just a good, solid kid, you can always count on him. He’s a quiet kid but he’s not afraid to stick up for what’s right. It’s like having a mature adult in the locker room all the time. They’re able to cut out issues before they even get to us, and then we’ll find out after the fact ‘hey Landris did this, intervened with this,’ so it’s a great feeling when you have a kid that’s back behind the scene’s when coaches aren’t around making sure things are done the right way.”

White was a positive influence on the locker room even before becoming a starter. Now fresh off a season where he earned second team all-district honors despite not starting the first four games of the year, the respect he’s garnered from teammates will likely lead to being named a captain at the start of the season. He’s already got the vote of offensive guard Josh Mulcare.

“Absolutely [he’s got my vote], I think we need that type of leadership on the team especially with the young guys we have,” Mulcare said. “The way Landris leads, that’s something we need. He doesn’t yell, he doesn’t get on people like that. He does everything by his actions, you can just see by everything he does, the way he carries himself, the way he attacks everything at practice and even in the classroom. His manner is just respectful and responsible.”

That quiet leadership style fits well for White. He leads by example, going 100 percent at practice, being respectful and doing well in the classroom. White said the responsibility of potentially being a captain is something he’s ready for. 

“Basically, I just got to pick up where we left off from last year,” White said. “Make everything from last year, the good [and make it] better. And I want to win defensive MVP and lead the district in sacks.”

White isn’t the only one with lofty goals. His coach expects a big year from him from a leadership and production standpoint. White currently holds an offer from McMurry University and Brittain thinks that list will grow throughout his senior season.

“I 100 percent feel that he will be a college football player,” Brittain said. “He was all-district last year at defensive end. He didn’t start out the year as a starter because of injuries, he ended up being really good and was all-district last year. I fully expect him to be all-district again this year. He’s a kid that a lot of people are starting to notice.”

If football doesn’t work out for White, steer wrestling is always on the table. Brittain thinks he has the talent and work ethic to potentially join the PBR one day and make a living out of steer wrestling and competing at rodeos. 

“Obviously he won the region as a 17-year-old junior so he’s talented in it,” Brittain said. “I know he won the [Will Byer champion steer wrestler] award as well.”

Angleton posted a 10-2 record in 2018 before losing a close game to Hutto in the second round. The Wildcats will have their defensive leader back to help improve on a defense that let up just under 20 points per game a season ago with one goal in mind.

“Our goals, we want to take it game by game to make it where we want to be,” White said. “But at the end of the year we all just want to win a state championship.”