It’s no secret football teams can’t stand the taste of a losing season. For football teams with the proud history of Brownwood, the feeling’s almost unconscionable.

But if the first month of the 2019 season is any indication, it’s not a feeling Brownwood fans will have to relive. Following Friday’s 37-15 upset of 5A DII Wichita Falls Rider, the Lions have already equaled last season’s win total and are among the fastest climbing teams in the 4A Division I rankings.

“Our players want to prove to the people who are ranking them that we are right where we need to be right now,” second year coach Sammy Burnett said. “This is a fun group to coach right now.”

The 4-0 Lions have gone from a team picked to finish fourth in District 5-4A Division I to one that’s holding steady at No. 9 in this week’s state rankings.

“Our defense has been fantastic,” Burnett said. “They are disciplined, they play fast and the defensive coaches have given them a great scheme that puts them in position to make plays. Our special teams are playing well, and we’re plugging along offensively. We’re winning all three  phases of the game right now.”

Brownwood has been firing on all cylinders, but the biggest reason for season-to-season improvement has been an opportunistic defense that allows just 8 points per game.

Opportunistic may be a gross understatement. After four games, the Lions have intercepted six passes, recovered five fumbles, scored two touchdowns and recorded seven fourth-down stops. That includes three second-quarter turnovers that helped them overcome an early deficit against Rider last Friday.

Defensive tackle Theo Bryant created two of the turnovers, intercepting a screen pass and hitting the trifecta when met Rider running back Tre Byrd at the line of scrimmage with the Raiders driving for a potential tying score.

“He stripped the ball, caught it and returned it 83 yards for a touchdown,” Burnett said of his 280-pound lineman. “It was amazing and the celebration was a lot of fun. They had a party in the end zone and that got the crowd going. And he almost had another score when he intercepted a double-screen and nearly took that back. He just read his keys and made the play.”

Zach Strong, Rowdee Gregory and Cooper Swanzy have also been key performers in the Lions’ resurgence from a 2018 season that saw the defense allow 35 points per game.

The early success has been refreshing, but Burnett knows his team’s not satisfied. They spent the entire off-season embracing the culture that Burnett’s staff has been working to instill, and the early season win streak is a direct result of that off-season work.

“It started during the offseason, which was their first offseason with us, and they worked hard,” Burnett said. “They learned about us as a coaching staff and they built relationships with us and with each other. There is lots of trust. They are playing with great heart and great passion. They want to get this program back to the level that it belongs.”

For Brownwood, “back to the level that it belongs” means playing well past Thanksgiving. The program has won seven state championships, and while it’s too early to call these Lions title contenders, they continue to trend in that direction.

“I’m proud of what we are trying to do,” he said. “Our mentality is to be great.”

After four games, Burnett’s not ready to say Brownwood has reached that level. But he said they understand the work it will take to get there.

“We can’t get complacent,” he said. “There are a lot of good teams right now. The great teams are the ones that are still working hard after week 4. They master their craft every day. The elite teams are better in week 10 than they are in week 4. We preach that every day in practice and the kids are buying in.”