WHITE OAK, Texas — Is there another team in East Texas having as of a big turnaround season as White Oak?
The Roughnecks were 0-10 last year, but they're already 5-2 now, so how's that kind of excitement sitting with CBS19 Player of the Week, quarterback Jaxsen Ludlow?
"Our main focus right now is taking it game by game, and do everything we can to get into the playoffs," Ludlow said.
To the trained ear, that may sound like coach speak and there's a good reason for that. Ludlow is the son of second year head coach Mike Ludlow who is spearheading a massive culture shift within the program.
"Let's build it and make it what it needs to be, build it from the ground up. Kind of almost blow that foundation up and start fresh, and we give the kids a voice in our system," Coach Ludllow said.
The system is clearly working, and the younger Ludlow benefitted last Friday, rushing for more than 175 yards with three touchdowns, and adding over 200 passing yards, and two more touchdowns to boot.
"Our o-line opened up some great holes for me to be able to make some big plays. Our receivers making big plays with the ball in the air, getting off the DBs, just making big plays for me, helping me out," Jaxsen Ludlow said.
He's just a junior, but this is his third year as a starting quarterback, second at White Oak, and his maturity in leading this squad has really impressed his father.
"This year through seven games just to see the growth I mean, he's checking stuff at the line for me. He's checking us in and out of things. He's calling all the protections; he's doing all sorts of stuff for us. And understanding the game, and when he comes to the sideline, I'm talking to him like I'd talk to a coach," Coach Ludlow said.
After going through so much adversity between the last couple years, who knows what the Ludlows and White Oak can make happen here down the stretch.
"Nobody else in this district had to go through 0-10 last year and learn the way y'all did. No one had to go through those struggles and hear everything on the outside, noise coming in and being able to shut it out. No one went through the offseason that y'all went through. No one went through the boot camp," the father and coach said.
CBS19 is available live and on-demand on your favorite TV streaming device, anytime from anywhere in the U.S.
The free CBS19+ app for Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and smart TV devices features a 24/7 stream with the latest from CBS19.
In addition to the live stream, watch the latest from CBS19 on-demand, along with additional programming from our partners at TEGNA (like Verify, "Murder at My Door" and "In the News") and Locked On Sports, plus special collections from CBS19 like Under the Lights, Hooked on East Texas and CBS19 Originals.
DOWNLOAD ON ROKU
Add the free CBS19 channel by searching for CBS19 East Texas News in the Roku Channel Store on your device, or add the CBS19+ Roku channel using this link.
DOWNLOAD ON FIRE TV
Search for the free CBS19+ app in the Amazon App Store directly on your Fire TV or Fire TV Stick, or add the CBS19+ Fire TV app using this link.
DOWNLOAD ON APPLE TV
Learn more about the free CBS19+ app in the Apple TV App Store and download directly from your Apple TV device.
DOWNLOAD ON YOUR SMART TV
The CBS19+ app is also now available directly on "smart" or "connected" televisions made by Samsung, LG and Philips, as well as televisions with Android TV. Search for CBS19 East Texas News in your television's app store to add CBS19+.
OTHER FREE WAYS TO WATCH
The CBS19+ 24/7 stream can be viewed on any desktop or mobile web browser anytime on the Watch page here on cbs19.tv.