Breaux Bridge High School is looking at a familiar face to bring stability back to the program in former assistant coach Tyler Pierce, who is now taking the helm of the Tigers football program.
With the recent departure of Zach Lochard, who is now the head coach at Lafayette Christian Academy, this is the Breaux Bridge senior class’ third different head coach in four years. Since he was able to come in and work with the group after spring football on June 3rd, his primary focus was to implement his style of football.
“This summer has been a big learning curve. A new offense was implemented June 3rd. It is a same spread type of offense, but we still want to use the tight end. I want us to be balanced and multiple. If it is one of those games that we need to rely on the running game and that an extra tight end is the best look, then that’s what we will do and if it we need to spread it out wide, we will do that. We want to run to set up the pass. I don’t want to be limited to getting stuck on one realm. It is different for the kids. They have been working their tails off and I am asking a lot of them.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
“We did not do spring. Our whole thing was that we were going to treat this summer as where we are going to be at the end of every week. We usually do a 7v7 on that Tuesday and on that Thursday, we do a little more 7v7. We wanted to gel within the offense and it’s a testament to my offensive coaches that we have not used a card once this summer. That was the first goal to get the verbiage down. The second goal was to make sure that every receiver knows the route tree and that they understand the rhythm. The third goal was that we were supposed to have a big 7v7 at another school and that was going to be basically our spring game. It was shortened by the rain, but I was comfortable leaving there. I was proud of the coaches and I was proud of the kids. We were communicating on offense and we were communicating on defense. There are still plenty of things that we have to work on, but it was a little bit easier hitting my head on the pillow than it was the previous week.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
What Coach Pierce has been most impressed about since his transition into becoming Breaux Bridge’s head coach was how the players were able to handle that transition.
“Most of those guys that I mentioned besides a few are seniors and I like that. This is their third head coach in four years so for them, I am so proud of them because they are used to adversity and a little bit of change. They know how to handle it. If this was their first coaching change, it might be hard for those seniors. They have been in three coaching schemes and different cultures so they are used to change.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
The best medicine for a first year head coach is having a veteran senior team on both sides of the football.
Offensively, the Tigers will have to replace Gridiron Football All-American Kelby Hypolite at quarterback, but even with a new quarterback, there are a lot of nice weapons including at wide receiver and at tight end to do some damage not only in the passing game, but also in the running game.
“We are going to be a senior heavy team. Our quarterback Jaden Broussard is a senior and it is his time to shine. It is his team. He is a great kid and a great leader. He is the kind of kid that you want on your team. He is a hard worker and he is there when he doesn’t have to be.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
“We got another one in Chad Broussard. He is going to be one of our receivers. He does more things than other players realize. He is yes sir, no sir, but when he runs a route, it means something. He is very coachable and just another guy that we want to resemble Breaux Bridge on the helmet. You want those type of guys.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
“We have a really good offensive line and we have a few seniors on there that’s returning. We have starters that will take hold of what we lost. We have a good junior receiver in Isaiah Leblanc that is 6’3 and can run. He is a hard worker and once again, a guy that will be a weapon in our offense. Whenever you have Isaiah at X, Chad at Z, and Sage Chevalier, who is a 6’3 tight end that can flex out or put his hand in the dirt, that is huge. Now, it is hard for a defensive coordinator to plan where he is going to be at. Behind him, there is Ethan Comb, who is another 6’3 tight end. These guys can do both which is so beneficial. Those guys are really going to open up our running game.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
“Jakylon Thomas is really fast. He can play some tailback and can be in the slot. We have Austin Balderas, who is short, but is so quick. He is probably the size of Trindon Holliday, but he is quick. Then, we have Dailey Potier, who is a fullback and tailback that is a load to bring down.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
The defense will be just as flexible as the offense and despite being a 4A school, there will be some versatile guys that will contribute both ways.
“Defensively, we are a 3-4 and for us, a lot of those guys will have to play some both ways. Our linebacker Logan Roberts may be a defensive lineman one week if we are playing a Wing T team and he is an outside linebacker if we are playing a spread team.”
“Baylon Champagne is a junior and a very smart kid. When you say that he has the system down, he really does. Jay’den Chevalier and Jakylon Thomas will be impact players for us in the secondary. When Sage is at tight end, Ethan will play on defense and play rover for us. We got to get these guys on the field.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
Competing against some 5A teams early and having two district teams that played in last year’s LHSAA Division II Non-Select State Championship Game, the schedule is not for the faint of heart.
“The district will stay the same. Of course, you have two of them that were just in the Dome in Opelousas and Cecilia. Those are two opponents that you have to respect. Beau Chene and Livonia will be within the district. Non-district, we start the schedule out with Natchitoches Central, which of course, being from Natchitoches is kind of fitting. We have Vermilion Catholic, which is another tough opponent. We have St. Martinville, which of course when you are setting up a schedule, they used to be in our district. You still want those matchups that are close to home. Of course, what they do over there, it’s a good program. You know you are getting a good test. We also have Kaplan coming into town in the heavy Wing T. You get to feel where you are at up front because of the physicality that they bring.”
“I am hoping that our scrimmage against New Iberia helps us with that and we have Acadiana for our jamboree as well. We are going to get tested and for us, those are two good opponents to start off with because those are two 5A schools and we are a 4A school. I like the competition and I don’t want have to try and figure out the puzzle in Week 4 or Week 5. To that extent, we are going to know who we are. The schedule is very similar to what I would have wanted and it is going to bring out the best in us.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
Although from Natchitoches, Coach Pierce feels that Breaux Bridge is a second home and he is looking forward to spending more time at his second home.
“They just love coming to work and for me, it makes it whole. I live five minutes away from the school. I am from Natchitoches Parish, but I like the down south food. Breaux Bridge is a special community. It is family oriented and when the kids come, it means something. The kids have been going to the games on Friday nights since they were young. It is their turn and I try to remind them to leave it better than you found it because those youngsters are going to be here soon.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
“Your parents may choose where you are born, but home for me is Breaux Bridge. Louis Blanchard is the principal and was the principal when I was there from 2014-2021. He wants to see every program have success and our athletic director Gabe Cormier, who is also going to coach football with us and coaches baseball, runs a top notch program. For me, the communication has been there since I first got the job. Every day, it was making sure that everybody was pulling in the same direction.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
The saying goes in the coaching world that you are only as good as the staff you surround yourself with and Coach Pierce loves the people that he surrounded himself with.
“The biggest thing was putting a staff together. What I appreciate about the coaching world the most is the loyalty. I found Stephen Barrett, who is our DC and has been around and has played at Carencro. He is awesome. He is an asset to our staff and Nicholas Benoit, who is our offensive coordinator. Those are both guys that played college ball. The relationships with the kids is what I wanted to see and they have great relationships. For me, if you can run for a brick wall for your coach, then it is even better. Staff wise, the one coach coming back is Luke Barras, who is our offensive line coach. It is nice to have an offensive line that knows the communication and the offense. He is also the grandson of legendary Breaux Bridge coach Mike Mowad so it is good that we still have the community still involved with the program.”
Breaux Bridge High School Head Coach Tyler Pierce
While the Breaux Bridge Tigers have been trying to find stability at the top, the talent has been there to compete not only in district, but also make a playoff run after winning a playoff game the last two seasons including a Quarterfinal appearance in 2022.
With a senior heavy group and an optimistic head coach, the Breaux Bridge Tigers will certainly be a team not to sleep on this season.
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