Our first stop of the 2026 Gridiron Football Spring Tour brings us to Cecilia High School home of the Bulldogs. After a 7-5 season in which the Bulldogs won their district championship and lost in the second round of the playoffs to Plaquemine High School, head coach Cody Champagne was already excited about the upcoming season, but seeing a Bulldogs offense that scored plenty of touchdowns against a really good program in Lakeshore makes him even more excited. At one point, the Cecilia offense scored four touchdowns within an eight-play period and the one note that makes Bulldogs even more excited about the potential of their offense was how productive that unit was without LSU commit Braylon Calais.
“With Braylon (Calais) out, you see who wants to step up and we have some guys that were willing to do that. If we have a great offseason, the sky is the limit for this whole team.”
Cecilia HC Cody Champagne
While Calais was out, the spring game showed that there are plenty of other weapons that can make plays with the ball in their hands including most notably Gridiron Football All-American Bowl Game invitee Ashton Ruffin and running back Deondre Briscoe, who both stood out in the scrimmage.
“Ashton is a guy that is going to have a great offseason and he is really coming into his own. He is a big bodied receiver. I think he is finally growing into that body. Big things are going to happen for him this year.”
Cecilia HC Cody Champagne
“Having Deondre Briscoe in the backfield is a big thing. Briscoe is a big kid and he works hard. You are going to see some big things from him. Nathan Thornton is at Y. You have a new H because Briscoe was our H last year. Christian Guidry has that role now.”
Cecilia HC Cody Champagne
Having the keys to running this explosive offense is Layne Champagne, who showed control, poise, and athletic ability as he threw for multiple touchdowns while also adding a touchdown on the ground.
“Layne (Champagne) did a great job of running the offense tonight at quarterback. Layne is going to be a junior and I think he is ready for this spot. He is a different type of quarterback than what we have had in the last couple of years, but he actually looked good running the ball tonight. If these guys keep developing and working, we can have a great season.”
Cecilia HC Cody Champagne
While taking a look at the present and future of Cecilia football, there were a lot of former Bulldog greats in attendance including a couple of former Gridiron Football All-Americans such as former bowl game offensive MVP Ellis Stewart (Arkansas Monticello/Nicholls State), Braylon Jones, and bowl game defensive MVP Conner Helaire.
“Braylon is going to Butler Community College. Conner still has a Louisiana Christian offer and he is going to a couple of college camps to see if he can walk on. He is a great player for us and if he gets in front of a college, they are going to like him. He is a kid that is going to be early at workouts, is going to work hard, and you don’t have to worry about him with grades. Once they see that, they will fall in love with him.”
Cecilia HC Cody Champagne
While offense was the main takeaway from the spring game, there was a lot of attention on the defensive side from a coaching standpoint as Cecilia went up against a heavy Gun T rushing offense.
“We got some defensive guys stepping up. Teaching is going to be big over the summer. I think we will have growth on defense. Chance Guidry is a guy that we are getting back on defense this year. We didn’t have Kennan Batiste tonight. He is recovering from shoulder surgery. Obviously, you have Franky Frank holding it down for us and he is going to play a little offense when we need him to. It’s all hands on deck and whatever we need, the guys are ready to roll.”
Cecilia HC Cody Champagne
The fans are ready to roll for this season as well with a big crowd in attendance. Two years since the Bulldogs’ last state championship, the Cecilia community is excited for another run.
“I am just happy they came out. The guys worked hard. They only worked seven days for spring. We got a lot accomplished and when it is time to strap it on in August, the stands will be full. We just appreciate the support the community has shown us.”
Cecilia HC Cody Champagne
Stay tuned at www.gridironfootballusa.com for more spring game content!
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