2025 HSFT Stop #39: Houston

HOUSTON, MS (WCBI) – Houston football has certainly treated its fans in recent years, recording four straight winning seasons since 2021. However, longtime head coach Baylor Dampeer left for Pontotoc in the offseason, meaning the Hilltoppers will have to adjust to a new coaching staff.

“Just taking my group of guys that I can call mine and moving forward with them, understanding that the standard that we talked about and that we want to keep driving and pushing forward,” head coach Chris Walters said. “We have to gel well. The coaches, we’ve come together. A lot of the guys I already knew, so we’re just taking the ones that I didn’t really know and just making it all a family. We preach family around here, so you know, just taking that word and making it our own.”

Walters may be new to the town, but he understands the standard of winning football in Houston.

“The standards that we’ve talked about, about keeping composure, keeping a winning attitude, competitiveness, all of those are standards. But on top of that, feelings have got to be put to the side. We’ve got to know that. We’ve got to win and we want to do it the right way versus somebody talking about us or doing other things and keeping that, you know, all under control.”

Under new leadership, the players have developed a new and more disciplined culture that they believe could put them over the hump to more success.

“Last year we had a lot of tough games, and there are attitude problems where you’ve got to keep that under control, and we’ll be great,” quarterback Brody Echoles said. “Just be a leader, we have to make sure the guys know to stay disciplined. You know, the coaching staff helps with that. Last year, we didn’t have much of that, but just be a leader on the field.”

“It starts with practice. Come out here every day, just work,” linebacker Jason McCoy said. “Just keep putting in work day in, day in, and day out, and just keep getting better. It starts with me, you know I got to lead as an example, just come out here and just show up day in, day out, and just give it my all, and my teammates aren’t far behind me.”

Walters and the Hilltoppers will look to make it a fifth straight winning season when they open up the season on August 29 against Columbus.