State of the Program: Terrebonne football looks to continue to rebuild around star seniors
When longtime Terrebonne coach Gary Hill retired from coaching football after the 2021 season, former Tigers assistant Tyler Lewis was named his replacement. Lewis had a solid start in his rookie season, finishing September with a 3-2 record and winning both of his first two district games.
However, this would be the high point of Terrebonne's 2022 season. The Tigers lost each of their final five games to fall to 3-7, and Lewis faces an uphill battle if he and his team want to return to the LHSAA playoffs in Class 5A District 7.
The tradition
Terrebonne made the postseason 11 times in 15 seasons under Hill, but hasn't returned to November football since 2020. It's also been five years since the Tigers' last playoff win, with their 2018 run to the quarterfinals remaining the final postseason victory to date for Terrebonne.
The Tigers have plenty of returning talent from 2022's team returning to this year's squad, however. The offense will be led by senior wide receiver Kylan Billiot, a four-star recruit who committed to LSU earlier this summer. Billiot isn't the only future college football player on the roster, either. Senior defensive tackle Talan Bingham picked up five Division I scholarship offers prior to the season.
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The challenge
District play will prove to be challenging for a team that went 2-4 in the district last season, but the toughest matchup comes in Week 7. Terrebonne will travel to face defending state champion Destrehan on October 13th, but Destrehan is tougher than any reigning champion. The Tigers will be tasked with taking down a team on a 14-game winning streak and is also 23-1 in its last 24 contests.
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The next week isn't much easier, as Terrebonne again goes on the road to face East St. John, another 2022 playoff team that won two postseason games last season.
Expectations
Making another playoff appearance in 2023 is a tall order for the Tigers. However, with Terrebonne's best players now established veterans, this year's team will still improve from last season.
The schedule
Sept. 1: @ South Terrebonne
Sept. 8: vs. John F. Kennedy
Sept. 14: vs. Lakeshore
Sept. 22: @ H.L. Bourgeois*
Sept. 29: vs. Central Lafourche*
Oct. 6: @ A.J. Ellender
Oct. 13: @ Destrehan*
Oct. 20: @ East St. John*
Oct. 27: vs. Thibodaux*
Nov. 4: vs. Hahnville*
*Class 5A District 7 game
This article originally appeared on The Courier: State of the Program: Terrebonne looks to rebuild around star seniors
