North Crowley Football 2026 Preview, Schedule and Prediction | Top 25 Public HSFB
Series
2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 18 North Crowley
New coach DeMarcus Harris leads a talented North Crowley roster into one of Texas’ most demanding schedules.
Top 25 Public HSFB7/21/20266 min read
North Crowley begins the 2026 season ranked No. 18 in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100. The Panthers enter a new era with a new head coach, a loaded schedule and enough returning talent to remain a Texas Class 6A contender.
North Crowley finished 12-2 in 2025, won its fourth consecutive district championship and advanced to the Class 6A Division I regional final. Its attempt to defend the 2024 state championship ended with a 33-21 loss to Allen.
The offseason brought significant change. Ray Gates left to join the North Texas coaching staff, and North Crowley promoted assistant head coach and defensive coordinator DeMarcus Harris.
Harris inherits explosive skill-position talent and one of the strongest secondaries in Texas. He must also replace quarterback Hayes Cloutier, three first-team all-district offensive linemen and several other major contributors from the 2026 graduating class.
North Crowley will have no time to ease into the transition. Aledo, Southlake Carroll, Summer Creek and Duncanville await during the first four weeks.
Team Snapshot
School: North Crowley High School Location: Fort Worth, Texas Classification: Texas Class 6A District: District 11-6A 2025 record: 12-2 2025 finish: Class 6A Division I regional finalist Head coach: DeMarcus Harris T25PS preseason rank: No. 18
2026 Outlook
Get ranking alerts and the latest public high school football coverage. Create a free T25PS reader account.
North Crowley’s first season under Harris begins with a strong collection of offensive playmakers.
Running backs G’Yrell Smith and Kiante Ingram both surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in 2025. Ingram led the Panthers with 1,626 yards and 22 touchdowns, while Smith, a North Texas commitment, rushed for 1,115 yards and scored 21 touchdowns.
The receiving group offers size and major upside. Damarion Mays caught 54 passes for 843 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore. Kade Smith, Hayden Green and Jeramie Cooper give the next quarterback several additional targets.
The biggest uncertainty is along the offensive line. Cloutier transferred to Junípero Serra in California after passing for 2,058 yards and 21 touchdowns last season, but senior Jacob Torres is expected to take over after sitting out the 2025 varsity season following his transfer from Burleson Centennial. Kade Smith also received quarterback snaps in 2025, while Ahzeel McCradic provides another roster option.
The line must replace three of its four first-team all-district selections. Tyree Fleming returns to provide experience, but the remaining positions must develop quickly.
Defensively, North Crowley should remain one of the most talented teams in Texas.
Jerry Outhouse Jr. and Elijajuan Houston give the Panthers two nationally recruited defensive backs. Houston recorded 72 tackles and four interceptions while earning District 3-6A MVP honors in 2025. Outhouse is a four-star UCLA commitment with the ability to match up against an opponent’s top receiver.
John Meredith III transferred from Euless Trinity and committed to Texas, but the UIL State Executive Committee denied his eligibility appeal in July. He is not included in this projection as an available varsity player for North Crowley.
Even without Meredith, the secondary and returning front-seven production give the Panthers a defense capable of carrying the team while the offense settles in.
Players to Know
G’Yrell Smith — RB, 2027
The North Texas commitment rushed for 1,115 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2025. Smith’s speed and scoring ability make him one of the central pieces of North Crowley’s offense.
Kiante Ingram — RB, 2027
Ingram rushed for 1,626 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2025. He joins Smith to form one of Texas’ strongest returning backfield combinations and gives the Panthers another dependable option as the passing game develops.
Damarion Mays — WR, 2028
Mays caught 54 passes for 843 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore. At 6-foot-3, he provides a large target with the ability to create explosive plays at every level of the field.
Jerry Outhouse Jr. — CB, 2027
The four-star UCLA commitment is one of the leaders of North Crowley’s secondary. His combination of speed, experience and coverage ability gives the Panthers a proven matchup defender.
Elijajuan Houston — S, 2027
Houston enters his senior season after recording 72 tackles and four interceptions and earning District 3-6A MVP honors. The Arizona State commitment can play multiple positions in the secondary.
Brock Lacy — LB, 2028
Lacy recorded 40 tackles and 11 tackles for loss during his sophomore season. He gives North Crowley a young defender capable of creating plays near the line of scrimmage.
Schedule Breakdown
North Crowley faces six teams included in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100.
The Panthers open Aug. 28 against No. 71 Aledo before hosting No. 25 Southlake Carroll and Summer Creek on consecutive Fridays.
District 11-6A play begins Sept. 18 at No. 8 Duncanville. That matchup sends North Crowley directly into one of the most demanding districts in Texas following UIL realignment.
After facing Crowley and an open week, the Panthers travel to No. 23 Waxahachie. Mansfield Lake Ridge, Dallas Skyline and Mansfield follow before North Crowley closes the regular season at home against Red Oak.
The schedule creates six major measuring sticks before the postseason. It will also test the depth of an offensive line replacing several starters.
2026 North Crowley Schedule
Aug. 28: vs. Aledo Sept. 4: vs. Southlake Carroll Sept. 11: vs. Summer Creek Sept. 18: at Duncanville Sept. 25: vs. Crowley Oct. 9: at Waxahachie Oct. 16: vs. Mansfield Lake Ridge Oct. 23: at Dallas Skyline Oct. 30: at Mansfield Nov. 5: vs. Red Oak
Biggest Question
Can North Crowley rebuild its offensive line quickly enough?
The Panthers return two 1,000-yard running backs, a talented receiving group and a defense filled with college prospects. Those strengths give the new coaching staff an impressive foundation.
The transition up front remains significant. North Crowley must replace three first-team all-district linemen, and Aledo, Southlake Carroll, Summer Creek and Duncanville will challenge the new starters immediately.
If the Panthers receive stable quarterback play, protect the football and give their playmakers room to operate, their skill-position talent can create problems for every opponent on the schedule.
T25PS Prediction
Regular-season prediction: 8-2 Postseason prediction: Texas Class 6A Division I state champion
North Crowley may drop regular-season matchups against Duncanville and Waxahachie, but this team should improve as the season progresses. The prediction here is that the Panthers avenge both losses in the playoffs and win their second state championship in three years.
North Crowley could be better than an 8-2 record suggests. The schedule includes four major opponents before October and a district containing Duncanville, Waxahachie and several other playoff-caliber teams.
The Panthers have enough defensive talent and offensive firepower to contend for the District 11-6A championship. Their postseason ceiling will depend largely on the development of the offensive line and the stability of the passing game.
Bottom Line
North Crowley enters a new era without starting over.
Harris already knows the program, and the roster contains two proven running backs, a high-upside receiving group and one of Texas’ best secondaries. The Panthers have enough talent to defeat nationally ranked opponents and make another deep playoff run.
No. 18 reflects the uncertainty created by the coaching change, Cloutier’s departure and the rebuilt offensive line. It also respects a roster that remains dangerous on both sides of the ball.
If North Crowley settles its offensive line early and receives consistent quarterback play, the Panthers could rise well above their preseason ranking.
Thanks for reading,
Alex | T25PS
Want to stay up to date and get notified every time we release a new team preview?
Create aFREE T25PS accountand check the newsletter box to follow the full 2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview Series, national rankings, team features and public-school football coverage from across the country.
You can also follow T25PS on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok: @Top25PublicHSFB
