The East Texas A&M Lions opened their 2026 campaign with the Southland Conference Football Opening Drive, a kickoff event held in Houston that coincided with the Texas High School Coaches Association Coaching School and Convention.
A New Era for the Lions
Coach Clint Dolezel, defensive back Orion Kupu and running back EJ Oakmon represented the program at the gathering, moving through a series of stations that included a coaches roundtable and a series of media interviews.
The Lions’ first test will come on August 29 when they travel to face Mercer, a game that will be broadcast live on ESPN. A week later, the team returns home to take on Northwestern State on September 12, marking the start of what promises to be a competitive season.