Westminster Christian head coach Louis LeBlanc is starting his 10th season with the Wildcats, having built a record of 59-41 with six playoff appearances, three region championships and a Class 4A semifinal berth in 2023.

LeBlanc has seen many changes since his first season at Westminster in 2016 (2-8), but his approach to the game has not changed.

“What gets me excited about going to work with these guys is, are we going to be better today than we were yesterday and are we going to work to be better tomorrow than we are today?” LeBlanc said. “Having the championship culture we need means nobody is late, everybody is wearing the right thing and nobody is skipping reps.

“All that is huge, and my focus is to get these guys prepared to do what it takes to win games and give us a chance to make the playoffs.”

The Wildcats’ offense will be led by senior quarterback Houston Scott, who started all 11 games last season; he completed 130 of his 229 passes for 1,338 yards, 20 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and one rushing touchdown.

Scott has worked hard to improve his game, working with an outside trainer and attending the Manning Passing Academy at Nicholls State University in June alongside over 1,400 quarterbacks and receivers.

The biggest improvement Scott is hoping to make this season is his confidence in leading the offense and directing his teammates in a path leading to success.

“Last year at times, I would let mistakes like interceptions get to me, but I’m really working to put those kinds of things behind me and look to the next play,” Scott said. ”If you dwell on it, it’s just going to hurt your confidence and the overall confidence of the team. Football is a tough sport and the games get intense, but no matter what happens on the field, you have to represent God because no matter how many games you might win, what matters most is your relationship with God.”

Scott has one scholarship offer from Culver Stockton College, an NAIA school in Missouri, but is hopeful to add more offers this season.

The Wildcat offense will lean heavily on an experienced offensive line that returns four senior starters, including three who have started since ninth grade.

A trio of Bennett LeBlanc (6-foot-2, 285 pounds), David Graham (5-foot-10, 205 pounds) and Easton Stoker (6-foot-1, 235 pounds) will begin their senior season having started every game the last few years.

DJ Baileys (6-foot-0, 250 pounds) started last season and will welcome new starter Caleb McIntosh (5-foot-11, 295 pounds) to a unit that helped the offense gain over 1,700 yards rushing.

Sophomore Saber Kim will be called upon to fill some big shoes left by Evan McClure, who gained 1,222 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024.

The Wildcats will also look to get the ball to Kim in the passing game, along with returning seniors Charlie Billings and RJ Bendolph. Billings caught 32 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns and Bendolph caught 32 passes for 356 yards and three touchdowns.

Westminster’s defense will be led by linebacker Carson Tinsley, who will also handle most of the kicking duties for the Wildcats. Last season, Tinsley recorded 108 total tackles, one sack, 11 tackles for loss and three interceptions, including a pick-six. The Wildcat defense gave up 28.1 points per game last season and Tinsley knows they will have to improve those numbers if they hope to compete for a region championship and make a deep playoff run.

“Coach LeBlanc is always telling us this team needs to be more player-led, and I’ve seen us become more like that over the last few years and we’ll need to rely on each other, especially on defense,” he said. “We know to be successful, we have to all be willing to do those extra things and at times do more than we’re asked to get better.”

Along with seeing the field at tight end, he will also handle kickoffs and punt the ball for the Wildcats.

The Class 4A, Region 8 Wildcats will host a preseason jamboree game with Haleyville on Friday, Aug. 15, before opening the regular season at East Limestone the following Friday.