Sleeping-in has long been a mastered and perfected art by teenagers.
But sleeping-in is no longer on the menu of a Palo Duro Don football player.
For the second year in a row the Dons will rise and shine in 2026 and be in full practice mode between 5:30-6:00 A.M. most Monday thru Thursday mornings. These practices aren’t simple pads-off walk throughs but rather the main full-pads, physical practice of the day. This is a switch from the more traditional after-school practice routine held by most high school coaches.
Palo Duro head coach Eric Mims implemented the 5:30 AM practices last year after discussions with other coaches including Texas high school coaching legend Ray Gates, along with the fact new lights were put up at all four of the Amarillo ISD high school practice fields. The new lights allowed the opportunity to conduct practices before sunrise for the first time since PD opened its doors in 1955.
The move to mornings has been embraced by the Dons players and impacted the team in several positive ways, including massive success in the win column. PD was the feel-good story in the 806 last season rolling out the fifth 10-win season in the 71-year history of the school, reaching the area round of the playoffs and claiming the first district football title in more than 20 years.
Before the 2025 season kicked off Mims talked to a couple of his coaching buddies around the state who conduct morning workouts. One of those was Gates, who in 2024 went 16-0 with North Crowley winning the Texas Class 6A DI state championship. Gates is now coaching at North Texas.
“With having the lights and the ability to practice in the morning in the cool of the day getting the guys the first thing in morning and waking them up doing football and not having them sit through class all day and then do football, I thought let’s just give it a try,” Mims said. “Coach Gates sung its praise how much he loved it and other guys I talked to around the state loved it. So, I gave it a go.”
When Mims informed his players of the change in practice time, he reminded them of the challenge ahead.
“The four pillars of our football program are discipline, dedication, development and domination,” Mims said. “I said, ‘Guys when we do this we’re going to find out who is really disciplined and who’s dedicated.’ The kids were disciplined and dedicated. They got up every day. We had to make some phone calls from time to time and wake up some parents and say, ‘ Hey we hadn’t seen such and such. … the whole family has to be committed to it. Parents to wake them up and get some breakfast in their stomach. Then get them here.
“Our community and our football family bought into it. When they get here those young men work hard.”
Mims did have his question about how his players would acclimate to the heat during an August or September night game since they hadn’t worked out in the heat of the afternoon. Gates told Mims: “Hey, it’s a game. Those kids are going to be jacked up ready to play. Just make sure they are hydrated.”
“So that’s what Coach Gates sold me on,” Mims said. “He said your kids aren’t sunbeat from practicing in 100 degree temperatures Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. You are practicing in the cool of the morning and you are going to get more energy out of them and get better practices out of them. Then on Thursday they have an extra 12 hours of recovery when they play.
“I did see a fresher legs on Friday night from us. Our training staff does a great job of keeping our players hydrated and we didn’t have kids cramping up at any of our games. Look, in August, a 7 o’clock kickoff is hot and the first half of games are extremely brutal. We didn’t have any kids going down with heat related illnesses and we played ball.”
One of the Dons top players and leaders is senior quarterback Julian Reese II, known by his teammates as Deuce. Reese II is a dynamic player with a cannon for an arm and ready to start his third year at QB for the Dons. Last year Reese II threw for 3,053 yards and 31 touchdowns and is a DI talent. He will announce his verbal commitment to a college football program at a PD Pep Rally on Aug. 28. He said he has narrowed his five choices to Houston, Wake Forest, Delaware, UNLV and UTEP.
Reese has fallen in love with AM practices and he’s not alone.
“Working out in the morning did change things for us,” Reese II said of PD’s 10-2 season in 2025. “Nobody is late. A hundred percent is there. I think it did keep us fresher. Practicing in the sun wears you out.”
PD senior receiver/rush defensive end Kyron Brown is a believer in morning workouts. Brown and Reese are arguably one of top QB-WR combos in the state this year as Brown has verbally committed to the University of Texas. Brown caught seven TD passes last year and finished with 637 receiving yards.
“Oh yeah, morning practices made a huge difference,” Brown said. “Most definitely we are fresher. We get a big rest when we go home after school. We get to practice in some pretty good weather instead of the dry heat. I’m so glad we are still doing it this year. And everybody does get up. With Coach Mims and Coach (Ziggy) Hood, that big ol’ dude, we got to get up.
“Getting up early has definitely impacted. Of course, we have more energy from not being out in the heat with pads on. Afternoon we do weights and mandatory protein. It’s pretty much run like a college.”
Now just rising early and conducting 6 AM practices isn’t a guarantee to produce wins. But what does produce wins? Hard work, talent and love of the game, the Dons own all three.
PD returns 10 starters and 25 seniors from last year and has been picked by Dave Cambell’s to win District 2-5A Division II.
The Dons are loaded on offense with five starters returning including returning district MVP Reese II running the show at QB, Brown headlining a talented receiver room and 205-pound senior running back Raymond Johnson V healthy with his blazing speed and deft moves.
When Mims talks PD players on offense, his speech quickens with passion.
“I love our wide receiver room with Kyron, EJ (Eric Mims, Jr.,), Arturo (Velasquez) and (Tayv’on) Cantley,” Mims said. “Those guys work so well together. I’ve coached in the Metroplex and I’ll put our skill guys up and against anybody in the state. Not just local.”
Reese II said even at 10-2 last year the Dons will play with a chip on their shoulder and predicts big seasons from his teammates.
“I feel like this team just wants it more, than last year,” Reese II said. “My goal is to win. That’s it. Win. That last game (38-35 loss to Anna in area) is still on our minds and we want go out and take it out on everybody else.
“Being the quarterback at Palo Duro is like being home for me. It just feels good. … I think in Raymond we have the most underrated player in the state. He lost his dad recently so this season means a lot to him. And then with Kyron we are with each other every day. As a team we did almost something every day during the summer so our chemistry is there. What we need to get done during non-district is become more polished. We can do that by focusing in on the little things.”
Brown agrees with Reese II, the early-rising 2026 Dons are primed for success.
“We are coming in different,” Brown said. “We have put a lot of work in together. Last year was last year. And we do have those conversations about what we did to get there. But we are all-in what we are doing right now. There have been moments here we have (been too cocky), and then we snap back to reality. We do all understand this is bigger than one individual. Coach Mims being a preacher, he preaches Christianity to us, and we just believe it’s not right to get big headed about things.
“I love the brotherhood, that’s what I like best about the Dons. We are just a big ol’ family that has been through a lot and that’s what gets us to push through any adversity we face.”
And how about your QB?
“Man, Deuce is amazing,” Brown said. “I love Deuce. He’s only getting better and better and I can’t wait to see what he does this year.”
Defensively the Dons return five starters from a unit last year at many times was stingy. In seven of its 12 games last season PD allowed 14 or fewer points.
Replacing graduated tackling-machine of a linebacker KJ Barnes (163 tackles) will be a priority. Up to the task looks to be senior Keanan Posey who will make the move from outside linebacker to inside backer. Posey is a legendary name in PD football lore as Keanan’s dad, Dominic, was a star running back in his day. Keanan already has produced a moment in the sun over the summer at the 7-on-7 state tournament by intercepting four passes in one game.
“Keanan is leader of the defense,” Mims said. “He’s put on some great weight from last year, he’s twitchy and he plays fast.”
One thing for sure, no matter early morning or afternoon practices, the Dons will take the field this year different from 2025. Thanks to winning 10 games for the first time since 2001 last year the Dons will be the hunted, not the huntee.
“I would like tell you we don’t have to play with a different mindset from last year but we do,” Mims said. “Because we are going to get everybody’s best. When are supposed to be at the top of mountain the other teams know that beating you makes a statement. Last year we had teams circled on our schedule that beating this team would be big, specifically in our district. Abilene Wylie and Wichita Falls Memorial had been the top two teams along with Lubbock Cooper. We played all three of those teams in a row and told our players, ‘Hey, these three are going to tell us who we really are.’ Teams will have us circled on their schedule. The thing is what we need to do is go out and have the same work ethic and play with the same passion as we did last year. We have to play clean football and we can’t panic and get nervous because people are hunting us now. We just have to play ball. And realize it’s a badge of honor to be the hunted.”
Yes, PD expectations in 2026 are sky high for a season to remember. But regardless of this year’s wins and losses what Coach Mims sees when those teenagers open their eyes ever morning for another AM practice has nothing to do with football.
“What I like most about this team is that these kids are a family,” Mims said. “They love each other. I think you play harder for people you love. They hold each other accountable and they have goals they want to achieve together as a class. Specifically, speaking of the seniors. These kids love each other and are hanging out all the time. That bond they have is real from growing up together. They will be in each other’s weddings.”
And, if that wedding is at 5:30 A.M., we know these Dons will be on time.
