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Rice Consolidated Raiders Head Football Coach Brad Dumont believes one word will define his team in 2026: Unselfish.
As the Raiders prepare for a new season, Dumont says there’s one thing about this team that people outside the program may not realize.
“They’re hungry,” he said. “These kids are hungry to get the Raiders back to being a playoff program.”
That hunger has been fueled by a senior class that has embraced the challenge of rebuilding the program. Dumont praised the leadership and work ethic of seniors Kor’dae Johnson, Glen Mi l ls, Draeden Amos, Chase Diggs, Nelson Bernal and Omar Rivera, calling them the core of the team’s leadership group.
While the seniors are setting the standard, the future is already making an impact. Dumont expects DJ Amos, Gabe Barrios, K’Von Parker, JJ Grounds, Sergio Aguado, Noah Salazar and Alonzo Gonzales to see significant playing time this season as they continue developing into the next generation of Raider leaders.
The Raiders will face a challenging non-district schedule, but Dumont sees those games as an opportunity to prepare for what matters most.
“I want our team to learn how to win and build momentum for district,” he said.
For Dumont, coaching at Rice is about much more than football. Representing the community is personal.
“This community is home,” he said. “I bleed blue and want nothing but the best for Raider Nation because we’re all family here.”
When fans leave the stadium on Friday nights, Dumont hopes they remember more than just the final score.
“I want them to see unselfishness and swag,” he said.
And when asked what one thing his team must do every Friday night to give itself a chance to win, his answer was simple.
“Have fun. Play as a team,” Dumont said. “Those things, along with being unselfish, are what it will take for us to get back to the playoffs.”
With a hungry roster, strong senior leadership, and a coach whose message centers around teamwork over individual success, the Rice Raiders are determined to bring winning football back to Raider Nation in 2026.
