Cavemen Offense in Rebuild Mode

By Don Eskins

The Cavemen offense rode the arm of junior quarterback Marley Munoz, the hands of senior wide receiver Robert Castenada, and the legs of junior running back Brock Wright all the way to the New Mexico state playoff quarterfinals in 2025.

Overall, CHS posted a record of 6-6, the offense put up 35 points against the highly regarded Rio Rancho Rams in a 35-13 victory during the first round of state tournament play, and they closed out the year as the Class 6A’s eighth-ranked team.

However, having lost the services of Castaneda and several other key seniors to graduation, will the Cavemen offense be able to continue its progression of success for the fourth straight season under the direction of head coach Cale Sanders?

The answer to that question, obviously, is yet to be written.

However, the Cavemen faithful won’t have to wait much longer to get their first glimpse of CHS’s rebuilt offense. On Friday night, August 21, Carlsbad will kick off the 2026 season against the defending state champion Artesia Bulldogs in the City of Champions.

Rebuilding the Cavemen Offense

The Cavemen offense will basically be operating under a popular philosophy, first conveyed by Bert Lance, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Jimmy Carter.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” said Lance. During 2025, the Cavemen offense was anything but broken, and although Cavemen gridiron fans might witness a few tweaks in it during 2026, head coach Cale Sanders doesn’t feel it needs fixing. And with good reason.

Last year, the Cavemen reeled off 3,951 total yards of offense. Of that, 1,798 came through the air and 2,153 via the ground. On the year, they scored 37 total touchdowns, 17 passing and 20 rushing.

Although facing some obvious challenges in 2026, having had to replace seven athletes off last year’s starting lineup, Sanders remains optimistic about his charges’ potential in 2026.

“Basically, we’ll be running the same offense we did last year,” said Sanders. “However, without Robert this season, we’ll probably be spreading the ball around a lot more. We’ll also be adding a few new wrinkles to our offense, wrinkles that we hope will allow us to best utilize the talents and athleticism of this year’s crop of speedy receivers.

“If we execute, with Marley calling signals, Brock taking handoffs, and lasers on the outside,” continued the coach. “We’ll have the potential to hurt a lot of defenses this year.”

Offense and the Players

While seven new faces will occupy this year’s Cavemen starting lineup, four won’t.

Senior quarterback Marley Munoz, senior running back Brock Wright, senior tight end and 2025 All-Stater, Braden Florez, and senior wide-out Jaden Harper will all be back.

During 2025, Marley threw for 1,513 yards and 14 TDs with six interceptions. He also carried the ball for 867 yards and five TDs. Overall, he accounted for 2,380 total yards.

Brock rushed for 1,110 yards and 12 TDs. He also hauled in 15 catches for 83 yards and one TD. All told, the 2025 All-Stater accumulated 1,193 yards of total offense.

“Marley is electric. Very athletic, he can run and throw. Basically, though, he’s a fullback with a cannon for an arm,” said coach Sanders. “During his two-year tenure behind center, his confidence level has also really grown. Now, besides running our offense, he’s also making checks at the line.”

Backing up Marley will be junior Bennett Adsero.

“Bennett is a great all-around athlete. Not only has he been performing well at the quarterback spot, but he can also play safety and cornerback as well,” continued the Cavemen coach. “If not behind center, we expect to put him on the field somewhere.

“As for Brock, he’s a bull, a bruiser,” chuckled Sanders. “I don’t think I’ve ever coached a kid who likes contact as much as him. I’m excited about the season ahead for him. I think he’s poised to have a great year.

“Braden and Jaden are also big assets for us this season,” commented Sanders. “Braden, a big kid who catches everything, is a great target. He’s also tough and very vocal. Also versatile, we can put him inside as a tight end, put him in the backfield, or move him outside.

“As for Jaden, he’ll give us a lot of speed at a wide-out spot,” added Sanders. “With good hands to go along with his speed, he can really stretch the defense out, which helps to open a lot of areas for us to throw or run.”

Also expected to help bolster this year’s receiving corps will be Ian Wilson and Josiah Fuentes.

Cavemen Offensive Line

Since CHS closed out 2025, the Cavemen offensive line has especially drawn the attention of Carlsbad’s football staff.

All five starting linemen during CHS’s 2025 run to the state playoffs were seniors. As the 2026 season draws near, five new players will be anchoring the Cavemen line.

Those players are left tackle, sophomore Carlo Chavez; left guard, senior Lincoln Adsero; center, senior Nathaniel Olivas; right guard, junior Makai Yorgensyn; and right tackle, junior Hector Nava. Also expected to see time on the line will be utility player Zach Lujan, a senior who can play most of the positions.

“I’m really excited about this group of young men. They work hard; they’re self-motivated, athletic; and they’re as good or better than any group of linemen we’ve had since I got here,” said Sanders. “The one thing they’re lacking, though, is experience.

“A lot of the success we enjoy this season will definitely depend on how soon they come together,” said the Cavemen boss. “We’re confident in their ability to do just that.”

Next Week, August 21: A Cavemen vs. Artesia pre-game.