Craig James Reflects on High School Glory & Football Culture

The motto was simple: "State in '78." Craig James and his Stratford High School teammates in Houston made it reality, capping his senior season with a state championship and 2,411 rushing yards—still the Texas 4A single-season record.

James went on to star at SMU and play in the NFL, but he traces everything back to that Stratford team. The friendships formed, the culture built, the focus maintained—those high school lessons shaped his entire career.