Beyond the Lights: Football Across Texas

A passion for kids, that's the number one thing head football coach and athletic director for the Holland Hornets, Phillip Gibson,  is looking for when he has to hire a coach.  But be prepared to get on the whiteboard and talk football too!  He understands the importance of Xs and Os but his priorities are in order.  With most of the Hornet staff returning, Coach Gibson was able to make the transi...

Don Hyde has been in La Vega ISD for over 20 years.  This is a rarity in the coaching world, but he wouldn't have it any other way.  He has put together a staff that focuses on family and they have expanded their family to consist of the entire community.   The La Vega ISD administration understands the importance of athletics and they are willing to make the investment into the program so their a...

From the resort community of Marble Falls to the dirt roads of Dawson, Logan Simmons and his family are making the move back to small town Texas.  Both he and his wife grew up in Little River so small towns are nothing new, but running a program is.  Coach Simmons has his first head job as the head football coach and athletic director for Dawson ISD and he has had to hit the ground running.  Getti...

Jake Griedl has worked in some of the top programs in the state and has taken what he has learned in each of those and put it all into practice at Bastrop High School.  He values his coaches and their input, believing every coach plays a significant role, whether they are in year one or year twenty.  Not only does he push his players to continually get better, but he expects the same from his coac...

Deep in the Heart Athletics, LLC is a new coach owned business working to provide professional development opportunities to coaches through clinics and help promote rural athletic programs across the state through a podcast.  Today we are getting them introduced and letting people know about their upcoming clinic.

Brett Sawyer is beginning year 9 overall in Boerne and year 2 as the head man.  After 7 years as the DC for his good friend, the change to head coach was easy with several years of head coaching experience already on his resume.  Everything he does with his program is about functionality.  How can it help the program?  He keeps things simple, whether it's on the field or in the weight room.  This...

Brennan Whitaker, head football coach and athletic director for the De Leon athletic program, has returned to small town football.  Maybe not his hometown, but back to his small town football roots.  After spending several years in the bright lights of Southlake Carrol and Birdville he took over the Bearcat program and brought the big school philosophy with him.  Implementing everything he learned...

Brandon Schmidt, head football coach and athletic coordinator for A&M Consolidated High School, has never known anything different than the field house and the gym.  Growing up in a coaching family, he never thought about doing anything else after his playing days were done.  He was patient and happy in his situations as a coordinator, but once the opportunity presented itself, he never looked...

Wesley Lambert , head football coach and athletic director for Wimberley ISD, decided early on that he wanted to sink his roots deep and keep his family in one place, and that is exactly what the Lambert family has done.  Returning to his wife Lacey's hometown, they have been in Wimberley now since 2011.  With both Coach Lamberts leading the program, (Lacey is the girls coordinator) they are plant...

From “the Graveyard” of San Saba (if you know about that, you know your Texas football) to the big time Friday night lights of west Texas 5A football, Mike Fullen has seen it all in his 30 plus years of coaching.  As head football coach and athletic coordinator for the Abilene High Eagles, Coach Fullen knows the demands of running a successful athletic program and the challenges of being in a larg...

Craig Slaughter, head football coach for Wall ISD, is no stranger to the football  life.  Growing up a coaches kid, with other coaching relatives as well, he never thought of doing anything else.  His years of experience on both sides of the ball have proved valuable to the Wall program, where he served as the DC for 7 years before taking over two years ago.  Transitioning from a run-heavy offense...

For Brownwood's head football coach, Jeryl Brixey, winning is found in the margins.  He believes it's the little things that many programs overlook that make the difference between average and great.  As he continues our series on in-season practice scheduling, it is obvious that no part of the game is overlooked in his planning.  With new facilities being finished up, including an overhaul of Gor...

New head football coach for Hillsboro ISD, Leeland Hamilton, is making his debut in the head coaching ranks to lead the Eagles program.  Moving to a mostly new district this year, he is excited about the opportunities this town and school district have to offer and more importantly, for what he can bring to this community.  Coming from a large 6A program at Katy Morton Ranch, he will have to make...

Coach Larry Hill has been the head football coach in Smithson Valley for over 30 years.  This kind of longevity is almost unheard of in todays coaching world.  Growing up watching his father and his influence on young men and idolizing some of the greats, like Tom Landry, Bear Bryant and Darrell Royal, Coach Hill never second guessed his decision to enter the coaching profession.  His commitment t...

This is our 3rd time to talk with Coach Randy Jackson on the show.  Coach Jackson has over 30 years experience from high school to professional.  This episode kicks off our first in a series on in-season practice planning.  We discuss his favorite way of scheduling the week's practices and specifics with daily breakdowns so you can get the most of out of your time on the field.

Head football coach and athletic director for the Brady Bulldogs, Jaron Roberts had been looking for the opportunity to get back close to he and his wife’s hometown of Comanche.  That chance finally came when he landed the head job in Brady.  In the last two seasons he has put up impressive records of 8-3 and 7-4.  This next alignment they will be dropping down from 3A to 2A and with their Tough P...

Head football coach and athletic director for the Jarrell Cougars, Alan Haire has been doing what he's doing long enough to know what is important and what comes second.  From home visits to greeting kids at the door when they come in, relationships drive the atmosphere of his athletic program.  Expectations are high for the cougars and hard work is an every day expectation for athletes and coache...

Michael Enriquez is beginning year two as the head coach and athletic director for his hometown of Karnes City.  His goal is to restore "Badger Pride Never Dies" to the hearts and minds of his athletes.  He is all in for love for family and love for your teammates.  This is the driving principle behind everything he and his coaching staff do for their athletes.  From the relationships with players...

Jose Aguirre, head football coach and asst. AD for Gatesville ISD, promised his family he would not move them all over the state if he could help it and right now they are happy to call Gatesville home for the 4th year in a row.  Coach Aguirre just finished his first year as the head man after leading the defense for the three previous seasons.  With a tough district once again to look forward to,...

Head football coach and boys coordinator for the New Braunfels Unicorns, Brad Molder, has only been the head coach here for 2 years and has already racked up 20 wins over 27 games.  Now the unicorns are dropping a classification from 5A-1 to 5A-2 and although their new district is a tough one, just like their old one, they once again will be battling to make a deep playoff run.  Coach Molder cover...

From the panhandle of Texas, to the metroplex and now to the hill country, Ben Speer has seen a variety of programs and worked for some strong leaders in Texas High School football (including my co-host for episodes 6 and 7, Mike Fuller).  These leaders have helped shape him into the coach and leader he is today for the Bulldogs.  With his family at his side they have made the moves necessary to a...

Coach Andy Howard can name drop with the best of them as he recalls the long list of great coaches he has worked for and with.  These opportunities have served him well in preparing him for his role as athletic director and head football coach for Goldthwaite ISD.  Having been in west Texas his whole life, the country setting of this community is the perfect fit for the cotton farmer turned coach....

Pete Hart has spent almost 40 years positively influencing young men and women through coaching.  One of those young men was me.  My classmates and I were fortunate enough to have him arrive in Bridgeport our 8th grade year and follow us through high school.  Coach Hart has influenced and inspired many young men and women to go into the education field and many with great success, such as Carl Abs...

Jason Reynolds is in his second stint in Natalia ISD.  His first role in the district was the OC several years back before leaving for the OC job in Wichita Falls.  But as soon as one of his mentors vacated the big seat in Natalia, he jumped at the opportunity to return and take over as AD and head football coach.  Coach Reynolds and family are in year two back with the Mustangs and he and his sta...

John Penn has been officiating for over 30 years and is following in the footsteps of his father, Percy. He has a deep understanding of the game, which allows him to tolerate a lot of the things that go along with officiating at a high level of play.  This understanding allows him to see intense situations through eyes of the players and coaches which helps him manage and sometimes de-escalate pot...