Dallas-area Texas high school football coaching carousel: Keep track of all changes ahead of the 2021 season

Keep track of every head coaching change for football teams in the Dallas area. Schools below are listed in alphabetical order.

Editor’s note: This story will be updated throughout the offseason leading up to the 2021 season.

Allen

Out: Terry Gambill (March 16)

In: Chad Morris (March 31)

In five years at Allen, Gambill compiled a record of 65-4, led Allen to a 16-0 record and Class 6A Division I state championship in 2017 and reached the state semifinals in 2016 and 2018. Allen took undefeated records into the playoffs the last two years, but lost 60-59 to Rockwall in the second round in 2019 and fell 49-45 to Euless Trinity in the third round this past season.

Gambill’s career record was 133-17, including his time as head coach of Waco Midway from 2010 to 2015. His career as a coach and teacher began in 1985 in Garland ISD, and he also worked in the Duncanville, Carroll and Forney school districts.

Chad Morris — most recently the former head coach at SMU and Arkansas — will replace Gambill. Over 16 seasons at the high school football level, Morris compiled an overall record of 167-40. He won a state championship as the head coach of Bay City in 2000 and then won back-to-back state titles at Austin Lake Travis in 2008 and 2009. Over his last five seasons at Stephenville and Lake Travis he lost five games, including none over the last two years.

After winning his second straight title at Lake Travis, Morris was hired on staff at Tulsa. He eventually became the offensive coordinator at Clemson before he became the head coach at SMU.

Morris went 14-22 at SMU, but went 7-5 in his final season there. He then became the head coach at Arkansas where he went a combined 4-18 before he was fired.

Anna

Out: Jason Heath

In: Seth Parr (Jan. 19)

Parr will replace Heath, who has moved into an administrative role as Anna ISD’s facilities manager, helping with district growth/planning and construction development.

Anna finished 3-7 this season, missing the playoffs after it tied for fifth place in District 7-4A Division I.

Parr is leaving a Lubbock Coronado team that was ranked No. 6 in the state in 5A Division I at the end of an undefeated regular season, and it reached the Region I semifinals before losing 42-41 to Red Oak in double overtime to finish 12-1.

Argyle Liberty

Out: Steven Greek (Jan. 11)

In: Jason Witten (Feb. 1)

Greek led Liberty Christian to an 8-5 record and spot in the TAPPS Division I state semifinals in 2018 in his first season as head coach, but the team was 5-15 over the last two seasons, including 2-7 this year. Greek’s son Daniel just finished his senior season of football at Liberty Christian, and the three-star quarterback signed with Mississippi State in December.

The school announced Witten as the new head coach of the school’s football program, keeping the longtime Cowboys tight end in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Witten announced his retirement from professional football (for a second time), ending a 17-season playing career.

Arlington Bowie

Out: Danny DeArman (Jan. 20)

In: Joseph Sam (March 11)

After serving as the head coach at Arlington Bowie for eight seasons, DeArman was named the new head coach and athletic director at Joshua in a special called school board meeting, Joshua ISD announced. He replaces Gary Robinson, who resigned in December after a 4-25 record in three seasons at Joshua, including 1-8 this season.

Sam has been the head coach of Hightower for the last two seasons. Before being hired at Hightower, he was the defensive coordinator for Mansfield Legacy.

Arlington Lamar

Out: Laban DeLay (April 6)

In: Billy Skinner (May 13)

Arlington Lamar head coach Laban DeLay is returning to South Grand Prairie after being named the school’s new head football coach Tuesday. DeLay was SGP’s defensive coordinator from 2011 through 2014 before being named Lamar’s head coach in January 2015. He will replace Brent Whitson, who was the head coach at SGP while DeLay was there.

Lamar is reportedly getting a familiar face to replace DeLay — former defensive coordinator Billy Skinner.

After spending the 2020 season as Irving MacArthur’s head football coach, Skinner will become Lamar’s head football coach, according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s Matt Stepp. Before joining MacArthur, Skinner was with Lamar from 2010-2019, serving as the special teams and secondary coach before becoming the team’s defensive coordinator.

Bishop Lynch

Out: Greg Price (Jan. 10)

In: Brandon Moats (March 10)

Price said he has not taken another job, but he expects to be coaching somewhere next season. He was 5-13 in two seasons as the head coach at Bishop Lynch, including 0-6 this season. His 2019 team lost in the second round of the playoffs.

Brandon Moats, who was named the interim varsity head coach, was announced as the new head coach on March 10.

Carrollton Creekview

Out: Jay Cline (Dec. 19)

In: Tony Castillo (March 5)

Cline reportedly resigned, according to Matt Stepp of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. Cline, hired as Creekview’s head coach in 2010, declined to confirm or comment to The Dallas Morning News. In response to an inquiry for confirmation, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD Athletic Director Renee Putter said “CFBISD has no comment on personnel matters.”

Cline led Creekview to the playoffs three times from 2013-15. Creekview had 22 wins during that stretch, but lost in the first round all three seasons.

It will be the first head coaching job for Castillo, 46, after he helped lead a couple of deep playoff runs as an assistant coach.

Castillo began his second stint at Ennis in 2018 and helped the team reach a regional final in 2019. He was an assistant at Skyline in 2011 when the team reached the 5A Division I state semifinals, losing 28-24 to Southlake Carroll in the legendary game in which Carroll quarterback Kenny Hill ran for the winning touchdown in the final minute as a fox ran onto the field.

Carrollton Newman Smith

Out: Paul Ressa (Dec. 19)

In: Robert Boone (Feb. 9)

Ressa, the coach at Newman Smith since 2007, resigned.

Newman Smith finished this season with its most wins since 2014, but its 5-4 record wasn’t enough to make the playoffs. Historically, playoff appearances haven’t been common in Newman Smith’s history, but Ressa led the Trojans there four times in 14 seasons. Previously, Newman Smith had just one playoff appearance, coming back in 1983.

Ressa’ best season with the school came in 2009 when Newman Smith went 10-3 and made it to the third round of the playoffs. The Trojans, led by running back Randall Joyner — now an assistant coach at SMU — made it back to the third round of the playoffs the following season, finishing with a 7-6 record. Read more here.

Robert Boone, most recently McKinney’s offensive coordinator, has reportedly been hired to replace Ressa. In the last three seasons McKinney has averaged over 20 points per game each year, including over 30 points per game in 2019.

Farmersville

Out: Brandon Hankins

In: Randy Barnes (Dec. 15)

Brandon Hankins, now Little Elm’s athletic director, had been Farmersville’s head football coach since the 2018 season, where the team had an overall record of 5-26. Hankins stepped down as the team’s head coach to be the the full-time athletic director in mid-December, according to The Farmersville Times. Hankins left for Little Elm in early April. Just over a month later, The Farmersville Times posted an article with a statement from the school district alleging Hankins “used school district funds to pay for improvements to [his] personal golf cart.” The statement said Hankins was put on administrative leave.

Randy Barnes took over the head coaching vacancy in mid-December having spent the last five seasons with Rains, where he compiled an overall record of 21-29, according to MaxPreps. Barnes’ Rains teams went 1-2 against Farmersville in that five-year span, with the most recent game being a 70-20 victory. The Tyler Morning Telegraph reports Barnes is 142-105 as a head coach with Crandall, Ferris and Rains.

Ferris

Out: Brandon Layne (Feb. 5)

In: Steven Greek (March 9)

Ferris head coach Brandon Layne will be the next head coach and athletic director at Redwater, according to a press release from Redwater ISD.

Layne spent five seasons as the head coach at Ferris. This is Layne’s third head coaching job. He spent one season as the head coach at La Vernia before taking over at Ferris in 2016. In Layne’s six seasons as a head coach he has a record of 28-36, but he’s led his teams to the playoffs five times, including each of the last four seasons at Ferris.

Taking his place is Steven Greek, the former head coach at Argyle Liberty Christian. Greek led Liberty Christian to an 8-5 record and spot in the TAPPS Division I state semifinals in 2018 in his first season as head coach, but the team was 5-15 over the last two seasons, including 2-7 this year.

Read more: Layne leaves Ferris

Read more: Greek joins Ferris

Forney

Out: Aaron Woods (Nov. 19)

In: Jeff Fleener (Feb. 8)

Woods resigned from his position and did not coach the Jackrabbits’ final game. Forney was 0-8 under Woods and finished 0-9 on the year.

Woods, a former offensive coordinator at Cedar Hill and Waxahachie, was hired in 2018 to replace longtime Forney head coach Kevin Rush, who spent 16 years as Forney’s head coach, accumulating a total record of 84-88. Rush led Forney to the playoffs six times, including 2015, the last time the Jackrabbits made it to the postseason.

The school district announced that Jeff Fleener, former head football coach and athletic coordinator at Mesquite will be the next head football coach.

Fort Worth Country Day

Out: Brian Farda

In: Keith Burns (March 15)

Fort Worth Country Day announced Monday the hiring of Keith Burns, a coach with more than 30 years of NFL, college and high school experience, as its next head football coach.

Burns has been a head coach twice. He led the University of Tulsa for two seasons and coach at Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) for three seasons. That tenure included three postseason trips, an 18-17 record, an appearance in one Central Coast Section title game.

“It was the most fulfilling job I have had thus far,” Burns said of his time at Mitty. “The purity of high school football is what makes it so special. There is no better feeling than riding the school bus after a victory or helping to ease the pain of a defeat. These life lessons are what help shape a young man, and I consider it a privilege to influence and impact their life.”

Frisco Emerson

In: Kendall Miller (Feb. 8)

Garland Lakeview Centennial football coach Kendall Miller has been hired as the first head coach at Frisco Emerson.

Emerson will open this fall and be the 11th high school within Frisco ISD. The school will have a junior varsity team play in 2021 before its first varsity team plays in 2022.

This will be Miller’s third head coaching job. He started his head coaching career at South Oak Cliff in 2009. He spent three seasons there and finished a combined 29-6 before he took the head coaching job at Garland Lakeview Centennial.

Garland Lakeview Centennial

Out: Kendall Miller (Feb. 8)

In: Anthony Saincilaire (March 24)

While at Lakeview Centennial, Miller brought the Patriots to the playoffs three times, including a 2016 run that was the school’s first postseason appearance since 1995. Not included in that total was the end of this season. Lakeview Centennial qualified for the playoffs for a fourth time under Miller, but couldn’t play due to a 14-day quarantine brought on by COVID-19 within the program. Lakeview Centennial went 4-1 in games it played this year.

Lakeview Centennial didn’t have to look far for its next head football coach. Garland ISD announced Anthony Saincilaire was named to the position, as well as the athletic coordinator for boys sports.

Saincilaire was an assistant coach for Lakeview Centennial last season and also served as the team’s recruiting coordinator. Previous coaching stops for Saincilaire include as an assistant at the Southwestern Assemblies of God University and Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt, where he was also the head tennis coach, according to his LinkedIn page.

Hurst L.D. Bell

Out: Mike Glaze (Dec. 11)

In: TJ Dibble (Feb. 23)

Glaze resigned from his position after six seasons. He was hired in 2015 after serving as a two-time state championship-winning offensive coordinator at Cedar Hill. In Glaze’s six seasons, L.D. Bell didn’t make the playoffs and went a combined 11-41.

Though Glaze is moving on, he said he still plans to coach. He said he liked being an offensive coordinator and could see himself returning to that role.

He has been replaced by Arlington High defensive coordinator TJ Dibble. Dibble graduated from L.D. Bell in 2000 and was chosen from a pool of about 50 applicants.

“He’s got roots here in the community, and he’s got 15 years experience,” Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD athletic director Mike Fielder said. “He’s worked at some really good programs, for some really good head coaches. As we worked through all the candidates, with his resume and the recommendations that were provided, he just kind of worked his way to the top of the stack.”

Read more: TJ Dibble hired at Hurst L.D. Bell

Irving

Out: Eric De Los Santos

In: David Munoz (May 24)

Munoz has 15 years of coaching experience, but this will be his first head coaching job. He takes over for Eric De Los Santos, who took an assistant coaching job at Dripping Springs after three seasons.

Munoz will now take over an Irving program that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2013. Irving hasn’t won a football game since Oc.t 27, 2017.

Irving MacArthur

Out: Billy Skinner (May 13)

In: Beck Nitcholas (May 25)

Billy Skinner wasn’t gone from Arlington Lamar for long. After spending the 2020 season as Irving MacArthur’s head football coach, Skinner will become Lamar’s head football coach, according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s Matt Stepp. Before joining MacArthur, Skinner was with Lamar from 2010-2019, serving as the special teams and secondary coach before becoming the team’s defensive coordinator.

MacArthur went 3-6 in 2020, which was one more win in its 2-8 campaign in the season before Skinner took over.

He is replaced by Beck Nitcholas, who served as MacArthur’s defensive coordinator, among many other coaching positions, beginning in 2001.

John Paul II

Out: George Teague (July 6)

In: Mario Edwards Sr. (July 6)

John Paul II announced Tuesday that Mario Edwards Sr. will be its new coach. He replaces George Teague, who decided to get out of coaching to focus on being the school’s athletic director.

“I am humbled and elated for the opportunity Coach Teague has given me, a program that has seen so much recent success, and for me to continue that journey is truly an honor,” Edwards said in a news release.

“I am fully aware of the challenges and expectations that lie ahead and I gladly accept. I look forward to dedicating myself to make a difference in the lives of the young men and will have an opportunity to coach both on and off the field.”

Lake Dallas

Out: Michael Young

In: Jason Young

Michael Young, the longtime head football coach at Lake Dallas, was approved as the next athletic director of Little Elm ISD in late June.

“Coach Young brings an incredible amount of experience and a winning attitude,” Little Elm superintendent Daniel Gallagher said in a statement. “We are looking forward to his arrival and the impact he will make on the athletic programs we have for our girls and boys.”

Young replaces Brandon Hankins, who was formerly the head coach at Farmersville but was hired as Little Elm’s athletic director in April. Little Elm ISD said Hankins resigned for “personal reasons.”

Young spent 16 seasons as the head football coach at Lake Dallas. In that time, Young led the Falcons to a 115-67 record. In 2015, Young and Lake Dallas made it to the state semifinals for the only time in school history.

Lancaster

Out: Chris Gilbert (Feb. 3)

In: Leon Paul (April 25)

Gilbert, the head coach at Lancaster since 2011, will be the next director of high school relations for the Texas football team, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The News on Thursday. Mike Roach of 247Sports first reported the news on Wednesday night.

Gilbert has been a fixture in the Texas high school football community for quite some time. He played at South Oak Cliff and eventually became the head coach there in 2006. He spent three seasons there and two seasons at Terrell before he took the job at Lancaster before the start of the 2011 season.

In 2012, Gilbert led Lancaster to a 14-2 record and the school’s only state championship appearance. The Tigers lost 17-7 to Cedar Park in the 4A Division II finale. This past season Gilbert led Lancaster to its first undefeated regular season since 1941, but the Tigers lost in the second round of the playoffs to Longview.

Paul, 36, has been the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for nationally ranked Duncanville the last five years, and this will be his first head coaching job for football.

“This is an opportunity that I’ve dreamed of, this is an opportunity that I’ve worked so hard for. This was the end goal,” Paul said. “To be able to achieve it at an earlier age than anticipated is exciting. I’m excited to get ready to lead young men.”

Mansfield Legacy

Out: Chris Melson (May 13)

In: Jeff Hulme (June 3)

Chris Melson, the only head football coach in Mansfield Legacy’s history, said Thursday that he has resigned his position. Melson said in a text message that he is moving to Oklahoma to go into private business.

Legacy has played 13 seasons of varsity football and has a record of 71-74, including 2-7 last season, according to records posted on MaxPreps. Melson led Legacy to the third round of the playoffs in 2013, to the fourth round in 2016 and to a 12-3 season and state semifinal appearance in 2017.

Waco Midway’s Jeff Hulme will be the next head football coach at Mansfield Legacy. Hulme is no stranger to Mansfield ISD. He was the head coach at Mansfield from 2008 to 2015. In 2015 he led Mansfield to a 12-3 record and a district title before he took over at Midway. Hulme also coached at Fort Bend Clements.

Mesquite

Out: Jeff Fleener (Feb. 8)

In: DeMarcus Harris (Feb. 26)

In four years with Mesquite, Fleener led the school to a 16-25 record, with its best season in 2019 with an 8-4 record.

Harris, a defensive coordinator, was at Cedar Hill for four years and helped the Longhorns to a 12-2 record and state runner-up finish in Class 6A Division II this past season. Cedar Hill allowed 18.5 points per game and held five teams to 10 points or less.

“It’s a great day,” said Harris, addressing the Mesquite ISD trustees after his board approval. “I want to make you guys proud — proud of the way our kids work and serve in the community.”

Harris said he wants to “become interlocked with the community. I’m super fired up and ready to go.”

North Forney

Out: Randy Jackson (July 8)

In: Eric Luster (July 8)

North Forney football coach Randy Jackson is retiring, Forney ISD announced, and Eric Luster has been promoted to head football coach and athletic director at the school.

“I am so blessed for this opportunity to have my dream job at North Forney,” Luster said in a news release. “I will continue the mission to make a difference in the lives of our student athletes, our campus, and our community.”

Luster has been the assistant head coach at North Forney the last three years. He has been in the coaching profession for 22 years.

Red Oak

Out: Michael Quintero (June 28)

In: Tony Holmes (July 8)

With the start of fall practices less than a month away, it took Red Oak less than two weeks to find a new football head coach.

DeSoto defensive coordinator Tony Holmes will be Red Oak’s new coach, DeSoto head coach Claude Mathis confirmed.

Holmes will replace Michael Quintero, who was announced as Cedar Park’s new coach June 28. Quintero was at Red Oak for only one year, but his team went 9-3, averaged 42.1 points per game and reached the Class 5A Division I Region I final.

Holmes was the defensive coordinator at DeSoto for two years.

Richardson Berkner

Out: Jim Ledford (Feb. 22)

In: Trey Bryant III (March 29)

Ledford informed his players that he is retiring after 21 years at the school. Berkner was 2-8 this season and has not made the playoffs since 2011.

“I think our kids here need a different voice,” Ledford said. “It might help motivate them, and it might help keep some kids here in the school. We’re struggling just to have athletes here right now.”

Ledford, 60, has been coaching for 39 years and will remain at Berkner through June 30. He would not rule out returning to coaching at some point.

Replacing Ledford is one of his former players: current McKinney assistant coach Trey Bryant III. Bryant graduated from Berkner in 2005 and went on to play at Baylor.

Rowlett

Out: Doug Stephens (March 4)

In: Derek Alford (April 27)

Stephens said he’s contemplated retiring after each of the last three seasons, and after thinking it over this offseason he decided the time was right. It wasn’t a knee-jerk decision, he said, and he’s excited to spend more time with his family, even if the decision to retire wasn’t an easy one.

Stephens was hired as the head coach at Rowlett in 2013 after serving as the offensive coordinator at Sachse for two seasons. In total he coached at four Garland ISD schools. He was an offensive coordinator at five schools, among other assistant coaching jobs, before he had his first and only head coaching job.

At Rowlett, Stephens went a combined 52-32 in eight seasons. The Eagles made the playoffs in each of the first six seasons.

The new job for Alford marks a sort of homecoming of sorts: he graduated from South Garland. Alford, among other assistant jobs, was also the offensive coordinator at Garland before accepting his first head coaching job at Quinlan Ford. He spent five years there and went a combined 16-35.

Alford was the offensive coordinator at Waco Midway and then came to Allen when head coach Terry Gambill was hired from Midway to coach the biggest public high school in Texas.

At Allen, Alford’s offenses averaged more than 40 points per game, including a high of 49.4 in 2018. Allen won a state title in 2017 with Alford at offensive coordinator.

South Grand Prairie

Out: Brent Whitson (Feb. 26)

In: Laban DeLay (April 6)

Whitson spent 10 years at South Grand Prairie, compiling a record of 54-53 and reaching the second round of the playoffs three times. SGP was 6-3 this past season, losing 20-16 in the second round of the Class 6A Division I playoffs to an Allen team that was ranked No. 4 in the state at the time.

“It’s incredibly important in Denison, Texas, that athletics is successful and that kids are given every opportunity to do that,” Whitson said. “It’s a one-high school town, so you don’t have a divided community. It’s one town, all for one bunch of kids. That is so attractive. And then the lure of being an athletic director.”

Whitson take over a Denison program that was 7-4 in the 2020-21 season and lost 32-25 to North Forney in the first round of the 5A Division II playoffs.

He’ll be replaced by Arlington Lamar’s Laban DeLay. DeLay was SGP’s defensive coordinator from 2011 through 2014 before being named Lamar’s head coach in January 2015. He will replace Brent Whitson, who was the head coach at SGP while DeLay was there.

St. Mark’s

Out: Hayward Lee

In: Harry Flaherty (June 15)

Flaherty was a D-1 collegiate athlete and earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, where he was a three-year starter on the football team. He then enetered the NFL as a free agent and had stints with the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys. He then attended law school at the University of Tennessee where he was also the assistant tight ends coach. He has been the head football coach at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey since 2015.

“Fundamentally, I view the purpose of a coach as teaching life lessons through the avenue of athletics,” Flaherty said. “Be a team, be on time, be a gentleman, be your best regardless of circumstance, block out the scoreboard and focus on the next play, relentlessly pursue continuous improvement, focus on the things within your control, focus on the process over the outcome, and always finish.”

TC-Cedar Hill

Out: Andre’ Hart (Dec. 7)

In: Corey Turner (March 29)

Hart, who served as TC-Cedar Hill’s defensive coordinator for back-to-back TAPPS state titles in 2017 and 2018, took over as the head coach before the 2019 season. He led the team to a TAPPS title, but not without some controversy.

TC-Cedar Hill’s TAPPS membership was terminated 12 days after winning its third consecutive title. The school received a letter from TAPPS notifying TC-Cedar Hill that it had been handed several punishments — most notably an immediate exit from the association as well as a five-game suspension for Hart.

You can read about why TAPPS made its decision here.

Hart remained the team’s head coach for the 2020 season. TC-Cedar Hill’s schedule mostly included teams around the nation, playing in Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida and Washington. They finished the year 8-3.

In late September, three days after TC-Cedar Hill’s fifth game of the season, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders was hired as Jackson State’s head football coach. Sanders was TC-Cedar Hill’s offensive coordinator.

Hart is listed as an assistant and linebackers coach on Jackson State’s athletic website. He will be replaced by Corey Turner, who has served as part of TC-Cedar Hill’s coaching staff for the past four years. Read more here.

Waxahachie

Out: Todd Alexander (Jan. 7)

In: Shane Tolleson (Feb. 8)

Alexander, the first Waxahachie alumnus to take over the school’s football program, stepped down after three seasons. He led Waxahachie to the playoffs this season, marking the first time the school had done so at the 6A level. He finished 8-22, including 5-5 this past year. Alexander took over in 2018 after Jon Kitna, a former NFL quarterback and coach who’s now the head coach at Burleson, resigned.

Denton Ryan defensive coordinator Shane Tolleson, an assistant at Ryan for nearly a decade, will head south to be the next head football coach at Waxahachie, he confirmed to The News. The hire is pending board approval on Monday night.

Tolleson said had opportunities to leave before this year, and was even close to taking another job before, but elected to stay with the Raiders. After winning a state championship, however, and after finding the right job, the timing is right to move on, he said.

Wylie East

Out: Mike Dormady (Dec. 9)

In: Marcus Gold (Feb. 5)

Gold, the head coach at Whitehouse the last three seasons, will be the next head coach at Wylie East, according to Wylie ISD.

After getting his master’s degree from the University of Texas-Tyler, Gold went into coaching. He spent time as an assistant at Ennis, Ferris, Irving and Wylie East before heading to Whitehouse.

Wylie ISD, to The News, said Dormady is still an employee with the school district. Dormady took over at Wylie East in 2018 after spending six years at Boerne. He’s also coached at Coppell and Colleyville Heritage, among other schools. In three seasons under Dormady, Wylie East went a combined 4-24.

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