As this year’s football season is coming to a start, and with already a win against Crockett, much of the success is given credited to all the new football staff . The football team has received a total of six new football coaches, each ready to accomplish goals for this football season.

The new athletic director and head football coach is Coach Houston, who previously taught and coached at Rockdale High School, where they won the 2017 football state championship. He is helping the boys to adjust to his coaching strategies.

“The biggest change that I noticed for the football boys is practice tempo,” Houston said. “I am getting them used to trying to get much out of practice time.”

Houston is known for helping win more than 70% of games during his football coaching career and plans to help this year’s team make it farther than before.

“My ultimate goal is for the boys to play a December game,” Houston said. “In other words, I want them to go farther in playoffs than ever before.”

Coach Roger Masters taught and coached at Rock Springs high school and is now the new defensive coordinator. Masters claims that his biggest goal for the defense this year is to shut everyone out, to win.

“I have taught the defense players the ¾ defense which means three down linemen and four linebackers,” Masters said. “It is a fairly easy defensive play, and they are already very good at it.”

The district has also received a first year coach, Coach Charles Carr who is the defense of line football coach. Although it is his first year coaching, Carr has already noticed some star players in the defense of line.

“Although it’s my first year every coaching I have already noticed some tough big guys out on the field,” Karr said. “A few of the players that have really caught my eye are seniors Jesus Garcia, Luis Porras and Alex Dawson.”

The new offense coach is coach Paul Heintze, who focuses on the receivers and tight end players. It is Heintze’s first year ever coaching and he said that he has already noticed some key leaders and players in the defense.

“I have really noticed that Jamaul Randal is a very talented player,” Henitze said. “There also a few players that shouldn’t go unnoticed, such as Jarrett Fishbeck and Benito Avila; these two players have really been catching up very quickly and are both hard workers on the field.”

Coach James Ehlert previously coached at Navasota High School, and is now the assistant football coach with his primary focus on the defense’s outside linebackers.

“My main guys that I coach and have noticed great talent is Marshal Jonas, Jordan Rogers, Benito Avila and Erik Sandate,” Ehlert said. “Marshal is really the leader in the group, but all four boys show great strength in their positions.”

Coach Mark Martin previously coached at the college level for Western Kentucky and Texas A&M. He coached high school before and decided to go back to coaching high school in order to spend more time with his family. His primary focus is coaching the inside linebackers.

“Alex Esparza and John Vaughn are two inside linebackers that I have seen improve a lot,” Martin said. “I believe that Chase Thompson and Hector Dominguez are born leaders because they bring the most leadership on and off the field, however when they graduate, there is no doubt that Alex and John will fill their shoes.”

The new staff members are getting adjusted and proud to see the success that many of the guys have already received.  

“Colton Green, Jesus Garcia, and Chase Thompson are already getting looks from colleges and have received pre seasonal awards,” Houston said. “We like to focus on how all of the players show great potential and talent on the field and how together we will continue to build the tradition.”