Beyond the Lights: Football Across Texas

Keri Timmerman, head football coach and athletic director for Marble Falls ISD, has put in more than his share of hours over the years preparing for the position he is in today.  Many moves with his family and a lot of time spent learning from the best have shaped him as a coach and influenced him as a person as well.  Starting year 3 at Marble Falls and the program advancing on the principles of the “Four Square Li...

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 transition a little e...

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 athletes will ha...

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.  Getting a late start at e...

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 coaches, implementing profess...

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 philosophy...

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 from his years play...

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 back.  With 7 years...

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 planted firmly in the hill cou...

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 large district in west...

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 to the spread,...

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 Gordon Wood Stadium, Br...

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 some adjustments to the s...

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 to excellence and his...

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 People Win (TPW...

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 coaches alike.  But this i...