Every year there are several hundred Texas High School Football head coaching changes. Coaches move up and down the high school classification ranks looking for that perfect fit and occasionally, they will get move out of high school altogether. This year however, the flood of Texas high school coaches to college and university jobs is more than anytime in recent memory. It appears there is a talent grab going on!

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Sure it was done in the past.... and with big success (Art Briles - Stephenville & Baylor University (head coach) as well as Todd Graham - Allen & Arizona State (head coach) and Johnny Ringo * - Coppell & SMU (recruiting coordinator) but never have so many been scooped up in a single offseason.

In some cases, former Texas high school football coaches are doing the hiring. Former Austin Lake Travis, Stephenville and Bay City head coach Chad Morris recently left his position as the offensive coordinator at Clemson to become the new head coach at Southern Methodist University (SMU). He then hired Claude Mathis (assistant coach) from DeSoto and Mark Smith (Director of Recruiting) from Hurst L.D. Bell.

In other coaching moves, Texas Tech hired Dallas South Oak Cliff head coach Emmett Jones (assistant coach). New Houston coach Tom Herman hired Corby Meekins (Tight Ends coach) of Spring Westfield. Finally, the University of Texas has hired Gilmer (tight ends and special teams coach) Head Coach Jeff Traylor.

Outside of the state, Kansas hired David Beaty, formerly of North Dallas and Irving MacArthur. Beaty then hired Kenny Perry (Arlington Lamar) as his co-defensive coordinator.

In another interesting situation, Tulsa named Philip Montgomery as its new head coach. Coach Montgomery came from the high school staff of Baylor coach Art Briles at Stephenville. Montgomery then went out and hired Joseph Gillespie from Stephenville to his staff (linebacker coach).

For these coaches the Friday Night Lights may not shine on them any longer, but we will be watching them on Saturdays.

And then there is the case of Todd Dodge. After leading the Southlake Carroll Dragons to five straight Class 5A Championship appearances and four titles, took the Head Coach job at University of North Texas (UNT.) He then returned to coaching Texas high school teams in Marble Falls and now Austin Westlake.

Colleges are getting wise to the talent found in "the greatest sport in the greatest state" - Texas high school football!

Lone Star Gridiron

* Ringo left SMU in 2004 to lead Plano East High School for 9 years