Mesquite ISD on Monday night made not one, but two hires for head football coaching vacancies within the district as athletic director Kody Groves and the district wrapped up the process at Mesquite High and Mesquite Poteet shortly after Christmas break wrapped up.
Mesquite High, who posted a 2-8 record under interim head coach Vincient Green in 2024 named Houston Yates head coach Rafael Thomas as their next head coach. Thomas, a native of Lufkin who was a three-sport standout signed a football and baseball scholarship out of high school at Oklahoma State University and was a MLB draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers.