DCTX Midseason TXHSFB Coaches of the Year

6A: Gary Joseph, Katy

I know this is kind of a cop-out answer. Gary Joseph is fifth among active coaches with 291 career wins and has never won fewer than 10 games in 22 years at the helm of Katy. But even for a coach of Joseph’s caliber, Katy has enjoyed one of the state’s best starts to the season.

Katy, the preseason No.14-ranked team in Class 6A per Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine, got two convincing upset wins in non-district play – No.11 Humble Atascocita 28-17 and No.10 Dickinson 42-24. Katy, the projected District 22-6A champion, then dashed any challenger’s hopes with a 45-21 win over Katy Tompkins (projected third-place) and a 56-10 win over Katy Jordan (projected second-place). The 40.2 points per game is even more impressive given the fact that Katy returned just three starters. 

5A: Jacody Coleman, Mansfield Timberview

Mansfield Timberview began the season at No. 16 in the Class 5A DII computer rankings. After a 5-0 start, they’re now No.1.

We were high on Mansfield Timberview heading into the season. The Wolves returned 17 starters from a 7-4 team. But we couldn’t have foreseen the jump all those players have taken from Year 1 to Year 2 of the Jacody Coleman era.

Last year, quarterback Steven Hall threw for 1,700 yards, 15 touchdowns, and four interceptions in seven games as a starter. In the first five games of his junior season, he has thrown for 21 touchdowns and just two interceptions. The offense is averaging 56.4 points per game, while a defense led by star defensive ends Dola Oladeinde and Preston Stauts has held teams to 7 points or fewer in four of five games.

Coleman was a longtime defensive coordinator for Humble Atascocita when they reached the regional finals nearly every year. He’s created another regional final contender at Mansfield Timberview.

4A: Joe Sexton, Lubbock Liberty

Lubbock Liberty’s dominance in just its third year as a varsity program is mind-boggling. After a 2-8 inaugural season in 2024, the Patriots were one of the state’s most improved teams, posting a 10-2 record and winning the first district championship in the school’s short history. Now, they could be one of the state’s most improved teams again, showing exponential year-over-year growth under Coach Joe Sexton and the staff.

The toughness along both lines of scrimmage is remarkable, given that Lubbock Liberty didn’t even have a weight room this time two years ago. The Patriots racked up 11 sacks against Wolfforth Frenship, a 6A team a year ago. Then, they avenged their lone regular-season loss last year by blowing out Midland Greenwood 56-25. Two weeks ago, Lubbock Liberty secured a gritty 29-28 win over Canyon West Plains, a fellow West Texas power a division above them and sporting a 35-8 record over the last four seasons.

3A: Matt Schobel, Columbus

Columbus was the preseason Class 3A DI State Championship pick in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine. But Columbus has exceeded even our admittedly lofty expectations, beating five Class 4A teams in a row. Those wins didn’t come against slouches either. Preseason top-ten Bay City was the opener, perennial power Bellville was on the schedule, and always-salty Needville loomed. But it’s not just the wins – it’s the dominance with which Columbus has won. Bellville was the only game within one score.

Keep in mind, Columbus is doing this while losing star wide receiver Braylon Fisher, switching last year’s District Offensive MVP, Jack Schobel, from quarterback to wide receiver, and playing two quarterbacks in sophomore David James and Peyton Blakeman. Running back Demariye “Doc” Cantu has been the season’s breakout star, rushing for over 270 yards and four or more touchdowns in three consecutive weeks. The line play has been excellent, as expected, with Texas commit Keyon Hemphill-Woods and Christopher Quinn.

2A: Chance Barlow, D’Hanis

I know I said Lubbock Liberty is in contention for the state’s most improved team above, but they’ll have to duke it out with D’Hanis. Coach Chance Barlow’s team is in the state’s top ten for most improved offense (36.6 more points per game) and defense (30.9 fewer points allowed per game).

Sophomore quarterback Evan Craft has blossomed into one of the top quarterbacks in 2A in his second year as a starter. Craft is completing 72 percent of his passes, throwing for 293 yards per game, and has 28 touchdowns with no picks. Wide receivers Josiah Rodriguez and Kase Braden have each surpassed last year’s receiving yards total through five games. D’Hanis also has 16 sacks on defense in just five games, led by breakout freshman Julius Sandoval’s five sacks.