LM coaching finalists face public

[KFDM COOP]

La Marque Search Narrowed To Four

Five finalists have been named for the La Marque athletic director/head coaching vacancy.

Current interim La Marque AD Larry Walker, Lamar Consolidated head coach Lydell Wilson, Big Spring head coach Tim Holt, Refugio head coach Chris Jones and former Kempner head coach Michael Ferrell are the five finalists for the vacancy.

• Lydell Wilson has been the head coach at Class 4A Lamar Consolidated since 2001. The program struggled the first three years under his watch, going 3-27; the last two seasons the Mustangs posted a 24-2 mark.

• Michael Ferrell former head coach at Kempner from 2003-06. During those four seasons, the Cougars went 25-20. Kempner made three consecutive playoff appearances starting with a district championship in 2003.

• Tim Holt - Current Big Spring head coach; has been a high school head coach since 1991, compiling a 100-74-5 record. He coached at Falfurrias from 1991-92 (5-12-3 record), George West from 1993-97 (45-15-2), Gregory-Portland from 1998-2000 (16-15) and Taylor from 2001-04 (27-16).

• Chris Jones- Current Refugio head coach since 2003; his first head coaching position he’s compiled a 34-14 record.

[KFDM COOP]

Word is Walker may be the man again?

[C4L]

Politics at its best/worst.  Kids wanted Chris Jones from Refugio.  Some rather vocal members of the community wanted an African American coach.  I found it interesting that African American adults didn't feel that a Caucasian could do the job, but the players themselves felt otherwise.

[KFDM COOP]

LaMarque just won a State Championship! Seems to me some great coaches would have applied? What was Walker's record there before?

[C4L]

43-10-0...

[KFDM COOP]

I couldn't remember what it was. I remember when he was at PTA Jefferson for 2 years he won 1 game. Who do you want?

[C4L]

I couldn't remember what it was. I remember when he was at PTA Jefferson for 2 years he won 1 game. Who do you want?

I'm a Cougar...  I may criticize some of their decisions, but I'll support whoever has the job.

[KFDM COOP]

Let me know when they make the announcement. 8)

[KFDM COOP]

08:31 PM in High School Football

Big news out of the La Marque public forum

By Joshua Buckley | Permalink | Comments (2)

The search for La Marque's next athletic director/head football coach took another twist Tuesday night, when Larry Walker took himself out of the running for the position.

Walker, a former La Marque head coach and current interim AD, told La Marque Superintendent Ecomet Burley that he was withdrawing his name from consideration for the job. Burley said Walker's reasons were personal, and he didn't want to disclose them to the public.

The two remaining finalists, Lamar Consolidated's Lydell Wilson and Refugio's Chris Jones, made short presentations and answered questions from the hiring committee and the community during Tuesday's forum. Nearly 150 people attended the event and asked the finalists some very interesting questions.

Burley said he thought the forum was a success and intends to do again for future principal or coach searches. He also said, "I have a very tough decision to make."

Burley said he will present his final choice to the La Marque school board on Thursday.

[Bigdog]

So I'm guessing that Walker is the African American coach?  ???

[KFDM COOP]

LM coaching finalists face public

By Joshua Buckley

The Daily News

Published March 7, 2007

LA MARQUE — About 150 La Marque fans filed into the high school’s auditorium Tuesday, hoping to have their say in who will be the Cougars’ next athletic director and head football coach.

The two finalists — Lamar Consolidated’s Lydell Wilson and Refugio’s Chris Jones — gave short presentations and answered questions from the hiring committee and the crowd about what they hoped to accomplish as the next La Marque athletic director and football coach.

La Marque interim athletic director Larry Walker was a third finalist for the position, but informed Superintendent Ecomet Burley earlier Tuesday that he was taking his name out of the running.

“I’m not at liberty to talk about Larry Walker,†Burley said.

“He gave me the reasons he withdrew, but they were personal, so I am going to decline comment on them.â€

Walker’s decision caught many of the members of the crowd off guard.

“I was really surprised that Larry backed out,†said Robert Nelson, a youth football coach for the Mainland Express.

“I talked to him at about 10 o’clock today and he didn’t mention anything about it. I’m curious to find out why he took his name out of the running.â€

[BC28in80]

Hey Coop,

Why did he take his name out?  I have a friend there that said he would have gotten the job but doesn't know why he bailed.  Have you heard?

[KFDM COOP]

Not sure why he pulled. Here's the new Coach.

La Marque taps Jones for top coach

By Joshua Buckley

The Daily News 

Published March 9, 2007 - Updated 50 minutes ago

LA MARQUE — Chris Jones is the new athletic director and head football coach for La Marque High School.

The La Marque Independent School District Board unanimously approved the recommendation of Superintendent Ecomet Burley on Thursday to hire the former Refugio coach as the replacement for Bryan Erwin. Erwin resigned in January to take the same position at Flower Mound Marcus.

Jones said he didn’t know he would be the choice until he received a phone call from Burley just after 10:15 p.m. telling him he was approved.

“This is a dream come true,†Jones said from his home in Refugio. “I’ve been sitting on the back porch for a while with my family, just waiting on answer. I’m real excited right now.â€

Jones was one of two finalists for the position, along with Lamar Consolidated’s Lydell Wilson.

Jones had been an assistant football coach for 14 years, before getting his first head-coaching job in 2003 with Class 2A Refugio. He’s never missed the playoffs in his four years with the Bobcats, compiling a 34-14 record, including three straight district titles.

In 2006, Refugio went 11-2, advancing to the Class 2A, Division II region semifinals.

But Jones’ impact figures to be felt on more than just the football field.

During a public forum Tuesday night, Jones showed how La Marque and Refugio mirror each other in test scores and economically disadvantaged students, based on stats taken from the Texas Education Agency. Jones had just only one varsity player fail academically during the last two years at Refugio.

Jones also unveiled his slogan for the Cougars at the forum — B.Y.G. for C.T.S. ’07.

“It means the Best You’ve Got for Coogs Take State in ’07,†he said.

Jones’ presentation at the public forum earned praise from members of the community and some of the current varsity players.

“We think Chris Jones is the best fit for the players,†said junior receiver Dexter Evans said. “Both of them are good candidates, but Chris Jones is going run an offense that is good for us.â€

Jones’ spread offensive attack wrecked havoc on the Bobcats’ opponents this year, 37.6 points per game.

“About 95 percent of our offensive plays were out of the shotgun formation,†Jones said. “We used the spread (offense), because it was a way to get all our athletes on the field. We had a lot of skill players that wouldn’t have gotten on the field if we ran a normal two-back set.â€

Refugio totaled 4,925 total yards in 2006, including 3,012 on the ground. The Bobcats had a 1,300-yard rusher and 1,800-yard passer.

His defense hasn’t been too shabby either. Showing the ability to use different defensive formations throughout the season, Refugio held opponents to 150 points last season.

“Like La Marque, our team was blessed with speed,†Jones said. “So we put our fastest kids on the field on defense. We used multiple defensive formations and weren’t afraid to gamble, take chances and bring some heat. You can do that with the athletes if they are there.â€

Jones said he hopes to be released from his duties at Refugio in the next few weeks, so he can begin work at La Marque.

“I really feel great about getting the opportunity to coach at La Marque,†Jones said. “Now it’s time to get to work and start getting things in line.â€

+++

Chris Jones At A Glance

• Refugio Athletic Director/Head Football Coach, ’03-’06

• 34-14 career record

• 2006 Regional finalists

• District Champions 2004, 2005, 2006

• Zero varsity players failed academically in ’05 and ’06

• Assistant football coach for 14 years — Frenship, ’89-’96; Honey Grove, ’96-’97; Bryan, ’97-’98; Sinton, ’98-’03

• Education — Texas Tech University, ’84-’88, earned B.S. in education