Last week, Sul Ross State head coach Barry Derickson resigned after leading the Lobos to 11 wins in three seasons. As one commenter on social media said, being “11-20 at Sul Ross is actually pretty respectable.”

Some might even call it a minor miracle, given the challenges one must overcome to win at SRSU. The next head coach of the Lobos will inherit one of the least-funded programs in the Lone Star Conference. Multiple sources have indicated the Lobos are set to fund roughly 10 percent of the 36 scholarship limit in NCAA Division II.

The challenge becomes more significant, considering that Lobos are transitioning to DII from Division III. However, Sul Ross has adequate facilities on par with those in the middle of the LSC. The Lobos need someone who can make the most of the minimal funding provided, raise money to help assist with the needs of the program, and the ability to recruit to Alpine, Texas.

The bottom line is that Sul Ross is one of the most challenging college football jobs in Texas. But what some see as significant challenges, others see as an opportunity. The Lobos should find someone who can project positivity throughout the program and the athletic department.

Here are five potential candidates to lead the Sul Ross program.

Dr. Jack Welch, East Texas A&M special teams coordinator and chief of staff

Welch has spent the last five years at ET and has been integral to the Lions football program’s transition from DII to FCS. Before landing in Commerce, Welch retired as the winningest head coach in Copperas Cove High School history. His teams produced 193 wins, 18 playoff appearances, seven district titles, and two appearances in the Class 5A Division I state championship game in his 24 years with the Bulldawgs. Welch remains among the top 100 all-time winningest coaches in Texas high school football.

He has experience turning around a college football program, having led Kansas Wesleyan to a winning record in his second season as head coach despite inheriting the nation’s longest collegiate losing streak and being the youngest head football coach in college football when he accepted the position.

Jarrail Jackson, Texas College head coach

No one in Texas inherited a program with worse funding, facilities, and a history of losing than what Jackson inherited when he became the Steers head coach three seasons ago. 

Yet, he has never once used those challenges as an excuse and led the Steers to an 8-3 record this year – the most wins in a season since the program restarted in 2003 and equal to the number of combined wins for the program from the 2013-2023 campaigns. Few coaches are more prepared to handle the circumstances at SRSU than Jackson, who also has experience as a former NFL player and coaching experience at multiple Division I schools.

Matt Cannata, Lamar offensive line coach

A rising young coach in the profession, Cannata is primed to take the next step in his career. Many athletic directors consider candidates who have spent time as offensive line coaches uniquely prepared to be head coaches. Cannata’s offensive line has paved the way for the Cardinals to post the program’s first consecutive winning seasons since 1966-1967 during his two seasons in Beaumont. 

Before joining Lamar, Cannata was the offensive line coach at Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2022, when the Crusaders advanced to the DIII national semifinals. He began his career serving as offensive line coach, run game coordinator, and recruiting coordinator at Texas Lutheran before spending three seasons as a graduate assistant on the offensive line at Charlotte. 

Chase Paramore, East Texas A&M wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator

One former head coach who had Paramore on staff described him as a “no-brainer” for SRSU because of his unique ability to improve every position he touches and his reputation as the “best recruiter I’ve ever been around.” In his second season at ET, Paramore served as running backs coach in 2023. 

Before Commerce, Paramore was the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Waldorf, where he helped lead them to seven wins, tied for the most in program history. He spent the 2022 season as tight ends and cornerbacks coach at Faulkner after three years as wide receivers coach, special teams coordinator, and recruiting coordinator at Nelson (formerly SAGU).

Joseph Sam, Arlington Bowie High School head coach

Sam doesn’t have experience as a college head football coach, but the Lobos would be hard-pressed to find another high school coach more prepared to win in a challenging situation. The Volunteers had 21 players on its roster when Sam arrived, which has increased to over 150 athletes in the program this year. 

Meanwhile, Sam built a fully functional booster club from scratch while leading the team to seven wins in 2023 and eight wins this year. The Volunteers posted the program’s first undefeated district record in program history on their way to winning their first district title since 2012. Under Sam’s guidance, Arlington Bowie beat rival Arlington Martin for the first time since 2016, gathering over 150 hours of community service since August and having over 50 percent of its varsity roster earn academic all-district honors.