In any realignment year the number of coaching changes in Texas High School Football takes a leap and this off-season was no different as a total of 221 UIL schools from Class 6A down to Class 2A will have new coaches in the 2018 season.

Who are the teams with new leaders on the sidelines we are keeping the closest eye on when things kick off on August 30? The storylines are varied and numerous across the state and each program has different challenges ahead, but the beauty of Texas High School Football is there’s always something interesting going on in our great state! 

Is there a team or new head coach we left out that we should look at? Let us know matt.stepp@texasfootball.com

Dumas: Things did change in Dumas this off-season, the Demons graduated an outstanding group of seniors from a team that went 9-2 and won the 3-5A title a year ago and the biggest news of all of was that Dumas is now Class 4A after spending the past few years as one of 5A’s smallest schools. However there will still be a Coach Dunnam leading the Demons in 2018, but it won’t be Chad Dunnam who left to take over at Amarillo High, instead former DC Aaron Dunnam takes over for his brother and will look to take Dumas to new heights in 2018. The Demons certainly have a chance in Region I which only features 18 total teams and with a dozen starters returning from a 5A district champion, Dumas vaults to the top of regional title contenders.

Brownwood: If anyone would have told you during the days of Gordon Wood that a head coach from Brownwood would willingly leave to take the same job in Bangs, you probably would have been laughed out of Brown County. However, that’s exactly what happened this winter as after two seasons, Kyle Maxfield departed Brownwood take over at Bangs leaving Brownwood fans a bit puzzled to say the least. Brownwood ISD turned to someone with lasting ties to the community to take the reins in former Farmersville head coach Sammy Burnett, Burnett had plenty of success in Farmersville and knows all that goes into being involved in a program steeped in tradition like Brownwood. The Lions will be in one of the state’s toughest districts 5-4A Division I that features arch rival Stephenville, Waco LaVega, China Spring and Gatesville, all five teams in this district made the playoffs in 2017.

Livingston: After a winless season in their final year in Class 5A, hopes are high that the winds of change will bring some positive results for the Lions in 2018. New head coach Finis Vanover has won a lot of games in his lengthy career and turned several programs around and he’ll look to do the same in what is likely his final coaching stop. Livingston drops down to Class 4A Divison I with a team that does return eight starters on offense so expect the Lions who played multiple freshman a year ago at the varsity level to be more explosive. The Lions new district won’t be easy as 11-4A Division I feature two other 5A drop downs in Lumberton and Splendora along with Huffman, Bridge City and Little Cypress-Mauriceville.

Boerne: The Greyhounds took some heavy graduation losses from a squad that won eight games a year ago and then had the additional loss of seeing head coach Mike Dormady leave to take over at Wylie East. Boerne decided to go after their own DFW head coach as they landed Che Hendrix from Frisco Heritage to lead the way in 2018. Hendrix had some success leading Heritage, including a run to the third round of the playoffs in 2015. Although Boerne only brings back five starters on both sides of the ball, don’t be surprised if a playoff win or two isn’t on the agenda for 2018 as UIL Realignment definitely did Boerne a favor sending the Greyhounds to 15-4A Division I where they will go south and east in realignment, that setup also gives BHS a very favorable bi-district matchup against 16-4A Division I.