Mesquite ISD on Monday night named Seagoville head coach Stephen Jackson as the next head football coach at West Mesquite High School.

He replaces Frank Sandoval, who resigned his post just before spring break.

Jackson spent the last two seasons leading Seagoville where he’s posted a 13-9 overall record and led the Dragons to back-to-back playoff appearances. His team posted a 7-4 mark in 2023. He was also named a Dave Campbell's Texas Football 40 Under 40 head coach in the 2022 summer magazine. 

“I’m really excited about this opportunity," Jackson said. "Mesquite ISD’s administration has been great through the process. Kody Groves is a supportive athletic director and the principal is a ‘coaches principal.’ These are leaders who know what it takes to be successful. The facility improvements are great and I know there’s a group of young men and women at West Mesquite who want to be successful and we want to do everything we can to give them that opportunity to maximize the success."

Prior to taking over at Seagoville, Jackson was the offensive coordinator at Duncanville where the Panthers finished as the 6A-Division I state runner-up in 2021.

Jackson began his coaching career at Dallas Carter working for legendary head coach Allen Wilson before a stop at Wilmer-Hutchins when that program was re-started. Jackson went to Seagoville as an assistant in 2016 and moved to Red Oak as an assistant under former Red Oak head coach Chris Ross in 2017.

Coach Jackson is a DeSoto graduate and has four children and his wife is currently a principal in Red Oak ISD.

“Leaving Seagoville is bittersweet," he said. "I’ve lost a lot of sleep in the decision process. I felt like we built something special and Seagoville and the community will forever have a place in my heart. I will always be indebted to Seagoville. I feel like we left it better than we found it and that’s the ultimate goal for any coach. I’m ready to get going at West, meet the kids and get to work."