UPDATED (1:43 p.m. on Sept. 16)

Make it four head coaches in a week for Linden-Kildare.

Superintendent Rex Burks coached last week's game against Hughes Springs so the Tigers wouldn't have to forfeit. They lost 54-0. Now, head baseball coach Jeremy Hogan will take over as the interim coach for the remainder of the season, DCTF has learned.

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To say it has been a difficult start to the 2024 season at Linden-Kildare would be an understatement.

Not only has the 2A Division II program started the season out at 0-2, but in the past 48 hours have gone through not one, but two coaching changes, resulting in superintendent Rex Burks taking over as the interim athletic director and head football coach for at least this week’s matchup against Hughes Springs. 

The saga starts for Linden-Kildare on April 29 when the district named Jason Ferguson as their next athletic director and head football coach. Ferguson’s résumé on the field as a coach is excellent, holding a career 57-26 record with stops at DeLeon, Memphis and Shelbyville. Ferguson’s tenure at Shelbyville was cut short halfway through the 2016 season after an arrest. 

In Ferguson’s first two games at the helm, the Tigers suffered lopsided defeats at the hands of Paul Pewitt and Colmesneil, getting outscored 89-6. On Monday, Ferguson and Linden-Kildare Consolidated ISD reportedly agreed to part ways. Assistant coach JD Russell was named the interim head coach shortly thereafter. 

Fast-forward to Wednesday afternoon, where reports began to circulate that Russell had stepped down from his post and the superintendent Burks would take over for the time being. 

Burks does have coaching experience, serving as head coach at Simms Bowie from 1997 to 2001.

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football confirmed that Linden-Kildare intends to play this week’s scheduled game against Hughes Springs.