After twenty highly successful seasons at Port Lavaca Calhoun, athletic director and head football coach Richard Whitaker announced his retirement Wednesday morning. Utilizing a unique, ground-based offense, Whitaker transformed the Sandcrabs from a struggling program into one of the premier 4A powers in South Texas.
Coach Whitaker retires ranked 20th among all active head coaches with an impressive 191-112 overall record. He led Kingsville from 1999 to 2004 before taking over at Calhoun in 2005, inheriting a program that had endured 13 consecutive losing seasons.
During his tenure at Calhoun, Whitaker guided the Sandcrabs to a state semifinal appearance in 2013. They made four regional final appearances, won seven district titles, and averaged eight wins per season.
Whitaker told The Port Lavaca Wave, “I love the Black and Gold and thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I love Calhoun—this is my home.”
Given Calhoun’s success and the distinctiveness of their offensive scheme, it would be no surprise if the district promotes an internal candidate to replace Whitaker, who leaves behind a remarkable legacy.
If the position opens to external candidates, it will be an attractive job. The Sandcrabs are coming off a trip to the 4A-Division I regional semifinals in 2024, following a regional final appearance in 2023.
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