TXHSFB's Most Underrated Head Coaches in 2025

6A: Galen Zimmerman, Dripping Springs

Zimmerman has built Dripping Springs into a consistent winner (95-27 record since 2016) despite playing in an Austin area crowded with perennial powers like Lake Travis, Austin Westlake, Cedar Park and new state champion Austin Vandegrift. The Tigers have won at least a share of six district championships under his watch. Zimmerman successfully navigated Dripping Springs' bump to Class 6A in 2022 with a 12-2 record, then steered the program to an 11-3 mark a year after losing quarterback Austin Novosad to Oregon. He is 2-1 against Lake Travis in the last three years.

5A: Kevin Berneathy, La Porte

Berneathy has led La Porte to back-to-back district championships despite not having a home stadium for the past two years. The Bulldogs have played home games at Barbers Hill High School in 2023 and Deer Park's Abshier Stadium last year while awaiting a new $56 million stadium debuting in 2025. Despite the temporary disadvantage, La Porte made the regional finals for the first time since 2011. Before his time at La Porte, Berneathy went 33-10 over four seasons at Pasadena Dobie after inheriting a program that had three consecutive losing seasons.

4A: Mike Giles, Needville

Giles took over a Needville program on a 1-28 skid heading into the 2014 season and has posted seven winning seasons in 11 years despite never having a player ranked in the DCTF Hot 100. His two district championships are the first since 1987. Giles' coaching job in 2024 (7-5 record, area finalist) was especially impressive considering the Blue Jays lost their two best players from a 10-3 campaign before the season.

3A: Matt Green, Llano

Green, who recently passed John Baskin (1976-83) as the longest-tenured head coach in Llano history, has won three district championships since taking over in 2017. Before that, Llano had gone 20 years without a district championship. Green's three regional finals appearances are the farthest Llano has ever advanced in the playoffs. 

2A: Craig Horn, Axtell

Horn's resume deserves to be mentioned among the top coaches in Texas high school football. He has won a district championship at five different schools. Horn is the last coach to win a district title at Itasca in 2008, took over an 0-10 Hubbard team and went 35-10 over four years with three district championships, took Tenaha to a state title and won two district titles in four years at Italy. Most recently, Horn has resurrected Axtell's program. The Longhorns were 4-25 combined in the three years before he got there and are on a 22-3 run with back-to-back district championships over the last two seasons.