From the Sidelines
MARCH
28 02:26 AM in High School Football
Five strong candidates to choose from
By Joshua Buckley | Permalink | Add Comments
Now this is a list for La Marque fans to get excited about.
After being disappointed with the finalists for the La Marque High athletic director/head football coach vacancy last year, many of the most respected voices of Coog Nation expressed their excitement to me over this year’s five candidates.
I must say, I agreed with Coog Nation as soon as I saw the list. This year’s five finalists — Grapevine head coach Gary Mullins, Kimball head coach Darrell Jordan, Nederland head coach Larry Neumann, Nimitz head coach David Suggs and Flower Mound Marcus defensive coordinator Chuck Vincent — are easily stronger than last year’s group of five.
That’s not meant to be an insult to Lydell Wilson, Chris Jones and Larry Walker, who were finalists last year. After all, Wilson went on to win a state title with Lamar Consolidated, and I still think Jones, while falling short of La Marque’s lofty expectations, can be successful in the right situation.
But unlike last year, I don’t think La Marque can go wrong by hiring any of the five finalists. And for that reason, I think Thursday was a exciting day to be a La Marque Cougar fan.
Here’s my breakdown of the candidates:
5. Darrell Jordan – Jordan was a surprise candidate, because he wasn’t on the original released list of applicants for the position. But his 52-29 record in seven seasons at Dallas Kimball shows that he is a good coach.
Because I don’t know too much about him, I have him ranked at the bottom of the five finalists.
4. Gary Mullins – Like Jordan, Mullins is another coaching veteran who has a proven track record. He’s gone 49-35 in eight seasons at Grapevine with five playoff appearances.
I wonder though if Mullins’ resume can compete against the top two on this list, which is why I rank him fourth right now.
3. Chuck Vincent – It’s funny that Vincent probably would have been the No. 1 or 2 choice last year had he gone through the application process instead of following Bryan Erwin to Flower Mound. This time around, he’ll have a hard time beating either of the top two candidates for the position, because he doesn’t have any prior head coaching experience.
That doesn’t mean Vincent wouldn’t be a great fit for La Marque. I was very impressed with him in 2006 and think his personality would be a perfect fit for the Cougar players. I know there are a lot of La Marque fans that would be pleased to see him on the sidelines of Etheredge Stadium next year.
2. David Suggs – There are several members of Coog Nation that are trying to tell others that Suggs should be the favorite for the position. Listening to their arguments, they may be correct.
Suggs was a former Cougar assistant under Alan Weddell, so he knows what the La Marque tradition is all about. He’s also a very strict coach, which could be a bonus on the field and in the classroom.
I have him ranked No. 2 right now on my candidate list, but I won’t be shocked to see him end up with the job. And if that happens, I think Coog Nation would be ecstatic.
1. Larry Neumann – Ever since I saw his name on the applicants list, I’ve thought Neumann was the favorite for the job.
He’s already made a name for himself throughout the state as a disciplinarian and a coach that stresses fundamentals. Both are qualities La Marque needs in order to reach state championship potential again. Plus, if he can have the kind of continued success at Nederland, what kind of dominant teams could he create with the athletes from La Marque?
The one negative Neumann may have is price. He’ll definitely cost the most of the five candidates. But if money is not an option, I think he has the best chance to get the job.
