High school football is a big deal across the United States, but it is perhaps biggest in the Lone Star State. In Texas, high school stadiums and weight rooms are often larger and nicer than they are at Division I colleges. That’s why towns like Katy, a suburb to the east of Houston, is known nationwide for its football.
The Katy Independent School District has numerous teams that compete year in and year out for state championships, often at the highest classifications. So when a long-time head coach like Chad Simmons steps down, it’s a big deal. Here are five candidates who could replace the Katy Taylor head coach.
5 Potential Katy Taylor Candidates
Simmons went 36-44 in his Taylor tenure, struggling for a few years after the pandemic. He made multiple deep playoff runs in 2019 and 2020, making it to the state semifinals in 2019. He accumulated a 7-4 playoff record. The team likes to hire coaches familiar with the area, so most of the candidates are current Katy ISD coaches.
Brett Holgorsen (Former Houston Assistant Strength Coach)
The brother of recently promoted Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana, Brett Holgorsen is one of the most accomplished offensive assistants in Katy ISD history. Taylor’s best years were under Holgorsen’s watch as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and if he’s willing to return to the high school ranks, he should be the top target.
A.J. Blum (Katy HS Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator)
The current Katy Tigers defensive line coach has college coaching experience and is considered one of the better defensive minds in the area. A.J. Blum has always been an assistant, so it’s not a given that he’ll want to make the jump. Nevertheless, he should be on the list for Taylor because he’s an excellent teacher with plenty of coaching experience.
Zac Etheridge (Houston Cougars Cornerbacks Coach)
Normally, it’d be crazy to think that a school could lure away a sitting college position coach, but the allure of coaching in Katy could be enough to convince Houston cornerbacks coach Zac Etheridge to make the leap into the high school ranks.
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Etheridge is an elite recruiter who could get talent to come to Taylor in an area where many players choose where to live based on the team they’d be able to suit up for.
Chris Babin (Katy Jordan Defensive Coordinator)
A long-time resident, head coach, and athletic director in Lumberton, Texas, Chris Babin resigned from his position and moved his family two hours east to Houston in the middle of the pandemic. Now he’s the defensive coordinator for a Katy Jordan team that has allowed just 12 points a game.
Babin checks a ton of boxes as a seasoned head coach, with multiple years as an athletic director as well.
Jon Edwards (Cinco Ranch Offensive Line Coach)
Taylor went to Cinco Ranch previously to hire Simmons and could opt to look there again as the team has multiple former head coaches on staff.
Jon Edwards helped Cedar Creek engineer a turnaround at his last stop, winning 15 games in four years after taking over for a team that had won three in its first three years as a varsity program. Given the circumstances of his last head coaching job, Edwards may be reluctant to be the head man again, but he’s a solid head coach with a good track record.
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