South Grand Prairie HC spot vacant

[Otis Campbell]

Any news on what happened at SGP? All Ive heard is that current DC Mike Lawrence has been named interim HC. Any names come up early for this one?

[tog]

Any news on what happened at SGP? All Ive heard is that current DC Mike Lawrence has been named interim HC. Any names come up early for this one?

They will have a hard time finding a better one than him. This should be a slam dunk.

[blueraider10]

I agree that they have the right man their now, but you have the crazy lady running things in the GPISD and you just never know.

[E-Vol-ution]

SGP has so much untapped talent it's ridiculous.

[Otis Campbell]

I agree that they have the right man their now, but you have the crazy lady running things in the GPISD and you just never know.

Yeah, Im starting to hear some of that too. But, they definitely have the man for the job already on staff. Think he can tap into some of that talent.

[THS PRINZ]

SGP has so much untapped talent it's ridiculous.

I agree....having coached there two years.....they have so much talent....just have had a tough time gettings them going the right direction!!!!!!!

[Red Storm]

Ok, I'm sure Mike Lawerence is a good guy and a good coach, but it's ridiculous how people on all these message boards think the job should be handed to him. When he was at Western Hills he couldn't manage to get them past Dunbar and Southwest in the playoffs. I know...it's FWISD so it's can be difficult to get things accomplished...I get that. However, at SGP you will have CHill, Dunc and Tiger High to get past in district, plus With people like Trinity, Allen and the rest of the schools in surrounding districts makes getting past the 1st round tough. What I'm saying is, if he's such a slam dunk, if he couldn't "lift up" Western Hills, then I think I would have to see who else is applying. Putting him against the field is getting a little ahead of ourselves. Yes, those were some good Dunbar teams but Southwest, really?

[Otis Campbell]

Ok, I'm sure Mike Lawerence is a good guy and a good coach, but it's ridiculous how people on all these message boards think the job should be handed to him. When he was at Western Hills he couldn't manage to get them past Dunbar and Southwest in the playoffs. I know...it's FWISD so it's can be difficult to get things accomplished...I get that. However, at SGP you will have CHill, Dunc and Tiger High to get past in district, plus With people like Trinity, Allen and the rest of the schools in surrounding districts makes getting past the 1st round tough. What I'm saying is, if he's such a slam dunk, if he couldn't "lift up" Western Hills, then I think I would have to see who else is applying. Putting him against the field is getting a little ahead of ourselves. Yes, those were some good Dunbar teams but Southwest, really?

Western Hills was zoned in district with the best Dunbar team in ages, and a Southwest 4 year starter qb that made a lot of people look silly. They didn't get it done against them and those two teams kept us out of the playoff race. And get your facts straight, Lawrence did win there. 9-6 record against FWISD schools without getting to play against Northside, South Hills etc...ie:the easy schools. Beat Tech 3 years in a row playing with a team three years in a row with 8-9 sophomore starters during his time there. It wasn't coaching that was any problem. The program was built up to a good point, and then Naylor came into a good situation (for FWISD) and did a good job with what had been built. I wish nothing but the best for Naylor in the future with those kids and hope he takes them to places Hills has never seen because he is a good guy/coach and there are some good folks there.

To more directly answer your question, Mike Lawrence is the best head coach I ever worked for. He is good with the kids, community, staff, admin, coaches, and parents. He already knows the kids there at SGP (they will run through a wall for him) and has amped up the offseason to new heights. The kids there can get no better man to be their head coach than him. He and his staff will teach those kids how to behave, work ethic, and football, in that order. Give him some time and the program will become a monster despite what others may say about the GPISD.

The guy can flat out coach football. He is the son of a long time college coach who is also a great guy that obviously taught him well.

[tog]

I don't know who Otis Campbell is (it isn't me, and the moderators here can verify that), but that was a quote about what I wrote on TOC.

Throw in a notorious lady principal (that has already been run off as principal at another shcool) that ran off about 45 teachers a year in a 4a school, it was a really tough job there. By the way Redstorm, Lawrence has beaten all of those teams you listed. He came into SGP this year and they became the number 1 defense in that same district by over 50 yards a game. Imagine how much better they will be once the kids have another year in his system?

As one of the guys that run coachhuey.com I get to deal with "name coaches" every day talking football. I can tell you I would want Lawrence coaching my kid and my favorite team over any of them.

[Red Storm]

Tog, I respect your opinion so I will defer to you on this one. The funny thing about our profession is that the best man for the job doesn't always get it. I'm a big believer in hiring from within but with their superintendent, all bets are off.

Otis, I respect your loyalty to Coach Lawerence. However, going 9-6 in FWISD isn't alot to write home about. He is a great candidate, but there are lots of great coaches out there and that's what I should have said. I'd put the head coach I work for up against any one. He's won a 5A state title as a DC, coached in the Big 12 and taken his team to the semi-finals as a head coach. I'm not very objective about him because I work for him. But I'm not naive enough to think that if he applied for another high profile job that there might be another candidate that would be better than him.

[tog]

Tog, I respect your opinion so I will defer to you on this one. The funny thing about our profession is that the best man for the job doesn't always get it. I'm a big believer in hiring from within but with their superintendent, all bets are off.

Otis, I respect your loyalty to Coach Lawerence. However, going 9-6 in FWISD isn't alot to write home about. He is a great candidate, but there are lots of great coaches out there and that's what I should have said. I'd put the head coach I work for up against any one. He's won a 5A state title as a DC, coached in the Big 12 and taken his team to the semi-finals as a head coach. I'm not very objective about him because I work for him. But I'm not naive enough to think that if he applied for another high profile job that there might be another candidate that would be better than him.

Thanks Red Storm, Otis was quoting what I wrote about the deal on TOC. I still haven't figured out who he is. It should be interesting to see how it all plays out.

[Red Storm]

No problem Tog...keep coach'em up!!!

[Matthew 2000 Eagle]

The talent in FWISD and on campus at South Grand Prairie= rediculous.

I know this is about SGP but, the FWISD can't keep good coaches when they get them because, they don't pay well. If Bob Jones doesn't leave Dunbar, they would still run the city. OD Wyatt couldn't keep Lewis Hayes because, they wouldn't let him run his program the way he wanted to, and this is also why Western Hills couldn't keep Hayes in the mid '90s.

Arlington Heights was primed for a big run this year but, their coach left before the season started. Money talks and, until the FWISD is able to open up the wallets, it'll be 1 and done for everyone who makes the postseason (except for in basketball).

[Otis Campbell]

The talent in FWISD and on campus at South Grand Prairie= rediculous.

I know this is about SGP but, the FWISD can't keep good coaches when they get them because, they don't pay well. If Bob Jones doesn't leave Dunbar, they would still run the city. OD Wyatt couldn't keep Lewis Hayes because, they wouldn't let him run his program the way he wanted to, and this is also why Western Hills couldn't keep Hayes in the mid '90s.

Arlington Heights was primed for a big run this year but, their coach left before the season started. Money talks and, until the FWISD is able to open up the wallets, it'll be 1 and done for everyone who makes the postseason (except for in basketball).

Money is AN issue, but far from the only one. It's almost impossible to build a consistant football contender in FWISD. Much like Dallas ISD.

[blueraider10]

Money is AN issue, but far from the only one. It's almost impossible to build a consistant football contender in FWISD. Much like Dallas ISD.

I'd say Skyline has been pretty consistant.

[Otis Campbell]

I'd say Skyline has been pretty consistant.

3 years with a playoff win=consistant? Maybe.
But, that's one out of 22 high schools in DISD. I'd say they're the exception, not the rule.

[swac panther]

for $50 I can tell you all about GPISD and who is what.....lol...

Skyline was going to be good years ago as they got the best of the best DISD middle schoolers to attend there..Carter is down because of people running to Desoto, Cedar Hill, etc.....

People need to know BJ Johnson isn't at SGP anymore

[old warrior]

Lawrence does a great job with the kids, he has revamped their offseason and has it all going in the right direction. It would be a shame for the powers that be to not give the guy a shot.

[THS PRINZ]

Any student in DISD can go to Skyline....anybody see a advantage here!!!!!!!!! SGP will be a powerhouse with the right guy (with support from adm)

[Red Storm]

I would bet that the supt. already has someone in mind. Just check her past history!!!