One of the three finalist for the Cooper job

[injuredinmelee]

is Hugh Sandifer of Abilene Wylie. Im not shocked or surprised by this but man I hope it doesnt happen. I cant find this anywhere in print but apparently it was reported on the 10pm news last night. I am going to keep searching for printed stories concerning this and make a few phone calls to the schools.

[Snyder_TigerFan]

WOW! That's one way to get a pay raise quick (from Wylie). Not sure why he'd want to leave for that job though. The challenge? moving to 5A (maybe 4A at realignment) for more recognition, especially if he turns the program around?

Surely this isn't true.

[Snyder_TigerFan]

Also, do you know who the other two are?

[injuredinmelee]

i am still trying to get an official comment from the man doing the hiring.

[DaHop72]

Man, I hope that's just a rumor. I don't know why he would want to go into such a bad situation. Talk about the ultimate rebuilding project.

[injuredinmelee]

The Abilene ISD athletic office administrative Assistant said that interviews are still taking place and that there are NO finalist at this time.

I could not get a comment from Cooper High School Principal Gail Gregg.

[STANG RED]

WOW! This is a huge story!
But it kind of makes sense in weird sort of way. I know Hugh wasnt looking to leave Abilene before all his kids graduated high school. This does give him the oppertunity to take on a challenge at the next level without having to leave Abilene.
Cooper would be crazy not to hire him. But, he maybe crazy if he takes the job. I dont think it is anywhere near as good of a job as the one he has now. Especially if, Cooper ends up dropping down to 4A. I cant imagine that it could pay any or much more than the Wylie job does.
This is going to be interesting to watch.

[pero chato]

This was reported on KTAB last night on both the 6 & 10 o'clock news. I've heard, rumor only, that one of the other interviewees is a Southlake coach. There is a Cooper/Wylie connection in that Cooper principal Gail Gregg's son, Grant, was Wylie's quarterback about 7 years ago and was later drafted by the Twins as a pitcher. As far as pay, AISD typically pays a lot better than Wylie. I would say this is a good opportunity for Hugh. He's accomplished the state champion thing at the 3A level, so why not move on? Even if Cooper drops to 4A, and I don't think they will, they are redrawing district boundary lines as we speak, and I think that will increase their enrollment numbers.

[Johnny Utah]

He would be crazy to leave the BEST 3a job in the state in my opinion!!! Just an opinion.

[STANG RED]

Originally posted by pero chato
This was reported on KTAB last night on both the 6 & 10 o'clock news. I've heard, rumor only, that one of the other interviewees is a Southlake coach. There is a Cooper/Wylie connection in that Cooper principal Gail Gregg's son, Grant, was Wylie's quarterback about 7 years ago and was later drafted by the Twins as a pitcher. As far as pay, AISD typically pays a lot better than Wylie. I would say this is a good opportunity for Hugh. He's accomplished the state champion thing at the 3A level, so why not move on? Even if Cooper drops to 4A, and I don't think they will, they are redrawing district boundary lines as we speak, and I think that will increase their enrollment numbers.

Yes they are redrawing district lines now, but the numbers the UIL will be going by will be those turned in a couple months back. Cooper could very well drop to 4A, but should rise right back to 5A in two years. Do you know what Cooper turned in?

[VWG]

One thing not mentioned yet.... is Sandifer looking at taking over Cooper in hopes of Cooper and Abilene High merging into one high school in the next few years?

[injuredinmelee]

some of the members of the AISD school board are very opposed to the one high school idea. Esp one of the minority members who has been very outspoken against.

[STANG RED]

Originally posted by VWG
One thing not mentioned yet.... is Sandifer looking at taking over Cooper in hopes of Cooper and Abilene High merging into one high school in the next few years?

I dont really see that happening. Economically, it certainly would be the smart move for Abilene tax payers. But I just dont see politics ever allowing it to happen. If it does ever happen, it will be a huge school, and it would be a force to be reckoned with, on all levels. I really will be surprised though, if it ever happens.

[Chris Hart]

From what I understand, Sandifer is already one of the highest paid coaches in 3A, if not the highest. I think he makes around $75,000 annually. The Cooper job may pay a bit more than that, but is the little bit more money worth it? I agree with Johnny Utah, he already has the BEST job in 3A. I wouldn't leave if I were him, unless I knew for sure Cooper was dropping to 4A. Then he could build something comparable to what he has done in Wylie. I always admired a guy that built a program and stayed throughout his career, stay at Wylie Hugh!

[GreenMonster]

Maybe Hugh is ready for a new challenge. It is a perfect LOCATION since he wouldn't have to move and Cooper is down on hard times right now. It could also be a huge 4A school for the next 2 years if it drops during reallignment. Sandifer could be playing 4A ball with 5A numbers especially after AISD redraws it's own attendance zones. It could be a perfect opportunity for a coach to look like a hero. Then again, I truly think he will pull his name out of the running before they name a new coach.

[3afan]

why is Cooper football perceived (by "outsiders") as such a bad job? they used to be a top-notch program. are they just in a down cycle?

[injuredinmelee]

the school building is just run down and falling apart. Its hard to have pride in soemthingthat looks like it belongs in Boyzn the Hood

[Adidas410s]

that...there has been numerous budget cuts in the district (especially regarding # of teachers in the district)...that and the lines were re-drawn 3 times (i think that's the right number) during the 90's and Cooper went from being the school with all the talent to the school with all of the leftovers for the most part. Notice how Abilene High has become one of the top teams in the state since 1999-2000 area? You can thank that to the boundary changes. The boundaries are also one of the main reasons that Randy Allen AND Randy Quisenberry left. They did so because they were still expected to be a top team in Texas but to do so with a rapidly declining talent pool. When Quis got Cooper to the State Quarters in 2002 with a 13-0 record before bowing out to SLC @ Shotwell...that was one of the best displays of coaching I have ever seen. His biggest player on that team was a DE named Kenny Spotwood (now at Tulsa) at about 6'1" 230" lbs. They had either 8 or 10 kids that were over 200 lbs on their roster. You just can't compete in 5A with that lack of size.

[STANG RED]

This just in.

Second prospect interviews for Cooper coaching job

The proverbial vacancy sign still hangs on the door of the Cooper High School head football coach's office, but that may not be the case for long.

It's been nearly a month since Cooper principal Gail Gregg held his first interview for the opening, but another prospective coach came through the doors on Tuesday and left a good impression with Gregg.

The second interview for the job - coming after December's interview of Daingerfield High School coach Randall Hugg and left open after Gregg's reassignment of Marty Secord in November - went to current University of Houston offensive line coach Mike Spradlin.

Were he to be offered the job, it would be a homecoming of sorts for Spradlin, whose first coaching job came in 1980 when he worked as Cooper's offensive coordinator under head coach Ray Overton. Spradlin, who joined Art Briles' staff in Houston in 2003, was head coach and athletic director at Round Rock Westwood for four years, coaching the 2002 team to a 7-4 record and the school's first district championship.

He also coached at Midland Christian, leading the team to a 9-3 record and the state semifinals in 1996, and at Navasota High School, where he led his team to the playoffs in 1998.

''He likes to go in and turn programs around,'' Gregg said. ''I think he'd be good on the football end, but also on the athletic coordinator end, too.''

Secord, meanwhile, has found a new job as the coach at Class 3A Wakefield High School. Wakefield, a school so new it doesn't yet have a mascot, is in Frisco. Secord was unavailable for comment late Tuesday night.

Gregg said two more interviews are planned this week for the Cooper opening and that he hopes to have a new head man shortly thereafter.

''Thursday and Friday, I've got two scheduled to come, though I suspect one of those might back out,'' Gregg said. ''I think by the middle of next week we'll be able to call a press conference and make an announcement and then have him start that following Monday.''

[shadow13]

Originally posted by 3afan
why is Cooper football perceived (by "outsiders") as such a bad job? they used to be a top-notch program. are they just in a down cycle?

[shadow13]

Originally posted by injuredinmelee
the school building is just run down and falling apart. Its hard to have pride in soemthingthat looks like it belongs in Boyzn the Hood Boyz n the Hood! Wouldn't you know it! what a shame!

[Milk That Cow]

Could you list some of the reasons that Abilene Wylie is the best 3a Job in the state...

Just curious...

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by Milk That Cow
Could you list some of the reasons that Abilene Wylie is the best 3a Job in the state...

Just curious...

1) community support

2) financial support

3) talent base

In that order too