Gobbler Fan
05-05-2006, 07:13 AM
Schulenburg makes Finley new football coach/AD
May 5, 2006
MIKE FORMAN - Advocate Sports Writer
Mickey Finley was hoping to return to South Texas and now he has the ideal reason to do so.
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The Schulenburg school district board of trustees voted unanimously late Wednesday night to hire Finley as Schulenburg's athletic director and head football coach.
Finley, who was the athletic director and head football coach at Cuero for seven seasons, will replace Brad Oden, who asked to be reassigned to a teaching position last month.
"I'm so glad to be back in South Texas," said Finley, who has been residing in Jacksboro since resigning as the head football coach at Cleburne after last season. "We (Finley and wife, Patty) were ready to get out of the city life and settle down there somewhere probably near Cuero. We figured I might have to retire to do it. But now to get a chance to coach and see that happen is just wonderful."
Finley has been a head football coach for 28 years and has compiled an overall record of 192-124-5. He was the head coach at Klondike and Iraan before taking over at Cuero in 1992. He had a 69-23-2 record at Cuero and led the Gobblers to five district championships, six playoff appearances, and the 1993 and '98 Class 3A state finals.
Finley left Cuero to become the head coach at Class 5A Arlington in 1999 and moved to Class 4A Cleburne in 2003.
Finley's oldest son, Clint, played for him at Cuero and went on to play for Nebraska and the Kansas City Chiefs before coaching with his father at Cleburne last season. Finley's youngest son, Joe Jon, played at Arlington and is the starting tight end at Oklahoma.
"Now I've coached at every classification," Finley said of his move to Class 2A Schulenburg. "I've taken a team from every classification at least to the quarterfinals, except in 4A."
Finley admits the past three years at Cleburne were extremely difficult. Finley's teams went 4-26 and he spent a great deal of time battling internal dissension.
"That was a tough place to coach," Finley said. "But it took me about a month (after leaving Cleburne) before I wanted to coach again. I don't know if I'll ever be able to retire."
Dale Pitts, superintendent for the Schulenburg school district, said the district received 125 applications and interviewed six candidates before selecting Finley.
"He's a proven commodity," Pitts said. "The board felt like with the transition we're making, he had enough experience and had been in enough places that he could bridge that transition without too much effort. We went out and got a quality person and that's what we need here."
Oden decided to get out of coaching after leading the Shorthorns to the District 30-2A championship and into the Division II regional playoffs before finishing last season with a 12-1 record. Schulenburg will compete in District 28-2A next season against Rice Consolidated, Edna, Hallettsville, Tidehaven, Ganado, Industrial, and Weimar.
"All I know is just second hand and mostly from my boys at Ganado," Finley said referring to Clint Finley and Mike Rabe, who also played for him at Cuero and coached with him at Cleburne last season. Rabe is now the athletic director and head football coach at Ganado and Clint Finley is the defensive coordinator. "I do know they've had great success at Schulenburg. I think they played a playoff game or two at Cuero when I was there."
Finley plans to begin work at Schulenburg no later than Monday and his first order of business will be putting together a staff and getting acquainted with the players.
"It's just a matter of getting there and getting the staff ironed out," Finley said. "We want to get our offense and defense in and learn about the kids. We have to get things figured out in a hurry. The best thing is the program is in pretty good shape. I'm used to going places where things are turned upside down. This will be a nice change."
The Shorthorns got themselves a good one .:clap:
May 5, 2006
MIKE FORMAN - Advocate Sports Writer
Mickey Finley was hoping to return to South Texas and now he has the ideal reason to do so.
Advertisement
The Schulenburg school district board of trustees voted unanimously late Wednesday night to hire Finley as Schulenburg's athletic director and head football coach.
Finley, who was the athletic director and head football coach at Cuero for seven seasons, will replace Brad Oden, who asked to be reassigned to a teaching position last month.
"I'm so glad to be back in South Texas," said Finley, who has been residing in Jacksboro since resigning as the head football coach at Cleburne after last season. "We (Finley and wife, Patty) were ready to get out of the city life and settle down there somewhere probably near Cuero. We figured I might have to retire to do it. But now to get a chance to coach and see that happen is just wonderful."
Finley has been a head football coach for 28 years and has compiled an overall record of 192-124-5. He was the head coach at Klondike and Iraan before taking over at Cuero in 1992. He had a 69-23-2 record at Cuero and led the Gobblers to five district championships, six playoff appearances, and the 1993 and '98 Class 3A state finals.
Finley left Cuero to become the head coach at Class 5A Arlington in 1999 and moved to Class 4A Cleburne in 2003.
Finley's oldest son, Clint, played for him at Cuero and went on to play for Nebraska and the Kansas City Chiefs before coaching with his father at Cleburne last season. Finley's youngest son, Joe Jon, played at Arlington and is the starting tight end at Oklahoma.
"Now I've coached at every classification," Finley said of his move to Class 2A Schulenburg. "I've taken a team from every classification at least to the quarterfinals, except in 4A."
Finley admits the past three years at Cleburne were extremely difficult. Finley's teams went 4-26 and he spent a great deal of time battling internal dissension.
"That was a tough place to coach," Finley said. "But it took me about a month (after leaving Cleburne) before I wanted to coach again. I don't know if I'll ever be able to retire."
Dale Pitts, superintendent for the Schulenburg school district, said the district received 125 applications and interviewed six candidates before selecting Finley.
"He's a proven commodity," Pitts said. "The board felt like with the transition we're making, he had enough experience and had been in enough places that he could bridge that transition without too much effort. We went out and got a quality person and that's what we need here."
Oden decided to get out of coaching after leading the Shorthorns to the District 30-2A championship and into the Division II regional playoffs before finishing last season with a 12-1 record. Schulenburg will compete in District 28-2A next season against Rice Consolidated, Edna, Hallettsville, Tidehaven, Ganado, Industrial, and Weimar.
"All I know is just second hand and mostly from my boys at Ganado," Finley said referring to Clint Finley and Mike Rabe, who also played for him at Cuero and coached with him at Cleburne last season. Rabe is now the athletic director and head football coach at Ganado and Clint Finley is the defensive coordinator. "I do know they've had great success at Schulenburg. I think they played a playoff game or two at Cuero when I was there."
Finley plans to begin work at Schulenburg no later than Monday and his first order of business will be putting together a staff and getting acquainted with the players.
"It's just a matter of getting there and getting the staff ironed out," Finley said. "We want to get our offense and defense in and learn about the kids. We have to get things figured out in a hurry. The best thing is the program is in pretty good shape. I'm used to going places where things are turned upside down. This will be a nice change."
The Shorthorns got themselves a good one .:clap: