Corsicana Job

[sabre1]

Anybody hear anything about this?

[BOCEPHUS]

they by gawd got sum facilities. thought i was in heaven, they the other team kicked off, it was h3ll. i guess i shoulda read the sign(s)

[eagles_victory]

Search begins

Tough need only to apply for Tigers’ job

By Todd Wills

Corsicana athletic director Joe Young began the long process of finding a new football coach Wednesday, posting the position for 14 days as required by state law.

Then comes the interview process, which could take another two weeks.

And then the school board meeting, where the new coach will be presented and hopefully approved, setting him up to start work before Spring Break (March 14).

Yes, it’s going to be a long month — and who knows six weeks — to talk about who will replace Dave Henigan, who was removed as Tigers’ coach after going 35-21 in five years.

One thing is for sure, we’ll have fun vetting this out.

The No. 1 question is, what are Young and superintendent Don Denbow, because you know the winningest coach in school history will have his say, looking for in a new coach?

This, my friends, is an easy one to answer.

The new coach, first and foremost, will have to make his top priority the Tigers’ offseason program. Simply put, the theory out there is the Tigers have to get tougher and work harder. As one person close to the program told me today, “We needed to get rid of the country-club mentality out there.”

Young, who I spoke to at length Wednesday night, wasn’t about to go there. In fact he defended Henigan when I told him that, as he rightly should have.

But don’t take that to mean that Young and Denbow and whoever is making the decisions in this football-crazy town aren’t looking for a coach who will kick some you know what.

“We’re looking for a head coach that is going to push our kids,” Young said. “We’re going to look for a head coach that is going to have a very high level of intensity both in-season and offseason at practices, at offseason workouts, at games.

“We’re not necessarily looking for someone that is a rah-rah guy if that’s not his personality. We’re not looking for someone that is a heavy-handed dictator if that’s not his personality.

“We don’t have any set mindset of what the new coach is going to look like except someone that has a plan, that is going to work hard at that plan and really work the kids hard.”

That’s not to say Henigan’s players didn’t work hard, just not to the current brass’s liking.

Look, don’t think for a minute that the Corsicana program wasn’t being monitored this season — and again, rightfully so after 10-11 over the two seasons. As one person close to Henigan told me, “At what other school in Texas does the superintendent go watch football practice?”

There’s no doubt in my mind that from the first time I met Young on the sidelines of the Tigers’ scrimmage against Forney way back in August, he was already evaluating the Henigan Tigers. And while there was respect there — I mean who doesn’t respect Dave Henigan around here — the ultimate opinion, was there was a need for a change.

“Coach Henigan worked the kids hard in the way he thought was best to work them,” Young said. “He always had a plan. He always worked the plan. There was never any doubt that he was highly organized and knew what he was trying to do but I think that it wasn’t a good fit in Corsicana.

“Not that it is wrong, and not a wrong approach to running program. And I think coach Henigan is going to be very successful as a coach, but in Corsicana, Texas that approach has not produced results.”

That approach, from what I gather, was too soft.

I made a phone call Wednesday to ex-Tiger coach and quarterback Tom Wilson — he of a dazzling .729 winning percentage as the Tigers’ coach — to ask him, in his opinion, what has been Corsicana’s identity through the years.

Wilson’s answer was an obvious one. “We’ve always been known for playing physical football,” he said. This wasn’t a critique of the Henigan years. I was just asking a man who has lived Corsicana football to explain what it’s all about.

I’ll write the “bring-Tom-Wilson-back-as-head-coach column” in a few days. That’s a promise.

But I mention this conversation, because any time you’re in the process of hiring a new coach, it’s always been a good idea to find one who understands the program’s philosophy.

That’s where we are today. And while it’s tough to say goodbye to Henigan — he’s a great man — Tiger fans can be assured that Young, the most impressive athletic director I’ve run across in 16 years as a reporter — will hire the right coach.

Young’s search will be all about this —finding a coach who will preach physical football, starting in the offseason and going through the state championship game.

“Any successful football program is going to have to have that be-physical mentality,” Young said. “I don’t think that’s unique to Corsicana.

“If you’re going to push deep into the playoffs, you’re going to have kids that are tough. That’s a long season. You have to have kids that are aggressive. I don’t think you can be successful anywhere without that.”

—————

Todd Wills may be contacted via e-mail at twills@corsicanadailysun.com

Want to “Sound Off” on this story? E-mail: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com



Tigers’ Tale of the Tape

Tigers’ coach Dave Henigan was relieved of his coaching duties Wednesday after five seasons as head coach. Here’s a look at some numbers that mark the Henigan years:



First 5 years:

Inherited 4-5-1 team, Don Denbow 29-22-2

Inherited 5-5 team, Tom Wilson 47-17

Inherited 8-3 team, Jeff Berry 33-16 (4 years)

Inherited 10-2 team, Dave Henigan 35-21



Tiger coaching records since 1970

Coach Years Record Winning %

Jim Payne 70-72 18-12-3 .545

Bill Froman 73-76 20-18-2 .500

Don Denbow 77-92 124-51-10 .670

Tom Wilson 93-99 62-23-0 .729

Jeff Berry 00-03 33-16 .673

Dave Henigan 04-08 35-21 .600



Worst 3 consecutive seasons:

1976-1978 10-18-2 (Froman, Denbow)

1977-1979 14-15-2 (1979 team went 8-2-1)

2006-2008 15-16-0 (Henigan)

1971-1973 13-13-2 (Payne, Froman)



Best 3 consecutive seasons:

1982-1984 34-5-4 (state finalist 1982)

1984-1986 33-4

2003-2005 30-7 (Berry and Henigan)

1995-1997 30-8 9 (state finalist 1997)

[Matthew328]

Some big names in the small school ranks might apply here, great facilities, perfect sized town, somewhat close to the city but still far enough out to be in the country, GREAT talent and tradition....a lot to like about this job

[eagles_victory]

Originally posted by Ernest T Bass
That "great talent" stuff is myth thesedays. Corsicana is a dying town. No new business, no new industry, no growth. Corsicana is now a pretty rough place to live. This is where that great tradition can hurt you. With that tradition comes expectations, and Corsicana no longer has the horses to meet those expectations. Look for the same thing to happen to Ennis in the very near future. It's also a dying town. The only town in that area that has any growth at all is Waxahachie.

Dead on I live 30 miles from there and my ex use to live there so I would go there and it is a terrible place to live. Roads are too small for the traffic most of the town is run down worst movie theatre in the state (it is cheap though we saw a movie for 5 dollars for both of us i was happy) The only thing nice is the part of town with the new stadium and school and the Wal Mart area.

[Matthew328]

I still think you can win there, yeah its got a rough patch on 7th street but they've got some talent still.....

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by Matthew328
I still think you can win there, yeah its got a rough patch on 7th street but they've got some talent still.....

yes SOME talent..problem is, the fan base thinks it is still Cana of old with talent at almost every position

[Additup]

Originally posted by Ernest T Bass
But they dont have...Red Oak talent.

Wow interesting quote there, Bass.
If The Can is less talanted than Red Oak, then times really are a-changin'...

[eagles_victory]

Originally posted by Txbroadcaster
yes SOME talent..problem is, the fan base thinks it is still Cana of old with talent at almost every position

Yea Ketrick Sanford isnt walking through that door or any of their other past stars for that matter just the only one I could think of off hand oh and Bethel Johnson

[Brutus 1]

They should go get the Giddings HC if they want what the article says. He will run a hard off-season, push the kids and demand discipline !

[Additup]

Originally posted by Ernest T Bass
Red Oak has been pretty salty the last few years. They're getting alot of growth coming down I35. Alot of movement from Desoto and Cedar Hill, now that those towns have gotten a little rough.
Unfortunately, none of that growth is coming down I45.

I know you're right...it just sounds funny saying it.

[BOCEPHUS]

Hopeful for the future’

Denbow calls hiring decision for new coach ‘crucial’

By Todd Wills

Don Denbow didn’t pause Monday morning when asked if the selection of the next Tigers’ football coach is a big hire for the program.

“Crucial,” said Denbow, Corsicana Independent School District superintendent. “It’s a heavy responsibility.”

After all, this is Tiger football.

During a 45-minute interview in his office, Denbow addressed the state of a Corsicana football program that will, in the next month or two, have its third coach since the 2003 season. Head coach Dave Henigan was removed on Wednesday after five seasons in which he posted an overall 35-21 record.

The concern, for Denbow and athletic director Joe Young, is that the Tigers missed the playoffs the last two seasons — the first time that’s happened in three decades — and posted a 15-16 record over the last three seasons.

That, Young said last week, prompted Henigan’s reassignment.

Denbow said Monday that Tiger football can make a comeback.

“I’m hopeful for the future,” Denbow said. “Saddened by the recent events but hopeful for the future.”

Denbow, the Tigers’ all-time winningest football coach with 124 wins, has strong opinions on what must be done for the Tigers to not only get back to the playoffs, but also to go deep in the playoffs and play football after Thanksgiving Day, seen as the measuring stick of every great high school program in Texas.

“It’s easy to voice opinions when you’re supposedly involved in the decision making,” Denbow said. “Yeah, I have some strong opinions on what can be done. And I have some strong opinions about the potential success of the program in the future.

“We just simply have to pay attention to the ingredients that make a difference in programs.”

Denbow said it starts with making sure Corsicana’s football program has the appropriate facilities. “I think there’s no doubt that those are in place,” he said. Corsicana has a three-year old, 10,001-seat stadium that has hosted 15 playoffs games in the last two years, and a state-of-the-art weight room. An indoor practice facility is slated for the near future.
An indoor practice facility is slated for the near future.


Denbow also said the football program needs an appropriate budget, which he says is in place.

And then there’s the other key ingredient.

“To glean as much talent as we possibly can and point kids in the programs who have the ability to play football,” Denbow said. “We have an opportunity to re-energize that, which happens occasionally,” Denbow said.

Denbow said the new coach will be have to rebuild the Tigers from the seventh-grade level and up.

“I believe that’s an important aspect of it,” he said. “You don’t necessarily look at wins and losses at the middle school level, but at the same time you look at the attrition rate and you look at some success.

“We have to reach out to some public groups like Pee Wee football. We need to do more to help them in their programs and to develop interest in kids at that age. And we have to do the same for Little Dribblers basketball. So that our kids have some background before they come into the seventh grade.

“It’s really a top to bottom type of approach to the programs that we need to reemphasize.”

Denbow said part of the structuring of the questions in the interview process will focus on the coach’s approach to every level of Corsicana football.

“What do you plan on doing to reach out to the community and to help develop systems that will eventually result in some positive results at the high school level?” Denbow said.

Denbow didn’t say Monday whether or not Henigan had fallen short in these areas.

Denbow and the CISD hired Henigan as a top coaching prospect out of football powers Denton Ryan and Highland Park. Denbow thought a lot of Henigan when he was hired, and said Monday he still does, which made last week’s decision difficult.

“It’s like any other decision for anyone who holds this particular position,” Denbow said. “You make decisions that affect other people’s lives. And that’s not an easy task sometimes especially when personal feelings may be somewhat contrary to what the final decision has to be.”

When asked what he thought about Henigan’s comment in Thursday’s Daily Sun — “We maximized our talent” — Denbow said every successful coach has to believe in their own system.

“They have to believe in the way they organize the program whether it’s off-season or during the season or whatever,” Denbow said. “That’s not surprising that he has that strong belief.

“Regardless of what’s happened in the last week he’s been a head football coach at a respected 4A program. You don’t get to the point without having success and without having a real supreme confidence in your own ability and in the ability of the people around you.”

Now Denbow and Corsicana face the long process of finding the next Tigers’ football coach.

When asked if he and Young hoped to have a coach in place before spring break (March 16), Denbow said that’s not a stone-cold deadline.

“It’s important to get the right one no matter how long it takes,” Denbow said.

—————

Hopeful for the future’ AN INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY IS SLATED FOR THE NEAR FUTURE. An indoor practice facility is slated for the near future. An indoor practice facility is slated for the near future.

HEY BRUTUS, MAN STILL GET TO WEAR HIS HAT INDOORS, YOU CLOSE TO UP THERE, WHAT U KNOW ABOUT IT

[BOCEPHUS]

............10,001

HEY BRUTUS, WHERE THE ONE SEAT BE???????? CAN'T SEE IT

[Twirling Time]

Originally posted by Ernest T Bass
Red Oak has been pretty salty the last few years. They're getting alot of growth coming down I35. Alot of movement from Desoto and Cedar Hill, now that those towns have gotten a little rough.
Unfortunately, none of that growth is coming down I45.

That's what I don't get. Look in any other direction and the suburbs are exploding. I guess Ennis is hurt by the fact there isn't a big inner-ring suburb of Dallas in between for people to move out of, like Plano is in between Dallas and Frisco/Allen/McKinney.

[Brutus 1]

Denbow was an old school coach and wants an old school coach in place this time ! Have a feeling Giddings head man may be a possibility, heard him and the Corsicana AD know each other ???