New faces join OHS staff

One of the perks of being the head coach in any high school football program is getting the chance to put your coaching staff together.

One of the headaches that accompanies the position is the trying to keep the staff together year after year.

Openings at other schools, jobs in different school districts or retirement are just some of the pitfalls that force head coaches to constantly scramble to find the right pieces to the puzzle.

Head coach Ron King of the Odessa High Bronchos found himself in just such a quandary this summer as he tried to fill three positions on the staff.

Gone were co-defensive coordinator Paul Hidalgo to San Marcos and running backs coach Rene Barrientes, to Greenwood. Linebackers coach Mark Ziegler also left the program.

So it was back to putting out the word, looking through resumes and conducting interviews for King.

“It’s one of the toughest things to do,” he said. “You have to find a capable coach not only on the field, but more importantly, in the classroom.

“You have to find the right fit.”

King feels that he has done that with the three newcomers to the OHS staff:

>> Boe Smith will coach the offensive line and comes to the Permian Basin from Del Rio High, were he was the offensive line coach and running game coordinator.

>> Jet Carriker is the Bronchos new wide receivers coach after serving as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator at Lone Oak High.

>> Chris Suttle joins the staff as the outside linebackers coach. He moves in from Menard, where he was the secondary and wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator, along with being the head boys basketball coach at the school.

“All three of our new coaches bring a lot of experience and enthusiasm to the program,” King said. “They fit right in with our other coaches and our staff hasn’t missed a beat.”