Gaines returns to Mojo

Two weeks ago ECISD officials started looking for the next Darren Allman.

Instead, they got the guy who hired him.

Former Permian head coach Gary Gaines will be presented Thursday to the ECISD school board as the Panthers' new head football coach.

"I miss teaching the game, working with young people and having those relationships that coaches can have with people," Gaines said "I'm excited about it and can't wait to get started."

Permian's head coaching job opened two weeks ago when Allman - who was hired in 2005 by then-ECISD athletic director Gary Gaines - resigned to take the same position at Austin Westlake.

Current ECISD athletic director Leon Fuller has spent the last two weeks taking applications, contacting prospective head coaches and conducting visits to the Permian campus, although he declined to say how many coaches had visited.

Fuller decided that Gaines fit the profile he wanted for Permian's next head coach.

"He has so many things that are associated with our program," Fuller said. "When you have someone who has been in the community, knows the community, knows the school and has close connection with the program, I couldn't think of anybody who was a better fit."

Gaines previously served as Permian's head coach from 1986 to 1989. During that span the Panthers compiled a 46-7-1 record and won the last unified Class 5A state championship in 1989. Gaines also was immortalized in Buzz Bissinger's best-seller "Friday Night Lights," which became a hit movie and now a TV series.

Gaines left to become the linebackers coach at Texas Tech, but he returned to the high school ranks at Abilene High and San Angelo Central.

He also compiled a 21-30 record as the head coach at Abilene Christian from 2000 to 2004.

But even though he had since moved into work as an administrator, Gaines couldn't shed the feeling that he should be on the sideline.

"The urge to coach never did leave," Gaines said. "I thought it would, but it hasn't. You never stop watching or studying the game."

Who is Gary Gaines

>> Head football coach at Permian High School from 1986 through 1989; assistant from 1979 through 1981.

>> Won state championship and a mythical national championship  in 1989 as head coach. Was an assistant in the program in 1980, when Permian also won a state title.

>> A 1971 graduate of Angelo State University.

>> Was a high school head coach for 17 years in Texas, posting 111-75-6 record. He won district in Petersburg, Monahans, Permian and San Angelo Central and took teams to the playoffs nine times.

>> Became linebackers coach at Texas Tech after Permian's 1989 title.

>> Went 21-30 in five seasons as head coach at Abilene Christian University from 2000-2004.

>> Immortalized in director Peter Berg's "Friday Night Lights" film in 2004. The film was based on H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger's best-selling book of the same name. NBC currently has a TV series loosely based on the concept.  

>> Named ECISD athletic director in January 2005, a position he resigned in 2007 to take the same job for the Lubbock ISD.

ECISD officials received 12 official applications for the job, including:

1.        Ted Willmann, Permian assistant head coach

2.       Steven Freeman, former Brownwood head coach

3.        Alan Cherry, former Harlingen South head coach

4.       Dave Meadows, DeSoto ISD athletic director

5.        Coy Brown, defensive coordinator, Keller Fossil Ridge

6.       Jay Ragland, defensive coordinator, Perryton

7.       Danny Ramsey, offensive coordinator, Cypress Creek

8.       Huey Chancellor, head coach, Bellville

9.       Scott Farley, head coach, Leslie (Mich.)

10.    John Peacock, head coach, Venice, Fla.

11.    Timothy Smith, middle school teacher, former head football coach, Calif.

12.   Ken Craig, head coach, New Waverly