With a deadline of 11:59 p m. on Friday to submit completed paperwork, an early afternoon count had 24 candidates seeking the athletic director and head football coach position at Kingsville Independent School District.

Six of those aspirants are taking another shot for the position, as this is the second search for an AD conducted by KISD this semester.

Two-and-a-half weeks ago, the district picked Corpus Christi Carroll Defensive Coordinator Marcus A. Booker as the new AD during a meeting on March 23. Following additional research, led by Superintendent Emilio Castro, the school board rescinded that decision at a special meeting on March 27 and reposted the position March 29.

Thirty-one candidates applied for the position back in February. The job became open when current AD Andrew Hrncir resigned in January; he departs June 15. Local committees screened the 31 applications and selected nine finalists for interviews: among them Booker and H.M. King High School coaches Douglas Kent and Sam Callis.

Kent, promptly after the position was reposted, said he would not be throwing his hat in again.

“At this time I do not plan to reapply for the position of athletic director/head football coach,” Kent said. “I have full confidence that KISD’s administration will choose the right candidate for our school district, community, and most importantly our students. I will fully support their decision and cannot wait to roll up my sleeves and get to work with the new head coach.”

Callis, who mulled a second run after turning in his resignation a few weeks ago, has also opted not to reapply.

“The past three years have been the most fun that I have ever had since I started coaching and I appreciate everything Kingsville has done for me and my family,” Callis said.

Another pair of local coaches who have submitted their paperwork are previous applicant James Davis (Ricardo Middle School AD and Head Football Coach) and new contender James Jefferson (Santa Gertrudis Academy High School Football Assistant). Jefferson did not wish to comment at this time.

Davis applied back in February but was not selected for an interview.

“Ever since I got into education, my life long dream was to be a high school AD and head football coach and to get that position at H.M. King, which is my alma mater, would be nothing but a dream come true,” Davis said. “Once a Brahma, always a Brahma and the opportunity of coaching the same high school team I once played on in Javelina Stadium excites me. This is just a great opportunity and things that did not work out for the guys before us, maybe this is a sign of my chance to be the head guy in Kingsville.”

Davis’ 15-year coaching career began with oneyear stints as an assistant at Charlotte (under Norman Porter) and Skidmore-Tynan (under Harold Wagner) before he accepted the job at Ricardo.

“I took the job at Ricardo because my dad was ill and I needed to be closer to home,” Davis said. “I also wanted my kids to know their grandfather.”

His overall knowledge of the game, Davis added, makes him a prime candidate.

“I may not have as much varsity experience as other coaches but I think what gives me the right experience for the job in Kingsville is that I have coached the seventh and eighth graders at Ricardo like a varsity team,” Davis said. “I run both the offense and defense, and while I have good assistant coaches, I basically had to start from scratch. I am not just a position coach, I do it all.”

Davis mentioned he is a dedicated student of the game having attended various clinics where he has learned from speakers such as University of Texas Head Coach Mack Brown. In his 13 years at Ricardo, the Yellowjacket seventh and eighth grade teams have gone 212-38-1, won seven district titles and shared three others.

“A lot of people consider us one of the best small middle school programs in the area, so when it comes to what I would like to do in Kingsville, I want to evaluate the kids first,” Davis said. “You don’t want to be a passing team without a passing quarterback and you don’t want to be a running team without a strong offensive line. I am very strong with the spreadoffense, among others, but I would not decide what to use on offense or defense until we evaluate the kids.” SBA