Texas high school football coach announces retirement after 40-year coaching career

Another job is open in Texas high school football.

On Monday, reports surfaced that Grapevine head coach Bob DeBesse has decided to retire from coaching after more than years — most of which came at the college level.

DeBesse lead the Mustangs for two full seasons after taking over in 2023 following the departure of previous head coach Mike Alexander for Flower Mound Marcus. Prior to taking over the reins of the program, he was at Grapevine for four years, serving as the receivers coach, tight ends coach and offensive coordinator.

Grapevine finished 6-5 in DeBesse’s first year at the helm, a season that ended in the first round of the Class 5A-II playoffs with a loss to Emerson. The Mustangs struggled mightily in 2024 though, finishing with an 0-10 record and three straight blowout losses to Mansfield Timberview, Argyle and Colleyville Heritage.

They’ll now search for a coach who can get them back on track and will look to repeat the success they had under Alexander, who was a five-time district coach of the year, amassed a 56-19 record, won four district championships and advanced to the UIL playoffs five times.

DeBesse’s stop in the Texas high school football ranks was a brief one. The longtime coaching veteran spent more than three and a half decades at the college level, serving as an assistant at Texas State, TCU, Minnesota, Purdue, Texas A&M, Sam Houston State, New Mexico and Georgia Southern.

He also served a second stint as Texas State’s head coach — then known as Southwest Texas State — from 1997 to 2002. He amassed a 26-40 with the program, which at the time competed at the Division I-AA level.