Texas high school football program finds replacement for retired coaching legend

After coming open in December, one Texas high school football coaching job is officially off the market.

On Tuesday, the Ennis Independent School District announced that Don Drake will take over as the head coach at Ennis High, replacing coaching legend Sam Harrell.

Harrell said in late October that he would be stepping away from the sidelines after more than two decades to continue his battle with health complications related to multiple sclerosis. He previously left the program in 2010 after an initial diagnosis in 2005, but returned to the game in 2018 and had coached the Lions since then.

Replacing him will be a familiar face: Ennis ISD athletic director Don Drake. He joined the school district in 2019 after a previous coaching stint at McKinney Boyd. During his 12 seasons there, Drake finished 64-67. That included an 0-10 mark his first year (2006) before the team won nine games in 2007 and advanced to the region semifinals. He led the school to three more area playoff appearances before the end of his tenure in 2018.

Drake will have exorbitantly large shoes to fill, replacing one of the legends of Texas high school football coaching. During his four years at Reagan County prior to taking the Ennis job, Harrell posted a 36-8 mark with three bi-district championships in four years. Under his watch, the Lions were one of the early adopters of the “spread” offense, leading the program to three state titles (2000, 2001, 2004) — their first since 1975.

During his first 16-year stint, Harrell’s teams had a 146-46 record with 13 straight years of playoff appearances.

Harrell helped to redefine high school football in the Lone Star State

His son, Graham, played quarterback in the system from 2001-2003, leading the team to a 4A state championship as a sophomore.

With Sam coaching and Graham throwing, the younger Harrell set state records for: passing yards (4,825 in 2003 over 13 games); career passing yards (12,532); single-season touchdown passes (67 in 2003); Career touchdown passes (167); and single-season pass completions (334 in 2003).

Harrell is also a member of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame and the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor. In his final season, the Lions finished 4-6 after advancing to the area playoffs for five consecutive seasons.