Which former TCU offensive coordinator is the new head coach of Grapevine High School?
The Grapevine Mustangs are preparing to start the 2023 season with a new head coach: Bob DeBesse.
Grapevine high school football promoted DeBesse, who has been coaching since 1983, from offensive coordinator to head coach in April. DeBesse has had coaching stints at TCU, Minnesota, New Mexico, Georgia Southern, Purdue, Texas A&M and A&M Consolidated High School.
He was the head coach of Texas State, his alma mater, from 1997 to 2002, posting an overall record of 26-40.
Now, the Mustangs are preparing for the upcoming 2023 season after going undefeated in District 4-5A D2 play. They had a decent playoff run, losing to Argyle 33-27 in the Region One Semifinal.
DeBesse said the transition to head coach has been busy, but the kids have made it great, gratifying and fulfilling. Mainly, DeBesse is learning the off the field roles and responsibilities while trying to “speed up the learning curve.”
DeBesse’s award winning, whirlwind season at TCU
The 1990 TCU Horned Frogs and DeBesse opened their season against Washington, failing to score a touchdown and falling to Washington State 21-3. DeBesse, who started as an assistant at TCU in 1983, was in his first year as an offensive coordinator.
In the Frogs’ next contest they faced Missouri on the road and failed to score heading into the fourth quarter. The Frog offense went seven consecutive quarters without a touchdown.
“I’m not going to get on this plane to Fort Worth,” DeBesse said in reflection. “I’ll get on the bus. They’re not going to let me on the plane.”
With their backs against the wall, quarterback Leon Clay and DeBesse ran a hurry up offense the entire fourth quarter, saving as much time as possible. Suddenly, the team came alive and TCU on the ballgame 20-19.
“We had some really good players, and we went on to have a really explosive year,” DeBesse said.
TCU finished with an 5-6 record, but had one of the best offenses in the conference, averaging 26.5 points per game. DeBesse was named the 1990 Southwest Conference Offensive Coordinator of the Year.
“The season didn’t start off well,” DeBesse said. “It just takes time.”
The value of high school football coaching
After leaving Texas A&M in 2007, DeBesse coached the high school level for the first time as A&M Consolidated’s head coach. He said his expectations for the players were unfairly high, given he had been coaching college athletes for 25 years.
“It was a challenging transition,” DeBesse said. “I may have learned more about myself and coaching in those two seasons at A&M consolidated than in any other time in my career because I was totally out of my comfort zone.”
DeBesse discovered that he could have a great impact on the lives of high school athletes, who “hang on every word.” He said the youth are in need of role models and mentorship.
“I’m in a point in my career where I can have more of an impact on the young men that I work with than I ever have in my life,” DeBesse said.
DeBesse learned to always put the student athletes first.
“Every decision that you make you ask yourself, ‘will this help the kids?’” DeBesse said.
The Grapevine Mustangs consistently talk about the importance of discipline. The team has a mantra: Mustangs don’t beat Mustangs.
“Getting these kids to play fast but be disciplined and precise is what we’re doing,” DeBesse said.
DeBesse said learning discipline is hard, but having it is lots of fun.
“Discipline wins games,” DeBesse said. “We’re up tempo. We’re always on the move. We’re coaching hard. We believe in reps. We believe in energy.”
DeBesse also mentioned that handing out “tough love” is important as a coach, a job he believes is a calling.
“That’s our job,” DeBesse said. “We’re going to be judged on wins and losses just like everybody else in this business, but that is not the most important thing.”
The Grapevine Mustang’s 2023 outlook
DeBesse said Grapevine has an inexperienced roster with the offensive line being the greatest example.
“We’ve played with the same five kids each of the last two years,” DeBesse said. “Four of those five are gone, and the guys that are replacing them have literally zero varsity experience.”
However, DeBesse said the team has good leadership, playmakers and energy.
“I think the defense is ahead of the offense at this point,” DeBesse said. “I think it’ll be that way when we start the season. My honest opinion is that we won’t know who we are, or really what we have a chance to accomplish, until a month in. We got to go out there and play.”
Unfortunately for the Mustangs, two talented, productive players won’t be available to start the season: wide receiver Rondale Carradine and tight end Brady Wagner.
DeBesse said Wagner, one of the most well rounded players on the team, is expected to miss the first month of the season. It is unknown when Carradine will return, but DeBesse is hopeful that he’ll be back and picks up where he left off.
On the defensive side, defensive back Major Heckt will be a key contributor. He had 80 tackles and four interceptions in 2022. DeBesse called him a smart, hard hitter.
“His greatest attribute is his courage,” DeBesse said. “He loves the physical part of the game.”
Keep an eye on brothers Dereon Burns, a defensive back, and Derius Burns, a wide receiver. DeBesse said both are primed for good seasons and he is proud of the work they’ve put in on and off the field.
The Mustangs have a lot of question marks surrounding the team. They’ll start answering some of them on Aug. 24, when they open the season against Wakeland at GCISD Mustang-Panther Stadium.
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