Richland football’s Kates family carries on tradition through generations
The Kates family is a fixture of Texas high school football.
Richland head coach Ged Kates’ love for the game began when he spent time with his grandfather, who won two state titles as the head coach at Breckenridge in the 1950s.
“We were a football family,” Ged Kates said. “And I didn’t know anything else.”
Ged Kates has been a head coach since 2010 and said he has loved every day of it. His brothers, Matt Kates and Will Kates, are former head coaches who are currently serving as coordinators. Will Kates is at Eagle Mountain.
Drew Kates, the son of Ged Kates, served as Richland’s quarterback the past two seasons. As a senior, he passed for 3,760 yards and 38 touchdowns en route to Star-Telegram All-Area First Team honors.
In 2025, a familiar name will take over his spot: Brett Kates, a junior and Drew Kates’ younger brother.
“He has grown up around the program,” Ged Kates said. “He is a guy that bleeds whatever colors we are. ... He was Drew’s backup last year as a sophomore. Now, it’s his turn. And I think he will do a good job.”
When the kids were young, Ged Kates’ wife teasingly asked him not to turn the kids into kickers or quarterbacks. In the end, a Kates having quarterback skills was unavoidable.
“They have the brains for it,” Kates said. “They have the moxie. They understand the game, and they know what they’re looking at. They don’t get fooled often, and they put us in positions to win.”
At the start of last season, Drew and Brett warmed up together on the sideline, and for a second, Ged Kates dropped his coach cap and went into dad mode.
“I had to go cry,” Ged Kates said. “I shed a tear because that was pretty cool, watching them play catch. They were both ball boys since kindergarten. They love it. They love Richland football. It’s a huge part of our family. It’s ingrained in what we do.”
Richland’s 2025 season outlook
At the end of practice Tuesday, Ged Kates broke the huddle with one of his mantras: take state.
“When I got here all those years ago, we certainly were not prepared for those kind of words, you know?,” Kates said. “And a couple of years ago, we knew what kind of team we had. We started [take state]. And it is our ultimate dream and our ultimate goal. We’re getting a little closer here and there.”
Richland, despite losing four-star running back Michael Turner to injury, was very competitive with Class 5A Division I powerhouses last season. The Royals lost to Aledo 49-42 in an overtime classic and were eliminated by Denton Ryan 48-35 in the playoffs.
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After the departure of a strong senior class, Richland will enter the 2025 season ranked No. 14 in Class 5A Division I by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and No. 2 in the Star-Telegram’s area 5A rankings.
“We want to take a crack at [state] like these guys in our district,” Kates said. “If we can beat them, we think we can beat anybody.”
Although many veteran players have moved on, Kates said he believes the program has prepared the next players in line to come in and thrive. A talented bunch that has shown improvement over the past few weeks, according to Kates, will have to learn on the fly.
“[Former Dallas Cowboys coach] Jimmy Johnson used to say, ‘I’ll take talent over experience every time,’” Kates said. “And I am keeping that in the back of my mind as a coach this year, because we’re going to be good sometime. I just hope it’s right away, so we’ll see.”
Multiple players said they are confident in their ability to compete at the highest level.
“I think we’re gonna be really good,” offensive lineman Caden Golightly said. “I think we can take it all the way. As far as we can go till the wheels fall off, really.”
Royals have something to prove
Throughout practice, a few songs blasted from speakers at Richland High School as the Royals prepared for their Week 1 game against Birdville ISD rival Haltom at 7 p.m. Friday: Rod Wave’s “Chip on My Shoulder,” Jay-Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” and Krizz Kaliko’s “Chip on My Shoulder.”
All three followed Ged Kates’ theme for the week: Having a chip on your shoulder, or something to prove.
Richland has many players to watch, including running back Jayshon Gibson, whom Kates called a special talent who puts in the work. He has offers from TCU, SMU, Texas Tech, Texas State and UTEP.
The Royals also have senior Jaylen Gordon, a defensive back with offers from Arizona State, Baylor, SMU and UTEP. He is a lockdown corner, Kates said. He’ll also be involved in the offense and will return kicks as a jack-of-all-trades.
“Other than defense, offense and special forces, we don’t expect anything from him,” Kates said with a smile.
As Richland prepares for the season, having a level-headed mentality is key. With ultra-challenging opponents such as state No. 1 Aledo and No. 3 Denton Ryan, the Royals may need to overcome some setbacks.
“Staying consistent is having a good mindset,” center Brian Merino said. “That’s working every day and working hard. Bringing the speed. Bringing the force. And having good practices.”
As things get tough, Gordon said the team will rely on hard work, dedication and a focus on improvement.
“We just have to stay humble,” Gordon said. “Play as a team. It’s important to be coachable. Without that, you can fall off. It’s important to stay coachable.”
With Richland rising to become a top 5A program, many teams might circle a game against the Royals on their schedule. Richland, despite its relative youth, isn’t planning on taking a step back.
“We want to come after people,” Ged Kates said. “We can’t wait to play.”
This story was originally published August 28, 2025 at 11:21 AM.
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