Weatherford picks football coach; NFL honors HP’s Allen

Billy Mathis, Aledo’s defensive coordinator since 2014, has been hired as Weatherford’s new head football coach, according to a Facebook posting by Weatherford ISD.

Mathis was the defensive coordinator for Aledo’s UIL state championship football teams in 2014 and 2016. Last season’s defense limited opponents to 17.9 points per game, and recorded 22 sacks, 20 interceptions, 1 fumble and 47 pass breakups.

Mathis, 39, played middle linebacker and tight end in three varsity seasons at Aledo, graduating in 1996. Aledo athletic director Tim Buchanan was Mathis’ coach at Aledo.

The Class 6A program has not made the playoffs since 2007. More than 100 applications were received for the position, which opened when Weldon Nelms announced his retirement in December.

“Coach Mathis has been a lifelong resident of Parker County and is committed to developing a championship football program at the high school and middle school levels,” Weatherford athletic director Richard Scoggin said.

NFL honors Metroplex coach

Dallas Highland Park coach Randy Allen has been named the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year.

Allen has coached the Scots for 18 years and last month led the team to the Class 5A Division I state championship with a 16-7 victory over Temple.

The Scots have one of the most recognized and winningest programs in the history of Texas high school football, and this marks their second state championship under Allen. He previously coached current Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to a state championship in 2005, and currently coaches the grandchildren of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Allen receives $25,000 from the NFL Foundation, $15,000 of which will go to his school’s football program. He will be a guest of the NFL during Super Bowl LI and will walk the red carpet at NFL Honors, a two-hour prime-time special airing nationally Saturday night.

This story was originally published January 30, 2017 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Weatherford picks football coach; NFL honors HP’s Allen."