Coaching changes occur every year. However, 2026 has brought a seismic shift to the local landscape of Texas high school football.
Some of the most successful programs in the state have head coaching openings, resulting in ripple effects that have reached Coppell. The Dallas Morning News listed Coppell coach Antonio Wiley as a potential candidate as prominent programs seek to fill head coaching positions, including North Crowley and Southlake Carroll.
North Crowley’s Ray Gates and Carroll’s Riley Dodge both left their programs in December for college coaching positions at the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University, respectively. These vacancies at the top of Class 6A inevitably raised local questions about possibly mutual interest including Wiley.
Amid the speculation, Wiley said he is not pursuing the North Crowley opening and remains focused on his current program.
“I love it here in Coppell,” Wiley said. “They take care of me. They take care of my family. The community is nothing but great to us. I don’t see myself just up and leaving to go anywhere.”
Since taking over the program in 2022, Wiley has led Coppell to a 43-6 record over four seasons. With that level of success often comes increased visibility, particularly during statewide coaching carousels when schools seek accomplished coaches.
Wiley acknowledged outside interest for change is common for coaches leading successful programs.
“Just because people reach out doesn’t mean you’re going to take a job,” Wiley said. “Changing places as a head coach, especially when you’ve had success where you are, you have to take a lot of things into account.”
According to Greg Tepper, editor-in-chief of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, the current offseason is notable not for the number of vacancies, but for the prestige of the programs involved.
“It is definitely unusual for there to be this number of big-time, high-visibility, high profile jobs coming open.” Tepper said. “These are programs that will work to have state championships in their trophy case, programs that are consistently highly ranked and producing high-level prospects.”
When these highly ranked programs have an opening, it triggers a domino effect that can put programs like Coppell into the spotlight.
“High-profile jobs tend to hire current head coaches, and when that happens, another school will need one too,” Tepper said. “When you’ve got a really good coach, Coppell is not the only one who’s going to want him. It would be very surprising to me if Antonio Wiley’s phone is not ringing.”
Even programs without vacancies can feel the effects of coaching movements. In Texas, and specifically Coppell, a head coach often serves as a central figure within their communities.
“High school football coaches in Texas aren’t just the guys who call plays on Friday nights,” Tepper said. “You can make an argument that for some of these programs, football is the front porch of the community.”
As the state prepares for the UIL Realignment on Feb. 3, Wiley’s commitment provides the Cowboy community with stability, knowing he remains anchored even as many programs are in transition.
For now, Wiley emphasizes his attention remains on Coppell and the program he continues to build.
“I live by the motto ‘be where your feet are,’” Wiley said. “My feet are in Coppell.”
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