Two Texas Panhandle schools were busy this past week holding board meetings to announce new athletic director/ head football coaches.
Dimmitt ISD named former Friona football coach Jimmy Arias as its new head coach to guide the Bobcats into the future while Sanford-Fritch announced the hiring of Brandon Bennett as its new athletic director/ head football coach.
Arias is no stranger to the Texas Panhandle. He spent the past two years in Muleshoe and was the Mules defensive coordinator last season. Prior to Muleshoe, Arias is best-known spending eight seasons guiding the Friona Chieftains where left as the program’s winningest coach with 49 victories.
“I’m very excited to be back as a head coach,” Arias said. “It’s always great to be around young people and help develop them. I really loved the Dimmitt administration. That’s a veteran staff that has great core values. It’s going to be baby steps building this entire athletic program, but we want to see all sports be successful.”
Sanford-Fritch went outside the Amarillo-area naming Brandon Bennett from Leonard ISD to be the Eagles new athletic director/ head football coach.
Bennett spent the past year coaching football, basketball and track at Leonard. Prior to Leonard, Bennett was the special teams coach at Sherman and was a head football coach in his home state of Oregon.
“I worked with a guy who worked for former Sanford-Fritch coach Houston Moose,” Bennett said. “He said Sanford-Fritch was a great community and a place that wanted to be successful. I’m very excited to take this step and get to work. I’m wanting to bring energy and enthusiasm and a relentless positive attitude.”