The North Shore (Houston) football team wasted no time finding a new head coach. In just one day, they promoted their offensive coordinator, Willie Gaston, to take on the role.
The news was first reported by Matt Stepp of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. The previous head coach, Jon Kay, had announced on Monday that he was leaving to become the linebackers coach at Rice University.
Willie Gaston is a familiar face to the North Shore Mustangs as he played for the team and has been a coach there since 2008. He began his coaching career working with the quarterbacks from 2008-15, and in 2016, he was promoted to the offensive coordinator position.
Since then, he has played a significant role in the program’s success, including four state titles in 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2021. Since taking over as the offensive coordinator, the team’s offense has averaged an impressive 44.8 points per game.
Willie Gaston has a strong background in football. He started as a quarterback for North Shore and had an impressive record of 25-3.
He then moved to the University of Houston and played over 30 games in the secondary. After a brief stint with the Baltimore Ravens, Gaston returned to his roots at North Shore, where he focused on coaching.
Willie Gaston has a tough act to follow as the previous head coach, Jon Kay, had a remarkable nine-year tenure with the Mustangs, leading the team to four state titles and a record of 117-18.
Gaston will be the third head coach for North Shore since 1994, following in the footsteps of David Aymond. Aymond, who recently joined the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor, was the head coach for the Mustangs from 1994-2013.
The North Shore football team is expected to be a strong contender for the state title in 2023. They have an impressive lineup of talented players, including starting quarterback Kaleb Bailey, who was a first-team selection on the 2021 MaxPreps Freshman All-America team. Bailey’s sophomore season was cut short by an injury in late September.
The Mustangs also have other notable players returning, such as cornerback Devin Sanchez, who was a 2022 MaxPreps Sophomore All-American, and wide receiver Deion Deblanc, who is a rising star from the Class of 2025.