Coaches always tell their athletes to “push through” and to “never quit” and use terms like “commitment.” But Coach Bill Jehling’s athletes have now witnessed a coach that practices what he preaches.
The coaching circle is like a fraternity—a cult-like association where through their secret laboratory back channels, they know which coach is going to which school before anyone. But what happened at Monday night’s school board meeting gives hope to every coach going forward in the State of Texas who is on the bubble of being renewed as an athletic director and head football coach. It also spoke volumes about whether a winning record on the football field is more important than winning at being a positive influence and role model for kids at a time they need that the most.
After a short executive session behind closed doors, Howe Superintendent Kevin Wilson emerged from Howe ISD’s secret laboratory back channels and recommended to the school board the renewal of the Bulldogs head coach who was originally hired in February 2018.
The renewal itself is not uncommon, as the typical 2-year position throughout the state renews on a year-to-year basis which is why contract extensions are rarely reported. But this situation was unique. So unique that one former Howe coach with over 20 years in the profession said he had never heard of a coach being renewed at the same school after not being renewed the year before.
A year ago, the district chose not to renew his contract leaving Jehling in limbo. Most coaches when their contract is not renewed scurry to find a new job and a new 2-year contract with a new school. But “Coach J”, as he is referred to by his players, decided to stick it out with Howe instead of jumping ship.
During the first football season, Howe started 3-0 in 2018 but lost seven in a row. After the fourth game of the season, the teachers and administrators were all in combat over a disciplinary situation that they felt wasn’t congruent with what other students were undertaking in other extracurricular activities.
In short, the band program and band parents were concerned about Jehling’s discipline standards due to their perception of band students suffering one punishment as football players suffered a different punishment for the same rules unfollowed. The erosion of trust and morale at the high school campus led to Howe not renewing the contract of Jehling in February 2019.
But as the dust settled and those that were in conflict communicated personally, they realized there were misinformation and disinformation that led to a snowball effect of uncertainty within the staff. By the time skies were clear, Jehling’s biggest critics became his biggest advocates. To make the made-for-TV movie plot any juicier, one of the band’s finest members in Hunter Brussow came out for the football team for his senior year for the first time in years and of course – just as movies go – Brussow was a terror on the field and earned first-team all-district in an unbelievable plot that could very well have helped save Jehling’s career in Howe.
“Coach J was always the most motivated person whether it was in the weight room, film room, or on the field,” said Brussow. “Coach J always connected with the players and he was at every team dinner that someone hosted, and he was always the one who believed in us when nobody else did.”
Jehling, in a text after the board meeting, said, “I want to be a Howe Bulldog for the rest of my life!”
Jehling was hired with a combined 8-31 record with at Hamshire-Fannett and Cushing in South Texas. Since being at Howe, the ‘Dogs have gone 6-14 while being one of the smallest 3A-Division I teams in the state.
Each year, Jehling has to go out and find players to come out for football that otherwise would not. Other programs in Howe’s district are not having to recruit from the band and basketball programs. But he now has the remarkable Brussow story to tell to each recruit within the school.
In Texas, high school football coaches are often graded by their record on the field. But in Howe, the grades on the field are weighted less than the grades off the field. During the football season and during the Pride of Howe’s Marching Band competition on their journey to state, Jehling led his football team to sit in the stands in their jerseys to support the band just as the band supports them on Friday nights.
Jehling has also led his players to funerals of those that are significant to their athletic family.
“He addressed all of the concerns I asked of him to,” said Superintendent Kevin Wilson. “He showed his commitment to our kids and our program. He did everything I asked him to do so I want to honor my commitment. He wants to be here and he’s committed to our kids so I appreciate that.”
