After elevating LBJ’s football program to new heights, Jahmal Fenner has stepped down as the Austin faculty district program’s head football coach to hitch the University of Texas football program.
Fenner resigned Monday to grow to be the Longhorns’ director of highschool relations. Texas officers introduced the rent on the football program’s Twitter account Monday night.
A vital element of recruiting for the Texas football program, the highschool relations place serves as a liaison between the Longhorns and the state’s highschool football coaches. The place additionally performs an enormous function with recruits, particularly throughout on-campus visits.
According to Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, Fenner’s connections throughout the state will present a useful asset to the Longhorns’ program.
“We’re actually excited that Jahmal is becoming a member of our workers,” Sarkisian stated in a press launch. “He’s a man who brings loads to the desk, is well-known and revered all through the Texas High School Coaches Association, has deep roots in Austin, and is so properly linked in our group, as properly as throughout the state.”
Chris Gilbert served in the highschool liaison function the previous two seasons for the Longhorns, and veteran Texas highschool coach Bob Shipley served in the identical capability for Tom Herman. Gilbert was lately employed as the affiliate head coach/tight ends coach at North Texas.
Fenner will depart a long-lasting legacy at LBJ. He took over this system in 2018 after the loss of life of head coach and Fenner’s mentor Andrew Jackson, and through his 5 years as head coach he led LBJ to its most profitable stretch in class historical past, together with this system’s first berth within the 2021 Class 4A Division I title recreation. Overall, Fenner went 49-13 with 11 playoff wins at LBJ.
The 2021 season proved significantly making an attempt for Fenner, who needed to endure the homicide of his son whereas guiding the Jaguars on their historic run.
Fenner’s achievements at a faculty simply 6 miles northeast of the Texas campus caught the attention of Sarkisian.
“What he did in taking LBJ football to historic heights by means of essentially the most difficult of occasions was spectacular, however seeing and listening to in regards to the impression he had on his gamers and the way he did it as a mentor, trainer and coach was one thing that basically stood out Sarkisian stated. “He’s a relationship man, which is de facto necessary to us. And he is accomplished nice issues as a participant, himself, and has taken that keenness to teaching. I do know he’ll be a fantastic asset for us, everybody within the THSCA, and excessive faculties in all places. Jahmal’s positively a man we wished to get on board, and he’ll be such an superior addition to our workers. We’re extraordinarily grateful to have him with us.”
An Austin native, Fenner graduated from Reagan High School, now named Northeast High School, in 2001. He performed cornerback for the Raiders whereas Jackson coached the crew. Fenner additionally performed basketball and baseball in highschool and was named Reagan’s athlete of the yr as a junior and as a senior.
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Fenner graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso and performed cornerback for the Miners. After commencement, he performed within the Arena Football League for Amarillo and later was defensive coordinator for the Oklahoma City Bombers.
Joining the Texas program “was one thing I simply could not cross up,” Fenner stated in an announcement launched by Texas.
“Growing up right here, at all times seeing the Longhorns, and understanding how prestigious of a college and football program Texas is, it was actually a particular honor and privilege when Coach Sarkisian supplied me this chance,” Fenner stated. “I’ve been on the highschool aspect for some time the place I used to be in a position to encourage, facilitate and assist a variety of youngsters attain their objectives and desires of attending to the collegiate degree. I’m so grateful for that point and all I used to be in a position to do in main a highschool program. That ready me for a place like this.
“Now, I’m trying ahead to having the prospect to do it from the opposite aspect, studying and serving to with the method on the following degree. And I get to do it with a fantastic workers of coaches, whereas working with all of the excellent highschool coaches in Texas and throughout the nation as a useful resource in serving to them and their youngsters.”
Fenner stated the relationships he is cultivated throughout the state, particularly throughout LBJ’s current playoff runs, will assist him rapidly adapt to his new job.
“I’ve labored arduous to achieve the respect of the coaches throughout our nice state,” he stated. “I actually worth all of the relationships I’ve with them and everybody within the Texas High School Coaches Association. I take a variety of satisfaction on this place and sit up for constructing on these relationships, reaching out to coaches in my new function, and ensuring Texas is placing its finest foot ahead with all the highschool coaches. I’m so excited to get began.”
LBJ turns into the fourth space faculty that wants a head coach, becoming a member of Lehman, Bartlett and La Grange. It’s additionally one of many extra engaging highschool jobs within the Austin space, based mostly on its legacy of profitable as properly as a longtime pool of expertise.
LBJ has certified for the playoffs in 18 consecutive seasons. Fenner says 44 LBJ gamers have signed collegiate scholarships since 2018, together with current FBS recruits such as Latrell McCutchin (USC), Andrew Mukuba (Clemson), Sedrick Alexander (Vanderbilt), Latreveon McCutchin (Houston), Sean Fresch (Rice) and Kaleb Brown (UTSA).