White Oak’s Gerry Stanford Hired As New Head Football Coach At Flower Mound Marcus

Gerry Stanford, who guided White Oak to its finest season in more than 40 years, is leaving East Texas for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Stanford was hired by Lewisville ISD on Monday as the next head football coach and boys athletic coordinator at Flower Mound Marcus High School. The story was first reported by Justin Thomas of StarLocalMedia.com.

“We are extremely excited to introduce Gerry Stanford to our Marcus staff, students and parents,” said Marcus principal Gary Shafferman in the press release contained in Thomas' story. “He has impressed me as a student of the game of football and his passion for all our student-athletes. We are looking forward to him and his staff carrying on the traditions of Marcus.”

Stanford spent three seasons in White Oak, compiling a 27-10 record. He led the Roughnecks to a 13-2 record in 2013 and their first state semifinal appearance since 1970. White Oak suffered a 24-21 loss to eventual Class 2A Division I state champion Cameron Yoe in the semis.

"I think the obvious (impact) is what he's done with the football program," said White Oak ISD superintendent Michael Gilbert. "We had a great season with wins and all those kind of things; most people would expect me to say that. But the greatest thing to me was the relationship he built with our kids and our community. The fact was our kids liked to be around him and he liked to be around them."

Marcus went 2-9 last season, falling in the bi-district round of the Class 5A Division I playoffs. The Marauders won the 1997 5A Division II state championship.

Gilbert said Stanford's last day in White Oak will be Friday.

"I really want to let everything settle down a little bit," Gilbert said of the upcoming coaching search process. "We certainly don't have all the time in the world to work with and we want to do everything in a timely manner. But we also want to give every consideration possible."