2023 War Eagle Football Coaching Staff
Mark Schmid: Campus Athletic Coordinator/ Head Football Coach
Mark graduated from McCullough High School in 1980 and attended Texas Lutheran College while playing safety for the Bulldogs. He went on to graduate from the University of North Texas in 1986. While working on his Master’s degree at Texas Christian University, he served as a graduate assistant for the Horned Frogs.
​
Mark has been coaching for 34 years. He began his coaching career in Cy-Fair ISD and then moved on to McCullough High School where he spent 8 years as an assistant. He moved on to The Woodlands High School in 1996 where he served as the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator.
As the Offensive Coordinator, he helped the 2003 team reach their first ever 5A Division I state championship appearance. He was named the Head Football Coach/Campus Athletic Director of the Woodlands H.S. in March 2004.
​
As the Head Coach at The Woodlands High School, he guided the team to 14 consecutive play-off appearances and nine district championships. His 2009, 2010 and 2016 teams completed the regular season with perfect 10-0 records. In 2016, he coached his team to a 15-1 state final appearance.
In 2018, Coach Schmid accepted a position at SHSU as Offense Quality Control and High School Relations Coach.
In 2019 he was named Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Oak Ridge High School.
​
Coach Schmid was named District Coach of the year in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. He has also been a Touch Down Club Coach of the Year finalist 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015. He was named the Touch Down Club Coach of the Year in 2016. He was also named Lone Star Gridiron’s 6A Coach of the Year in 2016. His overall record as a head coach is 126-41.
​
He served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Houston Football Coaches Association in 2006 and 2007. He and his wife Sheryl have been married for 37 years. They have two children, Zoe (Thomas) Braman of Refugio and Eric, a junior at Sam Houston State University. They also have one granddaughter, Isabella.
​
Taylor Cobb- Offensive Coordinator/ Quarterbacks
Coach Cobb is entering his 16th year of coaching. Coach Cobb is a graduate of Oak Ridge High School where he was a Team Captain of the 2002 State Semi-Finalist Team. Coach Cobb played for 2 years at he University of Houston where he was a member of the 2003 Hawaii Bowl team. Next, Coach Cobb attended Stephen F. Austin University where he was a 2 time All Conference player for the Lumberjacks. After completing his undergraduate degree, Coach Cobb was a Graduate Assistant working with Football and Strength and Conditioning while earning his master's degree in education. He was an assistant offensive line coach on the 2008 Southland Conference Championship team. Coach Cobb first high school coaching stop was at San Antonio East Central and then Conroe High School, where he has served as both Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. Coach Cobb will be coaching quarterbacks and teaching Economics at Oak Ridge High School. He has been married to his wife, Amy, since 2018. They have a 4-year-old son, Willam, and a 2-year-old daughter, Madison.
Bear Murchison: Defensive Coordinator/ Linebackers
​
Coach Bear Murchison is in his 28th year of coaching and teaching and has proudly served in Conroe ISD his entire career. He spent 25 years in The Woodlands feeder system serving at all levels of the program as a campus coordinator, varsity defensive line coach, wrestling coach, track and field coach, and as the strength and conditioning coordinator. A graduate of Fredericksburg High School, he attended Texas A&M University where he earned a bachelor of science in Kinesiology and a Science Composite teaching certification. In 2009 he earned his Master of Education Administration from Lamar University. He is a member of the science department and teaches Astronomy. He and Stacey have been married for 18 years and have two children, William 16, and Abby 13.
Brandon LaPorte- Asst. Head Coach/ Special Teams Coordinator/ Outside Receivers
Coach La Porte is entering his 9th year of coaching and 4th year at Oak Ridge. Coach La Porte is a graduate of Cypress Woods High School where he played under Coach David Jones. He attended Louisiana State University where he was a student assistant with the Tigers’ football program. After graduating, Coach La Porte attended Hardin-Simmons University to receive his master’s degree. Where he coached as a graduate assistant. He has also made coaching stops at Lamar University and Seguin High School. Coach La Porte will be teaching special education at Oak Ridge. He has been married to his wife, Kristen, since 2017. They have a 3-year old son, Brandon La Porte Jr and will welcome their 2nd Krew in October.
Justin Jackson- Inside Wide Receivers
Entering my 9th year coaching and 4th year at Oak Ridge.
Graduated from Oak Ridge in 2003 and made it to the State Semi Finals for Football.
Sul Ross State University- Played Football (QB, WR)
Sam Houston State University- bachelor's degree in Kinesiology.
Coached at Hamshire-Fannett H.S. (WR’s, QB’s)
Tarkington H.S. (O.C., QB’s)
Kountze H.S. (O.C., QB’s)
P.E. Teacher 9th grade campus
My wife Erin Jackson also graduated from Oak Ridge. Future War Eagles, my son Colt (4yrs) and my daughter Remi (2yrs)
Parker Hailey- Cornerbacks
Coach Hailey is entering his 3rd year of coaching. Coach Hailey is a graduate of Queen City High School. He then earned his bachelor's degree at Sam Houston State University where he was a student assistant with the Bearkats’ football program. After graduating, Coach Hailey became the Special Teams Coordinator and Varsity Defensive Line Coach at New Waverly ISD. Coach Hailey will be teaching World Geography at Oak Ridge. He married his wife, Leah in the summer of 2022.
Shawn Wells - Running Backs
Coach Wells is entering his 30th year of coaching and is returning to Oak Ridge after serving as the Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at James Bowie High School in Simms, Texas for the past two years where his teams had a combined record of 14-8 and advanced to the State Quarterfinals in 2022. From 2016-2021, Coach Wells served as receivers and corners coach at Oak Ridge and taught Government and Economics. Shawn attended East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas and earned a degree in Business Administration in 1990 and obtained his teaching certification from Texas A & M at Texarkana in 1996. Coach Wells has been married to his wife, Tia, for 32 years. They have a son, Luke, who is in medical school at the University of Indiana and a daughter, Emily, who is a graduate student at Sam Houston State University pursing a Master’s Degree in Accounting. When not coaching, he enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family.
Frank Wilson- Offensive Line
Coach Wilson is beginning his 28th year of coaching and teaching. He graduated from Midwestern State University in 1996. He has coached at Bovina High School, Copperas Cove High School and Killeen High School prior to coming to Oak Ridge. He has had the honor of coaching many great players of the years. He is married to the beautiful Suzi Wilson. They have 1 unbelievably talented daughter, Cassie Wilson. She is attending Lone Star College and is an art major.
Garrett Langthorp- Offensive Line
Coach Langthorp is entering his 9th year of coaching and 1st year at Oak Ridge. Coach Langthorp is a 2009 graduate of Oak Ridge High School. He played football at Blinn Junior College where he won the 2009 National Championship, later transferring to Abilene Christian University earning a Bachelor's Degree in Education. Coach Langthorp was previously at Conroe High School where he coached Football, Powerlifting, Track, and Wrestling. Coach Langthorp will be teaching World History at Oak Ridge along with coaching Football and Head Powerlifting. He has been married to his wife, Chelsea, since 2016.
Duane Dirk- Defensive Line
Was born in Milwaukee Wis. Played college football at Kansas State. Coached college football for many years. The last few years coached at 3 different high schools. Married to Dee Dee and have 4 children (DJ, John, Jennifer, & Travis
Daniel Davidson- Defensive Line
Coach Davidson is entering his 15th year of coaching. Coach Davidson played football at The Woodlands H.S. for Coach Schmid and continued playing outside linebacker and defensive end at Cisco J.C and Baylor University before graduating from Texas State University with a Bachelors in Kinesiology. He has taught in various types of Special Education settings at his previous schools, Cy-Fair H.S. and S.P. Waltrip H.S.
Outside of school, Coach Davidson enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife, Kasey and amazing children, Paul, Kailey and Ethan. He and his wife also have a granddaughter, Lilly Jo, a future professional golfer
Matthew Wright- Safeties
Coach Wright is entering his 9th year of coaching and 5th year at Oak Ridge. Coach Wright is a graduate of Sabine High School. He attended Belhaven University where he played linebacker and began his coaching career. After graduating, Coach Wright attended The University of Louisiana at Monroe to receive his master’s degree and continue coaching as a defensive graduate assistant. He has also made a coaching stop at Galena Park High School. Coach Wright will be teaching World Geography at Oak Ridge. He has been married to his wife, Laurel, since 2016. They have a 7-month-old daughter, Ellie Wright.
Stacy Smith- Kickers/ Head Freshman Coach
Coach Smith is entering his 31st year of coaching and his 5th here at Oak Ridge. He is a graduate of Pascagoula High School in Pascagoula, Mississippi where he played football, soccer, and ran track. Coach Smith graduated from the University of Southern Miss in ’92 with a B.S. Degree in Coaching and Sports Administration and History and played soccer for the Golden Eagles for 3 years and was a walk on kicker. Coach Smith has coached in Mississippi for 9 years and Texas for 22 years with stops at McCullough JH, Magnolia West HS, Stephenville HS, Conroe HS, Kempner HS, before coming to Oak Ridge HS. Coach Smith will be teaching Leadworthy this year at ORHS. He and his longtime girlfriend Vicki have 4 children between them. Dr. Amber (Kevin) Gregory, Derek (Martha) DePasquale, Robyn (Garrett) Butler, and Ally(Ben) Armitage and 4 grandchildren Sylvia Grace Butler, Tyler James Gregory, Madeline Kate DePasquale, Kendall Camille Gregory.
Austin Darling- Freshman Inside Receivers/ Linebackers
Coach Darling is entering his 5th year coaching. This will be his third year at Oak Ridge working with the Freshmen team. He is a graduate of Klein Oak High School. After high school, he attended Texas A&M University where he majored in Physical Education K-12 culminating in student teaching here in Conroe ISD at Coulson Tough Elementary and The Woodlands High School. He now teaches World Geography on the 9th grade campus.
Charles Sanders- Freshman WR's/ Cornerbacks/ Video Coordinator
Coach Sanders is entering his 2nd year of coaching at Oak Ridge High School. Coach Sanders is a graduate of Frontier Public School in Oklahoma where he played basketball under Coach Bob Weckstein. He attended Northern Oklahoma College and graduated with an Associates of Science degree, then attended East Central College in Ada Oklahoma for a semester before transferring to Oklahoma State University and graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. Coach Sanders coached basketball, track, and cross country at Frontier Public School in Oklahoma. Coach Sanders will be teaching Money Matters on the Senior High Campus. He has been married to his wife, ReAnna, since 2014. They have 4 wonderful children, daughters Mykena and Cryslin, and sons Chandler and Onixx.
Alex Wixson- Freshman Offense Line/ Defensive Line
Coach Wixson is starting his Second season of coaching. Coach Wixson is a graduate of Oak Ridge High School where he played football under Coach Dereck Rush and baseball under Coach Mike Pirtle and JJ Peirce. He attended the University of Texas of the Permian Basin where he played baseball. After graduating, He pursued an alternate certification to become a teacher. Coach Wixson will be teaching geometry at Oak Ridge. He has been married to his wife, Katie, since November of 2020
Deanglo Brooks - Freshman