For Mesquite Horn Head Coach Courtney Allen, there’s not too many things more important to him than football. But during the past 4 years, while at his first head coaching job at North Crowley, Allen definitely learned he valued something more than the game... his family. Allen, a single dad of 4 daughters, coached the Panthers, but his girls lived in Desoto. So while leaving a team that was on the upward swing to take a job at 2 and 7 Horn may have been confusing to some, it made perfect sense to him.
Taking a job closer to home was the easy part. Making a team that had gone 8 and 21 over the past 3 years believe they were winners, he thought would be more difficult. It didn’t take long for Allen to realize he was wrong.
The Jags are now 7-2 and have clinched a playoff spot. The turnaround in the program has gotten Coach Allen so excited that during a game against Tyler earlier in the year, he almost put himself on the disabled list. Horn had just blocked a field goal and were returning it for a touchdown when Allen leaped into the air to celebrate and tore his Achilles. Even that injury hasn’t kept him from the sidelines.
The Jags aren’t satisfied with just turning the program around and making the post season. This team feels the best is yet to come.