Photo Courtesy of Coach Richard Lucero, Elgin High School
Elgin’s new head football coach Richard Lucero was a key reason why last year’s Wildcats won their first playoff game in over a decade. As the offensive coordinator under former head coach Heath Clawson, Lucero saw his offense average 38 points per game enroute to a 6-6 season that ended with an Area Round loss to eventual undefeated state champion Randle.
With Clawson moving to Class 3A Woodville, Lucero inherits a young and inexperienced Elgin squad – although most of last year’s coaching staff remains with the program.
Born in Amarillo but hailing from the small town of Bangs, Lucero has had multiple coaching stints in various roles over his 25-year career. The 54-year-old Texas Tech graduate has coached 6-man football at Lohn High School, then 11-man at Santa Anna High School. College stops at St. Lawrence University (Canton, NY) and Wabash College (Crawfordsville, IN) followed before Lucero returned to Texas and coaching in high school at Katy Taylor. South Texas called with stops at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo; Edinburg Vela; and Corpus Christi Carroll before Lucero came to Elgin in 2021.
“What attracted me most to the Elgin job was the opportunity to build a consistent playoff team and the fact that there is only one high school is a huge draw,” Lucero adds.
With his oldest son Ryan in his second year of engineering school at Texas Tech University; daughter Laurenne, a junior in high school, and another son, Jacob, an 8th grader, Lucero seems to have found a home in Elgin. That makes this first year at the helm of the Wildcats all the more meaningful, even as Lucero knows he’s taking over a team with very few starters back from last year’s playoff squad.
“Our expectations for this year and beyond is to make the playoffs but more importantly to establish a culture of excellence,” Lucero states. “While this is a rebuilding situation, we believe in the immense potential at Elgin High School and Elgin Wildcats football!”
Richard Lucero has seen a lot in his quarter century behind the whistle. With his help, he believes his Elgin Wildcats will reach that potential.
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