Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD on Thursday announced the hiring of former Tyler High (Tyler John Tyler) head coach Ricklan Holmes as the next head football coach at Chisholm Trail High School.

Holmes, a native of Tyler and graduate of Tyler John Tyler High School spent eleven seasons as the head coach at his alma mater from 2012-2022 posting a 79-51 overall record, he led the Lions to the Class 5A Division I state semifinals in 2012 and 2014 and also led the Lions to the regional semifinals in 2016 and 2018.

Holmes spent the past season working as an assistant coach on staff at Hutto, where he worked with head coach Will Compton, they both had spent time as assistant coaches at John Tyler. From 2007-2011 Holmes coached defensive backs at John Tyler after his playing career ended, Holmes was an all-state defensive back at John Tyler, he played collegiately at Oklahoma State and spent time in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots. Holmes also serves on the THSCA Board of Directors.

Holmes takes over a struggling Chisholm Trail program in Northwest Tarrant County that is in desperate need of a shot in the arm. The Rangers have been playing football since 2012 and have never made the playoffs and never had a winning season. They are dropping to Class 5A-Division I in the coming alignment which could be a benefit depending on where the UIL places the Rangers.