A little bit of the SEC is coming to Texas high school football.

That was the case Thursday morning when Eagle Mountain ISD announced the hiring of Ole Miss Assistant Director of Defensive Player Personnel Marvin Nash as the next head coach at Chisholm Trail High School.

Nash, a native of New Waverly, played his college football at Austin College. He replaces Ricklan Holmes, who departed after one season to become the assistant athletic director in Arlington ISD.

 “Chisholm Trail was just too good of an opportunity pass up," Nash said. "The upward trajectory coach Holmes has the program going in, the support at the campus and administration level, it was a great fit for me and my family."

Nash has spent the last three seasons in college football. Before his one season in Oxford, he spent two seasons at Rice in the Owls' recruiting operations department. Nash spent one season as the director of recruiting operations before being promoted to executive director of recruiting and player personnel.

“I always knew that I was a ball coach; even in the personnel roles I’ve had, the coaches on staff always treated me like a coach," Nash said. "So a potential hybrid role was intriguing for me at the college level because it got me back on the field and I’m so passionate about coaching. Helping kids is my heart."

The new Chisholm Trail head coach has extensive experience in Texas high school football, as well. He was an offensive coordinator for three seasons at San Marcos, and also has spent time as an assistant coach at Haslet Eaton, Arlington Seguin, Crosby and Denton Guyer.

"I knew of (EMSISD assistant athletic director) coach Ab (Abendschan) having coached against him in the past," he said. "Getting to know him through this process has been great. He’s super supportive and his openness and transparency was tremendous. You can see how genuine he is, and that’s a word I’d use about the district administration as a whole. I’m thankful they think of me as the right person and I want to prove them right each day."

It's every coach’s dream to be a head coach, but the timing of a mid-July hire is tough. Nash says he’s embracing the challenge and sudden change, just like he has for other roles.

“I’m from a town of less than 1,000 people and I never lived outside of Texas, so I recently had the challenge of going to Oxford a couple of years ago after four months In college football," Nash said. "I got promoted to run an entire recruiting department. I’m comfortable being uncomfortable and I embrace these challenges. It’s just part of being a coach and working in a dynamic environment. When I get going, the goal is to learn every kid and every coach by name, and figure out what they need to be successful. My job is to serve the kids and coaches, and I’ve got to figure out who they are and how we can make them better. That is my job.”

Nash says despite working in the SEC, getting the call to lead his own high school program was the culmination of a dream.

“When I got the call it was unbelieveable - a dream realized," he said. "I’m in the SEC working amongst great coaches and programs, but I’ll stand on the table and tell everyone that the best coaches in the world are in Texas high school football. I can’t lie, a few tears were shed, and it’s an opportunity that I don’t take lightly. I’m just so blessed."

Nash takes over a Chisholm Trail squad that went 7-4 a year ago and is fresh off its first playoff appearance in school history. Expectations are high for the Rangers, who bring a lot of talent back from that team and hope to contend for a district title in 4-5A Division I in 2025.