On Monday morning, Sherman ISD announced they’ll be looking for a new head coach after the reassignment of Josh Aleman.

Who are some candidates we’d reach out to if we were Sherman ISD athletic director Alan McDougal?

Names listed below are in alphabetical order

Zach Birdwell, HC Tioga: In three seasons leading nearby Tioga, Birdwell has posted a solid 23-12 record and in 2023 he led the Bulldogs to their best season in school history, a 9-4 mark and a trip to the regional semifinals. Birdwell was previously an offensive coordinator at Lubbock Coronado, Lindsay and Groveton. If Sherman wants to go the route of a young and high-energy coach with a wide-open offense, Birdwell could be the play here.

Rod Castorena, Former HC Cooper: Castorena recently resigned from nearby Cooper where he put together eight outstanding seasons posting a 66-26 overall record. He led the Bulldogs to a regional final appearance in 2022 and a regional semifinal appearance in 2023. Castorena was an assistant at nearby Gunter before taking the Cooper job in 2018 so he’s familiar with the lay of the land and has a strong winning pedigree.

Zac Harrell, HC Athens: Fresh off one of the best seasons in the history of Athens football, Zac Harrell is going to be a hot name in coaching circles. He led Athens to a regional final appearance in 2025 and in seven seasons has posted a 43-34 record. A move to a larger school could be the logical career progression and hiring Harrell would check a lot of boxes for Sherman.

Deveon McKinney, HC Cypress Creek: If Sherman wants to get someone who knows the area better than anyone, then why not give an alum a call? Coach McKinney is a Sherman graduate and has been around some outstanding programs as an assistant at Corsicana, Cy Ranch and Galena Park North Shore. McKinney has led Cy Creek for two seasons and he’s taken over a full rebuild, but the Cougars made progress in 2025. Could a call from the alma mater lure McKinney home?

Cody Worrell, HC Mineral Wells: Worrell, who made his name fas a state championship quarterback at Celina and then as an assistant coach at Brock and El Campo, has spent the last three seasons as the AD/HFC at Mineral Wells. In three seasons leading the Rams, all he's done is lead them to three playoff appearances and a 15-17 overall record. Prior to his arrival, the Rams had struggled winning just 10 games in four seasons. He’s got experience in building programs and he’s got the last name that’s familiar in the area, so it would make sense to give him a shout.