The Bryan ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved Eric Ezar as the Rudder High School head football coach and athletic coordinator at their workshop on Monday, April 1.

Coach Ezar comes to Bryan ISD from Willis, where has served as the athletic director since 2013. He has been involved in athletics for more than 22 years, also serving as the athletic coordinator and head football coach at his alma mater, W.T. White High School in Dallas.

He posted a four-year record of 14-26 as head coach of the Longhorns.

“It is with gratitude, honor and excitement that my family and I will become part of Bryan ISD,” Coach Ezar said. “I look forward to serving as the head football coach and campus coordinator at Rudder High School and to be part of building new traditions.”

Coach Ezar oversaw a historic era in Willis Athletics from 2013-2018. In 2015 and 2017, the Willis volleyball team was a regional semifinalist. In 2017, the softball team was a state finalist, being ranked as high as 5th in the nation, by MaxPreps. The Willis cross county team won the regional championship in 2017. Track, powerlifting, and wrestling sent numerous athletes to state.

“We had over 100 applicants apply and our committee did an exhaustive search,” Bryan ISD Athletic Director Lance Angel said. “Coach Ezar’s success in improving the overall athletic programs he has overseen and his track record for growing a football program stood out throughout the process. Coach Ezar will be invested in Rudder football and Rudder athletics and we are excited to welcome him and his family to our community.”

Along with being an asset to the Bryan ISD athletic department, Rudder High School Principal Mario Bye knows Coach Ezar will make a positive impact on campus, too.

“After a thorough search process and reviewing many highly qualified applicants, I am excited about Coach Eric Ezar joining our Ranger team,” Bye said. “His background in building participation in athletics and experience with motivating a wide variety of diverse student athletes will make our entire school stronger. We plan to hit the ground running this week in preparing for the next school year and a new era for Rudder High School.”

About the Hire:

In addition to his positions in Willis and W.T. White High School, Ezar also served as an assistant coach at Brewer High School, L.D. Bell High School and North Crowley High School.

As a head football coach, some of the highlights of his career include the following: In 2009, improvement and a statistical rise in freshman/sophomore participation in athletic programs increased by three fold, along with an increase of communication and involvement of the feeder schools to White High School. At W.T. White, he was a catalyst in the upgrade of sports programs, as well as the rise in participation numbers for track and field. With an increase of athletic participation, Coach Ezar added a freshman B football team, freshman girls basketball team, a JV softball team, and freshman track [rogram.

Most recently, Coach Ezar has served as the commissioner of a 16-team junior high district (with seven ISD’s). Currently, he is the District 8-5A Division I football District Executive Committee chairman.

He oversaw many upgrades to Willis athletic facilities including new covered batting cages for softball and baseball, new varsity locker rooms, turf on the football stadium, and scoreboards.

Coach Ezar comes from a family background of educators, with both parents serving in education. Coach Ezar has been married to his wife, Julie Ezar for 21 years. They have three children, Emily (20), Eric (16), and Jillian (10).