Houston football is in a new era with co-head coaches

Prior to the 2022 season, the Houston Hawks had only four head coaches in the 25-year plus history of their prep football program. Two more can be added to that list, including one coach who has deep roots with Houston football.

Jared Barrett and Charles Whittington were named co-head coaches of the program during the offseason.

“We’ve been working together. He runs the offense, I run the defense. We throw stuff back and forth off each other. It’s what’s best for Houston football,” Barrett said. “It’s a really good mix. We are teaching them to play the right way. If you play the right way with some honor and some discipline, the scoreboard will take care of itself.”

Barrett and Whittington succeed former head coach Glenn Nelson, who led the Hawks for nine seasons. During that span, Houston earned three conference titles, advanced to the state championship games three times, and won the first football championship in school history in 2019.

Barrett and Whittington were both assistants on that state championship coaching staff in 2019. Barrett’s ties with Houston football go back to the very beginning. Barrett was a member of Houston’s first football team in 1997. He is the first Houston football player to earn the shot to play at the college level. He has either played for or has served as an assistant for every prior head coach in Houston football history: Mat Bredburg, Norm Bouchard, Todd Whitehurst and Nelson. He was an assistant coach and defensive coordinator for 17 years, prior to the 2021 season.

“It has been awesome coming back. It’s almost like I never left,” Barrett said. “Great to be back at Houston. It’s my home town and my home team.”

Barrett and Whittington have led the Hawks to a 2-0 start as one of the top teams at Alaska’s Division III level.

“It’s amazing. I love the competition. I love the fact that people are looking to come after us,” Barrett said.

Contact the Frontiersman at editor@frontiersman.com.