Sports
41 and done: Fuller set to retire in June
BY Chris O’Dell, codell@starlocalnews.com
For Lone Star head football coach Phil Fuller, 41 was the magic number.
Fuller, after a 41-year coaching career that ended in a three-year tenure at Lone Star, recently announced his intention to retire at the end of June and turn the program over to offensive coordinator Jeff Rayburn.
“I’ve been coaching a while,” Fuller said. “I thought 41 years is probably a good time to consider [retirement].”
The decision follows a season in which the Rangers went 7-4 and clinched the program’s first-ever postseason berth after going a combined 4-16 during its first two years.
“The progress is really a credit to the players and coaches,” Fuller said. “When you start something from scratch, it takes a lot of effort.”
Fuller ends a run with Frisco ISD that featured an assistant coaching gig under Frisco head coach Vance Gibson before taking over Lone Star’s first team in 2010. Fuller had previously spent 13 years at Howard Payne University and eight at Kilgore College with stints at Waxahachie, Plano East and Mount Vernon beginning his coaching career.
“We’ve made quite a bit of progress here,” Fuller said. “The kids have really grown. I think Lone Star has the potential to be a great program.”
Fuller and the Rangers took their lumps in the program’s inaugural season, dropping all 10 games including the first eight by at least 40 points.
“Things don’t happen overnight,” Fuller said. “It takes time to build chemistry and build an identity.”
The Rangers made considerable improvements the following season and earned a 30-6 season-opening victory against Fort Worth Castleberry for the program’s first win en route to a 4-6 season.
“Winning is always more fun than the alternative,” Fuller said.
Last season featured the team’s first winning record after the Rangers began the season with four consecutive victories and six in their first seven contests. Lone Star capped its regular season with a 7-3 mark to earn a postseason berth against Gainesville in the Class 3A bi-district round.
“To end on a positive note like that feels good,” Fuller said.
Despite a 66-28 loss in its first playoff game, Fuller said Lone Star has the ability to have continued success.
“I think they’re in a position to have a better year next season,” he said. “The players have made a lot of progress.”
Rayburn will now be the man leading that effort after spending the previous three seasons under Fuller as the team’s playcaller.
“The athletic department wants to select the best person possible and I think they thought [Rayburn] was that person,” Fuller said. “
As far as Fuller’s future following his late-June retirement, the coach said there are no plans yet.
“I’m not a retiree kind of person,” he said. “I don’t know what’s in store yet.”
Fuller, after a 41-year coaching career that ended in a three-year tenure at Lone Star, recently announced his intention to retire at the end of June and turn the program over to offensive coordinator Jeff Rayburn.
“I’ve been coaching a while,” Fuller said. “I thought 41 years is probably a good time to consider [retirement].”
The decision follows a season in which the Rangers went 7-4 and clinched the program’s first-ever postseason berth after going a combined 4-16 during its first two years.
“The progress is really a credit to the players and coaches,” Fuller said. “When you start something from scratch, it takes a lot of effort.”
Fuller ends a run with Frisco ISD that featured an assistant coaching gig under Frisco head coach Vance Gibson before taking over Lone Star’s first team in 2010. Fuller had previously spent 13 years at Howard Payne University and eight at Kilgore College with stints at Waxahachie, Plano East and Mount Vernon beginning his coaching career.
“We’ve made quite a bit of progress here,” Fuller said. “The kids have really grown. I think Lone Star has the potential to be a great program.”
Fuller and the Rangers took their lumps in the program’s inaugural season, dropping all 10 games including the first eight by at least 40 points.
“Things don’t happen overnight,” Fuller said. “It takes time to build chemistry and build an identity.”
The Rangers made considerable improvements the following season and earned a 30-6 season-opening victory against Fort Worth Castleberry for the program’s first win en route to a 4-6 season.
“Winning is always more fun than the alternative,” Fuller said.
Last season featured the team’s first winning record after the Rangers began the season with four consecutive victories and six in their first seven contests. Lone Star capped its regular season with a 7-3 mark to earn a postseason berth against Gainesville in the Class 3A bi-district round.
“To end on a positive note like that feels good,” Fuller said.
Despite a 66-28 loss in its first playoff game, Fuller said Lone Star has the ability to have continued success.
“I think they’re in a position to have a better year next season,” he said. “The players have made a lot of progress.”
Rayburn will now be the man leading that effort after spending the previous three seasons under Fuller as the team’s playcaller.
“The athletic department wants to select the best person possible and I think they thought [Rayburn] was that person,” Fuller said. “
As far as Fuller’s future following his late-June retirement, the coach said there are no plans yet.
“I’m not a retiree kind of person,” he said. “I don’t know what’s in store yet.”
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