Don Carthel
Encyclopedia
Don Carthel is an American football
coach. He currently serves as head football coach at West Texas A&M University
in Canyon, Texas
.
, Carthel began his coaching career under legendary coach L. G. Wilson
at Floydada High School in Floydada, Texas
. He later coached at University of Dubuque
in Dubuque, Iowa
, and Boswell High School
in Fort Worth, Texas
, until getting his first head coach job at Lubbock Christian College (now Lubbock Christian University
). In 1983, Carthel became assistant under Bill Yung
at the University of Texas at El Paso
.
Having reached the pinnacle of his career as a head coach, Carthel chose to retire at age 39, and moved back to the family farm in Friona, Texas
. He took a pause from football coaching for nine years, before becoming a volunteer coach at Abilene Christian University
under head coach Gary Gaines
in 2000. Trying to become a head coach again, Carthel applied for the vacant West Texas A&M job in late 2001, but athletic director Ed Harris opted for Ronnie Jones
. In 2004 Carthel was named the head coach and general manager of the Amarillo Dusters
in their inaugural season in the Intense Football League
. Amarillo posted a 15-3 record under Carthel and won the IFL Championship that year.
West Texas A&M fired Jones after three unsuccessful seasons, thus Carthel applied for the job again. This time, he was selected as head coach. In his first year, he guided the school to its first Lone Star Conference Championship in 19 years. He has since compiled a 33–5 record, which is the highest winning percentage of any West Texas A&M coach since Alonzo P. George's 3–0 record in 1918. As of 2008, only Joe Kerbel
(68–42–1) and Frank Kimbrough
(54–52–2) won more games for West Texas A&M than Carthel.
Carthel runs an “Air-Raid offense” very similar to Mike Leach's offense at nearby Texas Tech
. After guiding West Texas A&M to its second undefeated regular season in school history, Carthel was named 2007 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Region Four Coach of the year.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach. He currently serves as head football coach at West Texas A&M University
West Texas A&M University
West Texas A&M University , part of the Texas A&M University System, is a public university located in Canyon, Texas, a small city south of Amarillo. West Texas A&M opened on September 20, 1910...
in Canyon, Texas
Canyon, Texas
Canyon is a city in Randall County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,875 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randall County. It is the home of West Texas A&M University and Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. Palo Duro Canyon State Park is some twelve miles east of Canyon...
.
Early years
After playing four years at Eastern New Mexico UniversityEastern New Mexico University
Eastern New Mexico University , frequently called Eastern, is a state university in Portales, Roosevelt County, New Mexico, USA...
, Carthel began his coaching career under legendary coach L. G. Wilson
L. G. Wilson
L.G. Wilson was an American high school head football coach and athletic director.Wilson was a high school head football coach and athletic director at Winters , Floydada , and Tulia, Texas , retiring in 1990. He also coached at Brownfield, Weatherford, and Temple, Texas...
at Floydada High School in Floydada, Texas
Floydada, Texas
Floydada is a city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,038 at the 2010 census.-History:According to the Texas State Historical Association, the community of Floydada, originally named Floyd City, was established on 640 acres of land donated by James B....
. He later coached at University of Dubuque
University of Dubuque
The University of Dubuque is a Presbyterian university located in Dubuque, Iowa, with a general attendance of approximately 1,600 students. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It is one of three four-year post-secondary institutions in the City of Dubuque, and is...
in Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
, and Boswell High School
Boswell High School
Boswell High School is a public secondary school in Fort Worth, Texas . It is part of the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District and serves all students within grades nine and twelve...
in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, until getting his first head coach job at Lubbock Christian College (now Lubbock Christian University
Lubbock Christian University
Lubbock Christian University is a private Christian university associated with the Churches of Christ located in Lubbock, Texas, in the United States. It was established in 1957. A fall 2011 count showed 2,038 students enrolled at Lubbock Christian University, of which 422 are graduate students...
). In 1983, Carthel became assistant under Bill Yung
Bill Yung
- External links :*...
at the University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
.
Head coaching career
In 1985 Carthel took over head coaching duties at his alma mater Eastern New Mexico. In his seven seasons the Greyhounds had only one losing season. After a 5–5 record in Carthel's initial season, the Greyhounds were 8–3 in 1986 and 9–2 in '87. They were 2–8 in 1988, but followed with records of 7–3, 6–4 and 7–3–1. In five of Carthel's seven years, the Greyhounds were ranked in the Division II Top 20 Poll. In 1991, the ENMU won the Lone Star Conference championship. Carthel was inducted into the ENMU Hall of Fame in 2001.Having reached the pinnacle of his career as a head coach, Carthel chose to retire at age 39, and moved back to the family farm in Friona, Texas
Friona, Texas
Friona is a city in Parmer County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,854 at the 2000 census. Friona was established in 1906, originally called Frio the Spanishword for cold....
. He took a pause from football coaching for nine years, before becoming a volunteer coach at Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...
under head coach Gary Gaines
Gary Gaines
Gary Gaines is a high school football coach. Gaines was the head coach of the 1988 Permian High School football team which was the focus of the H. G. Bissinger book Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team and a Dream and the 2004 motion picture Friday Night Lights starring Billy Bob Thornton...
in 2000. Trying to become a head coach again, Carthel applied for the vacant West Texas A&M job in late 2001, but athletic director Ed Harris opted for Ronnie Jones
Ronnie Jones
- External links :**...
. In 2004 Carthel was named the head coach and general manager of the Amarillo Dusters
Amarillo Dusters
The Amarillo Venom are an professional indoor football team in the Lone Star Football League. The Venom began play in 2004 as the Amarillo Dusters, a charter member of the Intense Football League, a small indoor football league based in Texas. They won the championship in their first and only...
in their inaugural season in the Intense Football League
Intense Football League
The Intense Football League was a professional indoor football league that initially began operations in 2004. Its focus was in Texas, but was notable for being the first professional football league to place a franchise in Alaska.-History:...
. Amarillo posted a 15-3 record under Carthel and won the IFL Championship that year.
West Texas A&M fired Jones after three unsuccessful seasons, thus Carthel applied for the job again. This time, he was selected as head coach. In his first year, he guided the school to its first Lone Star Conference Championship in 19 years. He has since compiled a 33–5 record, which is the highest winning percentage of any West Texas A&M coach since Alonzo P. George's 3–0 record in 1918. As of 2008, only Joe Kerbel
Joe Kerbel
- External links :*...
(68–42–1) and Frank Kimbrough
Frank Kimbrough (American football)
Frank H. Kimbrough was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Hardin–Simmons University , Baylor University , and West Texas State University—now West Texas A&M University...
(54–52–2) won more games for West Texas A&M than Carthel.
Carthel runs an “Air-Raid offense” very similar to Mike Leach's offense at nearby Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. After guiding West Texas A&M to its second undefeated regular season in school history, Carthel was named 2007 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Region Four Coach of the year.