Larry Uland, who coached Greenville Christian to four state six-man football titles, is returning as the Eagles’ head football coach.
Greenville Christian headmaster Mark Reisner confirmed the hiring of Uland, who will succeed Randy Jones as head football coach after Jones announced his retirement.
“Past and present students are excited that Coach Uland is back and influencing the lives of our students,” said Reisner.
Ricky Basye, who coached the Lady Eagles’ volleyball program last season, will continue to coach volleyball and will serve as athletic director. Basye hasn’t coached before with Uland.
“I’ve heard great things about him,” said Basye. “I just know about the tradition and everything. I’m looking forward to working with him and what he brings back to the school.”
Uland coached the Eagles to Texas Association of Private and Parochial six-man state titles in 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and then won three more state six-man titles at Wylie Prep, which has named its football field after Uland.
“I’m going to call myself more of a teacher than as a coach,” said Uland.
Uland said he teaches about Jesus Christ and “six-man a little bit.”
“I feel like I have a pretty good plan,” he said. “I’ve got to sell that plan. This plan has taken six-man teams to the state finals 12 times, won seven of them.”
His Greenville Christian teams were known for passing for big yards and many touchdowns out of the spread formation. Eagle quarterback Nathan Strand set numerous national records after passing for 84 touchdowns in 2004, when the Eagles claimed their first state title. Strand also ran or passed for 64 touchdowns in 2003, when the Eagles reached the state semifinals.
Kendrick Smith, Josh Marion, Greg Gilmer, Bryand Moyer and Jesse Hayre also earned first-team all state honors off that 2004 Eagle team.
Another Eagle, Joe Killgore, earned all-state honors at four different positions, punter, placekicker, wide receiver and defensive back, in 2006.
Uland for many years has resided in nearby Farmersville but said Greenville feels like home to him.
“There’s some people in Greenville that make me feel like I’m coming home,” he said.
Uland was also a head football coach at Duncanville in 1971-72, at Cedar Hill from 1977-84 and at Thomas Jefferson in Dallas from 1992-95. His Cedar Hill teams won three district titles.
He’s also coached basketball and baseball at Greenville Christian and coached baseball at San Antonio Marshall.
He said he had a good run at Wylie Prep.
“We went five times (to the finals) and won three of them,” he said. “It was a good run in those eight years.”
Jones said he’ll be doing a lot of fishing after his retirement. He coached 38 seasons.
“My wife’s going to retire,” he said.
Jones said he’ll have more time to spend with his son Bryan Jones, who coaches at Harts Bluff near Mount Pleasant.
Jones was a head coach in both 11-man and six-man football. His coaching stops included Moody, Princeton, Wolfe City, Trinidad, Fannindel, Coolidge, Rising Star, Bells and Detroit in Texas, plus Tonopah and Dayton in Nevada.
“We’re grateful for Randy guiding us through two years of the pandemic,” said Reisner.
Jones said the Eagles will be returning a strong group off last year’s 4-3 playoff team, including Eli Wimberley, Jude Ray, Colton Smith, Mathew Sundeen and Colton Epley.
“He’s (Uland) got a good senior class and a good sophomore class,” said Jones.
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