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Temple ISD hires two new high school coaches

Michael Thomas and Dexter Knock will join the Wildcats.

The Temple Independent School District announced Thursday the hiring of two coaches for the Temple High School boys basketball and football teams.

Michael Thomas will join Temple High as head boy's basketball coach, and Dexter Knock will return as assistant head football coach.

Thomas is from Beaumont, where he served the last two seasons as head basketball coach at his alma mater: Clifton J. Ozen High School. He led his team to bi-district championships both years as head coach. Prior to that role, he served as an assistant head coach at Ozen for 10 years, twice appearing in the state finals.

“What attracted me to the job is the family atmosphere, the opportunity to grow myself and give these kids the opportunity to be a part of something special,” Thomas said.

Temple ISD Athletic Director Scott Stewart described Thomas as a “straight up winner!”

“I love the way he talks about the importance of both physical and mental toughness as critical components of a winning program that develops well-rounded student-athletes,” Stewart said.

Thomas won a high school state title while playing basketball for Ozen in 2001 -- when the team had a perfect 36-0 record.

“Coach Thomas has state tourney experience as a player and coach,” Stewart said. “He’s the real deal. This man can go!”

Thomas said it is always awesome to win big, and he thinks he can bring that back to the community and to the program.

“We’re going to strive for perfection," he said. "That’s how I approach what I do. I strive for perfection. We may never get there, but we will always strive for it."

Pending approval from the Temple ISD Board of Trustees, Coach Thomas will be hired in May and will join the staff in Temple at the end of the current school year.

Dexter Knox is returning to the football staff after leaving the program in 2016. He coached in the 2014 and 2016 UIL 5A Division 1 State Football Championship. He was also the head girls track coach.

Last season, he served as the football defensive coordinator and head boys track coach at Sweetwater High School.

The Gatesville native said coming back to Temple was a homecoming.

“I’m excited to be part of the Wildcat tradition again,” Knox said. “It always felt like where I was supposed to be. So, I’m glad to come back home.”

Knox’s first day back with Temple is May 14.

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