At least, not to Rockdale.
Jacob Campsey, 32, was promoted to that position Thursday afternoon by Rockdale ISD trustees on the most unique head coach selection school board meeting in school history.
Due to the COVID-19 situation, trustees didn’t gather but held a phone conference to select Campsey to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Jeff Miller last month.
EXPERIENCE—Campsey has been defensive coordinator under Miller for the past six years.
Those have been years of glory and included the 2017 state championship and a playoff berth every season.
“I’m excited about becoming head coach and I’m excited about this upcoming season,” Campsey told The Reporter. “We’ve got a very good team coming back.”
Campsey, and all coaches this fall, will of course face a task no coach has undertaken before, getting a team prepared in the wake of a pandemic which will have taken an unknown number of American lives during the school year.
“We will just take the next step,” he said. “We’ve all got to do whatever it takes to get through these times.”
“The entire athletic program will work together,” Campsey said. “And we will get there.”
WARHORSE—Campsey was a Warhorse.
That’s the mascot in Devine, southwest of San Antonio.
He played quarterback and outside linebacker for the Warhorses, graduating in 2006 and went on to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, graduating in 2011.
“Jacob was made for this!”, said Paul Gomez, Devine’s Head Football Coach. “I am very proud of his accomplishments and very excited for his family and his athletic program. Even as a player Jake was always watching film, always looking at strategies. He was like a coach out of the field, and extension of us. That helped us out so much and one of the reasons why we were so successful during those years. I am extremely proud of Jake and wish him all the success in the world!
After graduation from college he coached in Rogers and Thrall.
“So I was very familiar with Central Texas, and Rockdale, before getting the opportunity to come here and work under Coach Miller,” he said.
Campsey and his wife, Jenah a second grade teacher at Rockdale Elementary School, met at UMHB. They have two children—Emerie, age 4, and three-year-old Levy.
Jacob is the son of Donald “Butch” and Sherry Campsey of Devine.
He is the grandson of the late Arthur “Sonny” & Mary Campsey and the late Jack Sherman and Geraldine Calame.
Dr. Monzingo said there were 71 applicants for the position and four finalists.
“I am so proud of Jacob. I watched him play all his life. He is smart, and a good coach, he knows football. His jersey number was 10”, said Uncle Bobby Campsey, the biggest Warhorse Football fan ever who can always be found on the sidelines of Warhorse games and practices throughout his life.
“Jacob has always been a leader and a pleasure to be around”, said Uncle Tommy Calame.
“I have been following Jacob over the years since I grew up in Rockdale and was happy to see him get the job”, said George Wall of Devine when he brought by his copy of The Rockdale Reporter to The Devine News office for us to see. Thanks George.
This is a reprint of the article courtesy of The Rockdale Reporter, with local quotes added by The Devine News staff.