Alief Taylor High School has new football coach, new fast look

Thursday, September 17, 2020
Alief Taylor coach navigates strange season in new role
Shawn Gray hasn't seen much of his players since he took the job in March, but he's not letting that stop the Lions' momentum this year.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- What a year to transition to becoming a head coach.

Shawn Gray is the new head football coach at Alief Taylor High School, but because of COVID-19, he has not seen much of his players in person since taking the job in March.

"This is actually the first day I get to see the kids, and I am looking forward to having a great season," said Gray. "This is probably the most we have been able to communicate with the kids one-on-one, especially on the Zoom, everyday."

The Lions are a tight-knit group who have worked outside the organized structure.

You can expect a different look from Alief Taylor this year.

Gray was the offensive coordinator at Fort Bend Bush for 13 years. He plans to put his personality into this Lions offense.

RELATED: Football practice kicks off at bigger Houston-area high schools amid pandemic

"I'm an entertainer," said Gray. "I played quarterback when I was in high school and college. I think people should want to come out and see great football. I want the kids to have fun."

Defensive back EK Ekwere added, "We are going to have dudes who can stretch out the field and catch passes deep. We are going to turn it into a track meet on the field."

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