If Robert Shiflett teaches his players to handle quick-change situations as smoothly as Iola school administrators picked Shiflett to be their head football coach, the Bulldogs should be in good shape.

Iola officials needed just a week to choose Shiflett to take over the Bulldogs' program. Shiflett, an assistant baseball coach at Anderson-Shiro and former football and baseball standout at Navasota, has agreed to take over for Rick Prater, who resigned last week.

Football coaches often talk about the importance of quick-change situations, when their defense has to take the field in a hurry after a turnover. Iola superintendent Douglas Devine and athletic director Russell Smithey reacted quickly after Prater resigned to accept a job as an assistant coach in the Conroe Independent School District.

"I wanted to get a guy quick, someone who could come in and meet the kids before school's out," Smithey said. "We're planning on getting Robert in as much as we can between now and the end of school, so he can get his system in and let the kids have some idea of what's going on and about the summer program."

Prater took over last summer after Randy McDougald completed a successful 17-year run as head coach at his alma mater. The Bulldogs reached the Class A Division I state semifinals in McDougald's last season, but Iola lost a strong senior class from that team and struggled to an 0-10 record in Prater's first year.

"When you're in a small school and graduate a lot of seniors, you're going to have those down cycles," Shiflett said. "I think it can be good again. I'm not saying it's going to turn completely around next year. It's going to take time, especially when you've gone through three coaches in three years. You've got to have a little stability in the program."

The 41-year-old Shiflett was one of four finalists for the job last year. He removed his name from consideration before Iola hired Prater, who had been the offensive coordinator at Groveton.

Shiflett was part of a successful baseball program at Anderson-Shiro -- the Owls won the Class A state championship in 2006 -- but he yearned to coach football again. Shiflett had football duties during his first 12 seasons as an assistant coach, serving as the defensive coordinator at Navasota and Shepherd.

"I'm not trying to make it sound like I left Anderson disgruntled," Shiflett said. "They just didn't have a football program, and I've always wanted to be a head football coach. Iola has given me the opportunity, just another 15 or 20 minutes down the road."

Prater said he left Iola for family reasons, not because of the 0-10 record. Prater lives between Huntsville and Conroe, and said it was difficult making the 55-mile drive to Iola every day.