Plano has named former Wildcats player Jaydon McCullough its new football coach. He has been a 16-year assistant and was offensive coordinator last season as Plano reached the Class 5A state semifinals. He replaces Gerald Brence, who is becoming the fulltime Plano ISD athletic diretor. McCollough has been a favorite since Brence was named fulltime AD this summer. Brence coached this year knowing he would find his successor.

McCullough and former Plano assistant Scott Smith have been the focus of the search. Smith took over at Lake Highlands last year.

Brence and McCullough have been together 16-years at Plano and both have coached each others sons through the program.

Brence, who was elevated from an assistant to head coach, has been a major proponent that Plano hire from within in the past for all positions.

Hiring McCullough also avoid Plano having to get into the highstakes salaries now prevalant across the state. Plano has won seven state titles but doesn't like to be viewed strictly for athletics.

While Duncanville and Lake Travis have recently paid coaches more than $100,000 per year, McCullough will be paid in the $85,000 to $90,000 range.

McCullough was credited with widely diversifying Plano's offense this past season using junior stars Rex Burkhead and Carson Meger and a strong cast of receivers.

Meger, in fact, shows the continuity of Plano athletics as well. Meger is the son of Wildcats girls basketball coach Lynn Meger and his dad is the former golf coach.

Even as popular as Smith was as a Plano defensive coordinator, it would be difficult to have kept the same staff had Smith returned. McCullough likely will keep nearly the entire staff intact.