BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
The Roma defense had its best performance of the season in Week 9 against Edcouch-Elsa. The Gladiators (3-5, 2-2) allowed just three points and 53 yards of total offense to secure a 7-3 win. Not only are the three points a season-low for the defense, it was also the program’s first victory over one of the Valley’s most recognizable football brands.
On Sunday, Roma coach Frank Villanueva received a text from Greg Tepper, the managing editor of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine. Tepper let Villanueva know this his defensive coordinator, Jerry Canales, would be a nominee for the magazine’s Assistant Coach of the Week award for Week 9.
Canales is one of four nominee assistants up for the honor. The winner will be decided by way of Twitter poll on the magazine’s Twitter account (@DCTF) between Wheeler’s Sonny Calhoun, Bryan’s Bret Page and Alvarado’s Scott Svendsen. Voting ends Thursday.
“I was a little teary-eyed because I was with my wife when I got the text from coach Villanueva,” Canales said. “Coach and I go way back. He was my coach when I played here (at Roma), so I asked him, ‘Coach, are you messing with me?’ I wanted to believe it but I didn’t believe it. I’m honored and humbled.”
Canales, 29, is a Roma alum. He went on to earn a degree from Texas A&M International in Laredo in 2012. While in Laredo, Canales was a student teaching assistant for ex-football coach Tommy Ramirez at Laredo Nixon. After graduation, Canales applied and earned a job at a middle school in Roma.
Canales became a freshman assistant which led to a promotion to inside linebackers coach under former Roma head coach and current Edinburg North assistant Max Habecker Jr. When Villanueva was selected as Roma’s football coach in 2017, he picked Canales to lead the defense.
“This nomination is a testament to the hard work that we’ve all been putting in,” Canales said. “The staff put in the work, day in and day out. At the end of the day, our kids have to go out and execute the game plan and they did.”
The defense has launched the Gladiators into the playoff race with two games to go. Roma is tied for third place with Mercedes (3-5, 2-2) and Valley View (6-2, 2-2). The Gladiators are on the road this week to face Sharyland Pioneer before wrapping up the regular season in a potential play-in game against Mercedes.
“We have to stay focused on the task ahead of us, which is (Sharyland) Pioneer,” Villanueva said. “If we can get our offense going and keep the defense where it is, I think we’ll be fine.”