By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
LYFORD — The Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District has reassigned Brian Ricci from his position as football coach and campus athletic coordinator.
The decision was made Friday morning, shortly after the Hawks wrapped up their 2020 season with a 14-3 win over Los Fresnos on Thursday. Harlingen South was 2-4 overall and went 1-2 in District 32-6A’s Northwest Zone. As the third-place zone finisher, the Hawks faced San Benito on Nov. 27 in a play-in game and lost 42-7 to miss making the Class 6A state playoffs this year.
“After evaluating the South football program, we felt like it was time to take it in another direction,” Harlingen CISD director of athletics Robert Davies said. “We appreciate Coach Ricci and the contributions that he made in his time here, and we wish him all the best. He has been reassigned a position within our district.”
Ricci was hired to take over the Hawks’ program in 2016, shortly after he helped the Richmond George Ranch Longhorns win a 2015 Class 5A Division I state championship as their offensive coordinator. In his five seasons at the helm, Harlingen South was 17-32 overall.
Harlingen South finished below .500 for four consecutive seasons and did not win more than two district games in a season in any of Ricci’s five years. The Hawks were 5-5 overall and 2-5 in district in 2016, 2-9 (1-6 district) in 2017 and finished with identical 4-7 (2-3 district) records in 2018 and 2019, reaching the bi-district round of the playoffs in both years.
Davies said HCISD is jumping straight into the coaching search, and until a decision is made, he and assistant director of athletics Luis Solorio will be taking the reins of the Harlingen South athletic program.
“We’re going to begin immediately our search for a new head football coach and campus athletic coordinator at Harlingen South,” Davies said. “Coach Solorio, our assistant athletic director, is going to be on the campus of Harlingen South and he will be working closely with that coaching staff as well as myself, and we’ll be leading, guiding and correcting the athletic program there at South, including the football program, until we’re able to bring on a new coach.”