NEWS Staff Report
File photo
The San Benito Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees approved the resignation agreement of San Benito High School head football coach and athletic director Spencer Gantt at a regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14.
The San Benito Greyhounds are officially looking for a new leader.
At the regular meeting of the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees on Tuesday night, board members approved a resignation agreement with athletic director/head football coach Spencer Gantt, thus agreeing to end Gantt’s tenure–effective Jan. 27–with the Greyhounds after five seasons.
The motion was made by board vice president Julian Huerta, seconded by president Yliana González and approved unanimously.
Details of the agreement were not disclosed; however, sources close to the district indicated that SBCISD agreed to compensate Gantt for the remainder of his contract, which expires this spring, in exchange for the coach’s immediate resignation.
Gantt could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.
González said, “We just want to thank coach Gantt for his years of service with the district, and we’re very pleased to have him part of the San Benito team for as long as he was.”
Officials have also yet to confirm an interim appointment to the AD post.
Gantt was hired in 2009 to replace Mario Peña and went 28-26 overall with three playoff appearances (2009-11) in his five years at the helm. Included in that was a District 32-5A co-championship and bi-district win over Edinburg High in ’11 as the ’Hounds finished 9-3.
Unfortunately, San Benito missed the postseason the last two seasons in the meat grinder District 31-5A, going 6-4 in 2012 and just missing the playoffs before a disappointing 3-7 finish this past season.
In August, just as the season was to begin, board members took no action on an agenda item to extend Gantt’s contract, and the coach’s status beyond 2013 was uncertain. While the ’Hounds remained competitive in just about every ballgame, they could not overcome a roster which lacked varsity experience and had trouble at times moving the football.
Gantt was brought on board after a successful stint as Harlingen High’s offensive coordinator in 2008. That year, the Cardinals went 10-3 with a third round playoff appearance thanks in part to Gantt’s high-octane offense which solidified his status as a hot coaching prospect. Prior to that, Gantt coached wide receivers under Scott Ford at Los Fresnos from 2006-07 during its successful string of third-round playoff appearances.