Plano ISD's Legendary Tom Kimbrough, who led the Plano Wildcats to a 171-28-7 record during his 16 years as head coach from 1976 to 1991, is featured among the "Top 10" most memorable Texas football coaches in Dave Campbell's 50th Anniversary Texas Football magazine currently on newsstands.

Coach Kimbrough is shown with Wildcat players at a 1988 playoff game

Tom Landry and Darrell Royal led the list of memorable coaches in the special edition publication, which ranks the top 50 most memorable players, coaches, teams, games and moments, with high school, college and professional ranks all mixed together for the first time in the publication's history.

Only four high school coaches made the "Top 10" ranking in the coaches' category. "I can't imagine receiving a greater honor than this," said Coach Kimbrough. "To be placed on a list with Tom Landry, Darrell Royal and Mack Brown is an outstanding honor," said Coach Kimbrough. "I believe you appreciate recognition more with age. You're glad that someone remembers you."

Only four high school coaches made the "Top 10" ranking in the coaches' category. "I can't imagine receiving a greater honor than this," said Coach Kimbrough. "To be placed on a list with Tom Landry, Darrell Royal and Mack Brown is an outstanding honor," said Coach Kimbrough. "I believe you appreciate recognition more with age. You're glad that someone remembers you."

Coach Kimbrough, who has led facility quality control for Plano ISD's business services department since 2003, reminisced about his outstanding coaching career in Plano schools. "I always told my players that football was a team sport and many were responsible for an individual's recognition. That's certainly the case here.

Coach Kimbrough was carried by teammates, including Billy Ray Smith, who later played college and pro football, at a 1978 playoff victory over Temple.

Coach Kimbrough is currently serving in his 42nd year in Plano schools. He spent eight years as assistant coach/teacher at Plano Senior High School, followed by 16 years as head football coach. He later served as assistant athletic director for one year prior to serving 10 years as athletic director. Since 2003, he has led facility quality control in the district's business services department. He currently serves as executive director of facility services.

"I was fortunate to have some of the greatest assistants in the state. I share this recognition with coaches that were on my staff like Gerald Brence (Plano ISD athletic director), Mike Hughes (PWSH athletic director/head coach), Ken Hardison (Schimelpfenig Middle School assistant principal), Randall Chaddick (Jasper High School assistant principal) and Steve Thomas (Plano Senior High School teacher/coach). I also had great players like Jaydon McCullough (PSHS athletic director/head coach) and Marty Melson (Shepton High School coach). They should also feel a part of this. John Clark (retired Plano ISD athletic director) was my mentor. I certainly share this with him as he was so instrumental in whatever success I've had over the years."

Dave Campbell's special collector's edition magazine features a one-half-page tribute to Coach Kimbrough. The article begins, "Plano and Tom Kimbrough were a perfect fit when he got a job there as assistant coach in 1968. He was a humble, unassuming guy from tiny Valley Mills. Plano was a country town that had just won its second Class 2A state title. The city would change drastically over the next two decades as it morphed from a small farming town into a burgeoning Dallas suburb. Yet, somehow, Kimbrough remained a perfect fit."

Coach Kimbrough is pictured with Plano Wildcats Quarterback Steve Ulmer at the infamous 1977 Plano vs. Highland Park victory in which the Wildcats came back from a 28-0 score in the middle of the third quarter to win the game 29-28. The game is published in Dave Campbell's 50th Anniversary Texas Football magazine as one of Texas' most memorable.

The article details the highlights of Coach Kimbrough's career, which included four state championship games and three state championships as well as setting a national attendance record in 1977 for high school football with nearly 50,000 fans.

In a salute to his philosophy, the article states, "Kimbrough never changed what he stood for in his 16-year head coaching career: a strong work ethic, organization and discipline. Plano was a quintessential powerhouse program, churning out talented players and disciplined teams year after year...There was nothing flashy about the Wildcats or Kimbrough, except for the shiny trophies they claimed at the end of the year."

Coach Kimbrough was honored by Gerald Brence, athletic director, and the Plano Wildcats during their first game at Kimbrough Stadium.

Gerald Brence, who coached with Kimbrough and now serves as the district's athletic director, said, "Coach Kimbrough is totally committed to his faith, family and then to his team. He is a tremendous motivator and teacher. His greatest attribute is bringing it all together. Kids took away much, much more than football in his program. They took away what we're all about in Plano athletics: character, academics and then athletics. Everybody who coached or played with Kimbrough remembers this process."

Brence continued, "Coach Kimbrough could've coached at any level. He chose high school. He was also a great athletic director."

Richard Matkin, associate superintendent for business services, said, "Any successful individual has qualities that would make them successful in other areas that they choose to focus, and Tom has proven that in his transition to executive director of facility services. His strengths are his ability to communicate with people, his attention to detail and his work ethic.

"I know he won a lot of games for Plano that people know about, but the millions of dollars he has saved the district by negotiating facility contracts, finding alternative ways to address a facility issue and the accountability that he demands from the team he now manages is equal to those athletic victories that were accomplished in his coaching days. He is a vital member of the Plano ISD business services team."

Coach Kimbrough and his wife Linda, a Pearson Early Childhood School teacher of students with hearing impairments, have two children: Kyle, who works for Bank of America, and Kimberley, a second grade teacher at Barksdale Elementary School.

Tom Kimbrough's Coaching Career Highlights