Texas Southern’s press conference to introduce new football coach Cris Dishman on Tuesday morning was like a who’s who of Houston dignitaries.
Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis was in the audience at Shell Energy Stadium, as was Astros vice president for community affairs Paula Harris and former Houston Oilers cornerback RJ Johnson. But there was one attendee front and center who under normal circumstances, might not have been invited or welcomed, and that was Prairie View head coach Bubba McDowell.
Dishman and McDowell have history – Oiler Blue History – that dates back to their days of playing in the secondary together in the late 1980s and early 1990s, creating a bond that has endured through the years.
That bond may get tested as they get used to their new connection as SWAC rivals.
“There is nothing bad about taking this job. I just can’t go to Prairie View’s practices anymore,” Dishman said as he smiled at his friend from the stage. “Bubba gave me a welcome to always come to practice. I wonder if that welcome is still there.”
Chances are that the invitation was rescinded weeks ago when it became clear that Dishman was Texas Southern’s choice to become the 18th coach of its football program. Dishman also has much bigger concerns as the former NFL cornerback now tackles a job that may be his biggest and toughest yet, and that is turning around the Tigers’ program.
Turning the program around
Transforming the Tigers back into winners on the football field is high on Dishman’s list, but being a part of building young men who will become fathers, husbands, and leaders in their community is what Dishman said he is looking forward to most.
“The opportunity to improve the program, the opportunity to build young men, be mentors for young men, and to be able to set them up to be better fathers, better brothers, better uncles and just better people as a whole,” said Dishman, 58. “I take that challenge to do that.”
But first things first for Dishman, and that is getting a program turned around that hasn’t had a NCAA-recognized winning season since 2000. Dishman brings a wealth of experience after spending the last 19 years of his career coaching at every level, from NFL Europe, to the NFL, to major college football, the CFL, and most recently the XFL where he has been a defensive coordinator and secondary coach.
He has started the process of rebuilding the Tigers since he was officially hired earlier this month. The coaching staff is in place, and recruiting high school athletes has begun.
“I’m excited just to have the opportunity to build something and make it our way,” said Dishman, who spent 13 years in the NFL with the first eight years coming with the Oilers. “I keep telling the coaches, it’s not my team, it’s not my job. It’s our job. I figure if we can do it as an ‘our’ I think it will work a little bit better.”
The hiring process
Dishman emerged earlier this month following a convoluted and sometimes messy hiring process to replace Clarence McKinney. It appeared former Alcorn State coach Fred McNair was the top choice of athletic director Kevin Granger, but then some Board of Regents got the idea of hiring former Texans receiver Andre Johnson.
Several other names emerged but ultimately Dishman, who brings considerable professional and college coaching experience, was hired.
Granger said Tuesday that Dishman was the best man for the job.
“It was a process that we had to go through to get to this point and I like where we are at,” said Granger, who had his contract renewed in November. “I like the result. I like the hire. I really think the hire is going to do a lot for our university to enhance it and to enhance our student-athletes.
“So at the end of the day, this is hopefully my last conversation about football. Now it’s time for me to give the ball to Coach Dishman and let him run with it.”
Ready to win now
And run with it, Dishman plans to. While many expressed concerns that the amount of time it took TSU to hire a new football coach might be the cause for several Tigers’ players to jump into the NCAA transfer portal while also preventing the football program from adding players through the transfer portal and recruiting, Dishman said he can win with the kids who have remained with the program.
“We have enough players to win now,” Dishman said. “So, we are just getting other pieces in to help, but the meat and potatoes of the team is here. So, we are not going to go wholesale and take out 30 and bring in 30 more.
“We have enough talent in that room to win. I have enough belief in the guys in that room to win. I have enough belief in our coaches to get them in the right areas to make us win.”
Dishman talked about the type of players he wants in his program, that there will be a mandatory 24 hours of community service required of each player and how he wants a team that is smart and doesn’t kill itself with costly plays.
What Dishman didn’t offer were a lot of details about the type of offense and defense he will run.
“A scoring offense. An offense that scores points,” Dishman responded when asked what type of offense he plans to install. “I want an offense that scores points and a defense that stops people from scoring points. That’s the best I can tell you about the style that we want.”
McDowell then jokingly chimed from the front row with questions of his own, “So are you going to be …. a spread or west coast offense?” as the crowd erupted in laughter.
“Bubba that’s a good question,” Dishman shot back. “If I were you, I would start preparing for more 22 personnel.”
What TSU and Prairie View fan bases can prepare for is a rivalry that will remain intense but also good-natured fun between old secondary teammates who’ve always had each other’s backs.
“Bubba and I have been friends for years,” Dishman said. “The first time Bubba ever cursed, he cursed at me.
“It’s going to be a fun rivalry and for the next four years it’s going to be great to have the trophy here at TSU.”
