Former Donna High football head coach Earl Scott, who coached the only state high school football championship team in Rio Grande Valley history at Donna in 1961, passed away Friday. He was 93.
His daughter, Chris Gieringer, announced the news Saturday afternoon.
“He will forever be remembered as a man of integrity, sharp wit, loving compassion (he may have just been the prototype for Tough Love), successful businessman, and last but not least, an amazing coach and teacher … of life,” Gieringer wrote about her father.
Scott, who played college football at Southwest Texas State, took over the Donna High football program in 1960. His previous high school coaching stints included stops at Eagle Pass and Laredo Martin.
He then led Donna to four district championships, and in 1961, he coached Donna High to a victory over Quanah to win the UIL Class 2A state championship.
The 1961 Donna High team is the only RGV football team in any classification to capture a state championship on the football field. On the way to winning the 1961 title, Scott coached Donna to playoff victories over Refugio, Devine, Sweeny and Brady before finally knocking off Quanah 28-21 in the championship game.
After his time at Donna, Scott spent two years coaching at Edinburg High. From 1960-1968, Scott compiled a 72-25-2 record.
Scott was voted the state’s Coach of the Year in 1961 and was elected to the Texas Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Southwest Texas State Hall of Honor in 1962.
