Burnet football’s Wood becomes OC at Wayland Baptist University

CAPTION: In Bryan Wood’s final season leading the Burnet High School football program, he guided the Bulldogs to a share of the District 13-4A Division I title. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

When Bryan Wood resigned as the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District’s football head coach in mid December, he told his players it was faith at work.

At the time, Wood didn’t have a job lined up. He only knew that he had given his word to his defensive coordinator, Ben Speer, that he would resign after three years and “do everything I can” to help the coordinator become the Bulldogs’ head coach.

That happened almost three weeks ago when the school district’s board of trustees approved Speer’s hire.

Now it’s Wood’s turn.

On Feb. 2, Wayland Baptist University announced that Wood is its new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

“Timing has everything to do with it,” Wood said. “It was a privilege to get coach Speer the job. God kept putting this one in front of me. I realized I was praying and not listening. I always wanted to help somebody build something special. It’s just not on the high school level. It’s on the collegiate level.”

He’s teaming with Wayland Baptist University head coach Marcos Hinojos, Sr., who has had that position for a year after being on staff for almost a decade, first as a defensive coach and then as the defensive coordinator. Wood, who spent 31 years as a high school football coach and 24 of them as a head coach, said the two coached against each other about 15 years ago in Class 5 high school football. WBU is located in Plainview, between Lubbock and Amarillo.

“He called me at the end of December,” Wood said. “He’s been very patient with me in making a decision.”

The two got along so well that Wood took a visit to the campus and met with Hinojos face to face. That conversation made it easy for Wood to accept the job.

“We spent the whole day together,” Wood said. “We have very similar philosophies. He was looking for the scheme we run.”

That scheme puts the ball in the hands of the playmakers where they have one-on-one match-ups all over the field. It shields the weaker parts of the offensive positions and allows the ones who know how to make plays to go score.

Wood and his Burnet staff pinpointed who was capable of making plays and put their athletes in position to either blow opponents off the line of scrimmage with a punishing running game or allow the quarterbacks to throw to receivers with sure hands and speed that allowed them to outrun the defense.

For Wood and his wife, Brandy, accepting this job is an opportunity to return home. The two graduated from Vega High School and attended Texas Tech University.

Wood’s last day as a member of the Burnet CISD staff is March 8. His first official day at WBU, which is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, is March 11 though he put on his social media he is available to chat with recruits who contact him. WBU plays in the South Atlantic Conference that includes Sul Ross University, Texas Wesleyan University and Texas College.

“We start spring ball in five weeks,” he said. “I’m trying to recruit over the phone. It never slows in NAIA recruiting. It’ll only get busier.”

The offensive staff will add another coach, he said.

While Wood adjusts to coaching on the collegiate level, he said he plans on keeping personal traits the same. One of most important is in how he treats others.

“I base everything on relationships,” Wood said. “When kids leave a high school, they go to a new town and college, and they’re looking for a new identity. When they get to us, they’re looking for a new identity and a fresh start. I’m going to love on them and build relationships and hold them accountable. It’s football and kids.”

Watch videos on Highland Lakes sports by going to Fierro’s YouTube channel and searching for The Broad Podcaster. Please like, subscribe and share.