Burnet names Magnolia West coach new defensive coordinator
JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER
BURNET — Jason Byndom is the new defensive coordinator for the Burnet High School football team.
Byndom was the defensive coordinator at Magnolia West High School northwest of Houston, where his defenses gave up an average of 17 points a contest.
“He’s been a very successful coordinator for awhile,” Bulldogs head coach Kurt Jones said. “Everyone I talked to had great things to say about him.”
Byndom worked for Shawn Bell, who was recently named the head coach at Round Rock Cedar Ridge. Bell, who is a former Baylor University quarterback and the son of China Springs head coach Mark Bell, had hoped to lure Byndom to Round Rock.
Instead, Byndom chose the Bulldogs and will work for Jones, who was the Burnet defensive coordinator before being named the head coach in the spring of 2012.
Jones said each athletic director and head coach looks for specific qualities when making an addition to his staff.
He said Byndom was described to him as “being driven, detail-oriented and very much fully committed to playing outstanding defense.”
“That’s what he’s been about in his career to lead that side of the ball for us, to bring that spirit and play aggressive defense,” Jones said. “I liked what I heard from Jason. I’m going to allow Jason to go to work and do his thing and trust that he and I see things the same way.”
Byndom emphasizes solid tackling and will challenge each defender to improve in that area, Jones said.
“That seems to be a little bit of a lost art,” he added. “You can’t make a living trying to win games 50-48. We want to hold opponents to low points and feel like we give ourselves a chance.”
Byndom fills a void after former defensive coordinator Kevin Hall left at the end of January for the same position at Manvel High School south of Houston.
jfierro@thepicayune.com