Grand Prairie ISD made it official on Wednesday, naming Kenchee Ross as the new head football coach at Grand Prairie High School. Ross, who spent the last three seasons leading W.T. White, steps into a program in transition after the sudden passing of former head coach Tony Tademy in January.
Ross takes over a Gophers team that finished 1-9 in 2024, but he sees potential in the program. With strong facilities and supportive administration, Ross believes Grand Prairie has the foundation to build something special. His track record at W.T. White speaks for itself—he led the Longhorns to three consecutive playoff appearances, something that had never been done in school history.
A Deep Texas Coaching Background
Ross, a Terrell native, has deep roots in Texas high school football. He played at Trinity Valley Community College and Howard Payne University, following in the footsteps of another famous Terrell quarterback—Eric Bishop, better known as Jamie Foxx. His coaching career has taken him across the state, with stops at Lancaster, South Oak Cliff, Dallas Carter, Terrell, and Greenville.
During his decade-long tenure at Lancaster, Ross was part of the staff that guided the Tigers to the 2012 state championship game and multiple deep playoff runs. That experience, coupled with his success as an offensive coordinator and head coach at W.T. White, gives Grand Prairie a coach who knows how to turn programs into contenders.
Tough Goodbye at W.T. White, Exciting Future at Grand Prairie
Leaving W.T. White wasn’t an easy decision for Ross. The Dallas ISD school gave him his first shot as a head coach, and he responded by turning a struggling program into a consistent playoff team. His offensive prowess was evident in 2021 when, as an offensive coordinator, he helped set a school record for most points scored in a season.
Now, Ross faces a new challenge at Grand Prairie. The Gophers haven’t won a playoff game since 1989 and are coming off their third straight 1-9 season. However, with a coach who has proven he can build success, Grand Prairie might just have found the right leader to turn things around.
Expect Dallas ISD to post the W.T. White opening soon, making it their second head coaching vacancy this month following John Fish’s departure from Woodrow Wilson to Frisco Heritage. As for Ross, he’s ready to bring a winning culture to Grand Prairie and prove that the program can compete in one of Texas’ toughest football landscapes.
