LIBERTY HILL — When going on a shark fishing expedition comes in at No. 2 on the most compelling things in David Seaborn’s life the last three months, you know he’s had an interesting summer.
In late May, Seaborn was named the head football coach at Liberty Hill following a three-week whirlwind after Kent Walker surprisingly resigned to take over as athletic director and head coach at Blanco. Instead of preparing for another season as a Panthers assistant head coach and running the defense, Seaborn found himself as a head coach for the first time with barely more than three months before the season opener.
“I wasn’t out looking for a head coaching job last offseason, so I was kind of blindsided a bit (going through the process in May),” Seaborn said. “But it’s always been a goal for me, and it was in the good Lord’s timing when it happened.”
Always on track to coach
Coaching is in Seaborn’s blood.
Literally.
The son of the former Travis and LBJ coach by the same name, Seaborn went to every game his dad was on the sidelines for growing up. When he entered high school, Seaborn played for his father for two years with the Rebels, then followed him to LBJ when his dad took over the Jaguars prior to his junior year in 1998.
So, when he finished college, which included a stint playing at Texas Southern, there was no doubt the career path he would take. He spent time on the coaching staffs at Travis, Vista Ridge and Jarrell before joining Liberty Hill prior to the 2020 season.
Now, at 43, he’s leading his own program and coaching his own son, DJ — a running back and defensive back for the Panthers — and he’s the beneficiary of having had a lifelong role model in the same position.
“Having a dad as a coach affects me as a coach in a positive way,” David Seaborn said. “Part of the things that he instilled in us on a daily basis is just making sure you treat people right and that you’re living your life the correct way. … I’m now in a position where I can instill that in people I’m in charge of from the coaching staff to the players.”
One thing David Seaborn hasn’t had the benefit of, though, is time.
Most new coaches take over their programs in January or early February and have a full offseason and spring football to make the transition a smooth one. It was nearly June when Seaborn became Liberty Hill’s head coach. Since then, he's leaned on the head coaches he’s worked with for guidance. Aside from his father, he picked the brains of Vandegrift’s Drew Sanders, Vista Ridge’s Chad Scott and Travis’ Joe Frank Martinez.
“The first few weeks, I wanted to make sure things were being done right,” he said. “And when you haven’t been in a position a whole lot, you’re constantly asking yourself, ‘Are these things being done?’ or ‘Am I doing enough?’”
Liberty Hill isn’t rebuilding
Seaborn isn’t reinventing the wheel at Liberty Hill — the No. 5 team in the American-Statesman's annual countdown of the top 10 preseason teams in Central Texas — and he doesn’t need to. He’s taking over a program that has had one losing season since 2003 and only failed to reach double-digit wins four times in the same span. The program’s signature Slot-T offense isn’t going anywhere, and with seven starters back on offense, it should be as effective as ever.
“We have a tradition here of being super successful in the Slot-T,” he said. “Some of these kids have been running it since they were in little league football. And for a team to play us in a game week and try to replicate that in two or three days — that’s not something that can be done.”
The players, for their part, are glad David Seaborn is the one the Liberty Hill administration tabbed to lead the program.
Senior center Jett Harrison noted the team had a close relationship with Walker and the players were a little “shocked” when he left, especially considering the timing. But with Seaborn taking over, any fears of major structural changes in the program or adjusting to a new face and personality quickly subsided.
“We already had a chemistry with him, and he’s one of the coaches the players have loved the most these past couple of years,” said Harrison, who enters his second year of starting. “(Hiring him) was important to make this process smooth and keep our team rolling on the right track.”
Seaborn is putting his own stamp on the program, though. He brought in defensive coordinator Rick Molina from Manor and has added a few coaches he’s known from his past to the staff. And as someone who could pass for being a decade younger, he provides an enthusiasm the players feed off of.
“I think this program has more energy than it’s ever had,” Harrison said. “The players are all super-hyped for the year, and I think (Seaborn) has done nothing but exemplify that and make it better.”
Winning isn’t the only thing …
Seaborn makes it clear that winning is important to him. (Anything less likely wouldn’t be tolerated at Liberty Hill.) But it’s not everything, and it’s certainly not his top priority.
Taking the lessons from his father nearly three decades ago from the Travis and LBJ campuses, Seaborn is focused on making an impact on his players.
“One day football is going to end,” he said. “I think how I’m going to measure success by, is what these guys are doing in five or 10 years. You can win the state championship, but if you’re not molding kids into being great fathers and great husbands and stuff like that, then what have you really done?”
Football won’t end for Seaborn for a while. In fact, his career seems to be just revving up. But when it does end, he knows what he’ll be doing.
“If I could go shark fishing every weekend, I’d do that,” he said with a laugh. “That’s my happy place.”