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New play caller brings experience, longtime relationship with head coach
The Elgin Wildcats varsity football program is entering a new era this offseason, welcoming in an offensive coordinator to help shape the team and take over play-calling duties.
Sean Van De Merghal arrives in Elgin with an extensive coaching résumé, including stints as both a head coach and offensive coordinator at successful programs across the state. He joins head coach Rich Lucero in his second year at point, and said a longstanding relationship between the two has made the transition feel natural.
“I have known coach Lucero for more than 10 years, and we have a really good relationship on and off the field,” Van De Merghal said. “When I ended up in Central Texas after a couple of years away from coaching, the stars kind of aligned for us. It was an opportunity that made a lot of sense for both of us.”
Van De Merghal has coached at 11 schools throughout his career, including a stop at DeSoto, where he helped the Eagles win a state championship as offensive coordinator. He most recently served as offensive coordinator at East View and helped guide the Patriots to a 7-4 record and their first playoff appearance in four years.
Van De Merghal stepped away from football for two seasons after not landing a head coaching job, a break he said ultimately helped him rediscover his passion for the game.
“I just wasn’t real happy with the business side of things … I thought maybe I would do something else and go in a different direction,” Van De Merghal said. “After two years of that, I realized football was my passion. I missed being around the players, I missed being around the coaches, and I missed the competition.”
Rather than forcing players into a predetermined system, Van De Merghal said his approach centers on building around the strengths of his roster.
“Our philosophy is to find out what our kids do well and build off of that,” Van De Merghal said. “If that means we’re really good at throwing the football and we throw it 50 times a game, that’s a lot of fun … If our strength is running the football, then we have to lean into that.”
Back on the sidelines, Van De Merghal said he is excited to work alongside Lucero and help structure the Wildcats’ offense.
“I think we have everything we need — we just have to put it together,” he said.
Van De Merghal acknowledged that handing over play-calling responsibilities is never a simple decision for a head coach, but said the trust built between him and Lucero over the years has eased the transition.
“It’s a hard thing for a head coach to give up,” Van De Merghal said. “When you come up through the ranks as a coordinator, you’re usually known as either an offensive guy or a defensive guy, and handing that responsibility off to someone else is difficult. But I think that trust comes from the relationship Coach Lucero and I have built over the years.”
As the Wildcats continue offseason workouts, Van De Merghal said the focus remains on developing players and establishing an offensive identity built around the team’s strengths heading into the 2026 season.
“I think we have everything we need — we just have to put it together.”
— Sean Van De Merghal, Elgin offensive coordinator
