RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) head football coach Travis Bush announced on Wednesday the hiring of Nathan Langford, who spent the last three seasons as the head football coach and athletic director at Luling High School, as an assistant coach.
Langford previously worked with Bush at Seguin High School as an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 2016-20. Langford played at Texas State from 2004-07, during which time Bush was on the coaching staff, and at San Marcos High School, including a freshman year in 2000 when Bush was part of the coaching staff.
“I couldn’t be more excited to add Coach Langford to our staff,’” Bush said. “Nate was an outstanding student-athlete and leader for us at Texas State, and he’s been quickly climbing the ladder in the high school coaching ranks. Coach Langford may be the hardest worker I have ever met. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the staff, and he has proven to build amazing relationships with students, parents, and community members. Coach Langford understands what it takes to build a winning culture in a program from the ground up, and I can’t wait for him to get down here and get to work.”
During his time at Luling, Langford took a program that had gone three seasons without a win and earned a victory in his second game, earning Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Team of the Week honors. In 2021, Lulling led Langford to its first playoff appearance in eight years and his squad was ranked Dave Campbell’s Eighth Most Improved Defense by a First Year Head Coach.
Luling took another step forward in 2022, posting more points than any Luling team since 2013 while allowing its fewest points since 2015 and posting the program’s first winning record since 2013.
While at Seguin from 2015-20, Langford helped his team earn Dave Campbell’s Sixth Most Improved Defense in the state in 2018 en route to the team’s first of two 5A District Championships during his tenure. One of Langford’s accomplishments was helping to end a 12-year playoff drought at Seguin.
“I am grateful to Coach Bush, Mr. Conque, and the whole UTRGV family for giving me the opportunity to join their team,” Langford said. “I’ve known and worked for Coach Bush for a long time, and he is definitely the right man to lead this brand-new football program. I’m excited to roll up my sleeves and start carrying some of the load with getting the program off the ground. The Rio Grande Valley is a great community, and I can’t wait to be a part of it. V’s Up! #RallyTheValley.”
Langford was a 2006 All-Southland Conference Second Team Defensive End as a junior before earning Preseason All-Southland honors while serving as team captain as a senior at Texas State. He also earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors as a junior and Southland Academic Honor Roll recognition during his final three seasons. As a senior, Langford earned Texas State’s Jim Wacker “Unbelievable” Award, an award that recognizes a Bobcats football player who displays outstanding motivational, inspirational and leadership skills.
Originally from San Marcos, Langford graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Administration with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation from Texas State in 2009 before earning a Master of Education in Coaching & Sports Administration from Concordia in 2020.
