Gene Mayfield

Gene Mayfield

Biographical details
Born	(1928-01-31)January 31, 1928 Quitaque, Texas, U.S.
Died	October 2, 2009(2009-10-02) (aged 81) Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
Playing career
1950s	West Texas State
Position(s)	Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1956–1957	Littlefield HS (TX)
1958–1964	Borger HS (TX)
1965–1970	Permian HS (TX)
1971–1976	West Texas State
1982–1987	Levelland HS (TX)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1971–1977	West Texas State
Head coaching record
Overall	24–39–2 (college) 178–71–8 (high school)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
MVC (1972) 4A Texas state (1965)

Gene Mayfield (January 31, 1928 – October 2, 2009) was a former American football coach in Texas high school football.^[1]

Mayfield played quarterback at West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M University), where he also met his future wife Mary Jean.^[2] He began his head coaching career at Littlefield before moving on to Borger in 1958. His 1962 squad made the 4A state championship game, losing 26-30 to San Antonio Brackenridge. In 1965, Mayfield took over head coaching duties at Permian High School of Odessa, Texas, where he started the school's winning tradition by beating San Antonio Lee 11-6 for the 1965 4A state championship.^[3] Mayfield was only the fifth head coach in Texas' highest classification to win a state championship in his first year. Odessa Permian made the state finals on two more occasions in 1968 and 1970, losing to Austin Reagan each time.

In 1971 Mayfield succeeded legendary Joe E. Kerbel at his alma mater West Texas State University. He had only mediocre success and left the school after the 1976 season with an overall record of 24-39-2. He retired from coaching in 1977, before returning in 1982 to coach at Levelland for six seasons. He died from Alzheimer's disease in Lubbock, Texas, on October 2, 2009, aged 81.^{[citation needed]}