No unit has a more pressing impact on a football game than the offensive line. It can grind out yards, put up points and wear down defenses while allowing its own defenders to rest. The line sets the tone for the team. Thus, assistant head coach and offensive line coach Ted Willmann sets the tone for the coaching staff.

The right-hand man of head coach Darren Allman, Willmann received one of the first calls from Allman after Westlake’s coaching change in February.

“I’ve known Coach Willmann a long time, and he’s one of the best I’ve seen,” Allman said. “We work perfectly together. It’s like he knows exactly what I’m thinking.”

Willmann worked with Allman in Brownwood in the 1990s before joining the Burnet coaching staff during its Stephen McGee and Jordan Shipley heyday.

When Allman took over the Odessa Permian program in 2005, he made Willman one of his first hires. Willmann’s impact, said Allman, extends beyond the field.

“He is great with the kids and really helps the offensive line form a bond,” he said. “He stresses the classroom, he stresses school spirit and he cares about the kids.”

Willmann joins a revamped coaching staff. Eight new coaches have joined Allman in Westlake, including offensive coordinator Jeff Rhoads and defensive coordinator Matt Anastasio. Those two have helped Allman garner a 38-11 record in four seasons as a head coach, all at Odessa Permian.