By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON, La. — After departing the Ruston sidelines nearly a year ago, the Lincoln Parish Journal confirmed that Kyle Williams will be returning to coach the Ruston High Bearcats for the 2026 season.
“I’m very excited to have him back,” Ruston High Head Coach Jerrod Baugh said. “On a personal level, we have become really good friends. I told him when they decided to come back, selfishly, it had ended up hurting me more as a friend than a coach when he left (last year). I’ll just be happy personally that he’s back, and the kids will be excited, as well.
“We’re working on ironing out logistics (staff-wise), but just being able to get him back is the biggest part. He and (Current Defensive Coordinator Marcus) Yanez have already been talking about how to work together moving forward.”
Baugh said that the current staff was told this morning in a coaches meeting.
Williams will serve as both Assistant Athletics Director and Assistant Head Coach. Yanez will remain Defensive Coordinator.
Williams spent the last year as the Defensive Line Coach at Louisiana State University under then-Head Coach Brian Kelly. He previously served as Defensive Coordinator for the Bearcats from 2020-2024 following his retirement from the National Football League after a stellar career with the Buffalo Bills.
During that previous tenure, Ruston made three state championship games and won the 2023 Division I, Non-Select title. Under his defensive tutelage, Jadon Mayfield was named the LSWA 5A State Defensive Player of the year.
