The Judson Rocket football program emerged as a perennial power in the 1977 season under coach Jerry Sanders.[4] Under Sanders' successor, Frank Arnold, Judson won its first state championship in 1983.
Arnold was succeeded by his former defensive coordinator D.W. Rutledge in 1984. Rutledge coached the Rockets until 2000 amassing a record of 198-31-5 taking the Rockets to seven state championship games, and winning four state titles. The football stadium is named after Coach Rutledge in his honor.
Jim Rackley, a longtime assistant to Arnold and Rutledge for sixteen years, took over the program after the 2000 season and led the team to the state playoffs in nine of his eleven seasons making three championship game appearances and winning one state championship.[5]
Mark Smith, formerly of Kerrville Tivy High School where he coached Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, assumed head coaching duties at Judson from 2012 through 2013.[6]
Sean McAuliffe, an alumnus of Judson High School and its football program, became the head coach starting with the 2014 season.[7]
Judson has made it to the playoffs 40 times over 58 total seasons, advanced to the state semifinal level 18 times,[8] reached the state title game 11 times, and won the state championship six times.[9]
Judson holds the all-time Texas state record with 42 consecutive winning seasons from 1977 through 2018. The team last finished with a losing record in 1976 and is a combined 444-101-5 during the streak.[10][11]The previous record for consecutive winning seasons was 36 set by Plano Senior High School. During the current streak, Judson has won over 80 percent of its games, and the worst record in 41 years is 7-5 with a worst regular season record of 6-4 (happened 4 times).
