"Daddy Criss" legacy lives on at O.D. Wyatt as grandson leads Chaparrals to 6-0 start

For generations, the Criss family has helped shape football at O.D. Wyatt High School, building a legacy that extends beyond wins, losses, and district titles.

It started with Willie Criss, a longtime Fort Worth ISD football coach remembered for his on-field success and his impact on young people throughout the community. Known affectionately as "Daddy Criss," he left behind a coaching legacy carried on by his sons and now his grandsons.

Nearly four years after his death, that legacy is still growing. In 2026, his grandson Antwaun Criss is leading the Chaparrals as head coach, and the team has opened the season 6-0 – a milestone no other member of the Criss family had achieved at Wyatt.

A legacy built on more than football

Willie Criss died in 2022 at age 86. He coached at O.D. Wyatt from 1984 to 1997, becoming the school's first African American head football coach. During his tenure, he led the Chaparrals to multiple playoff appearances and district championships.

But according to his son Zachary Criss, his father's influence reached well beyond the football field.

Zachary told CBS News Texas that Willie helped student-athletes who were not a part of his football program get into college so they could continue their education.

Players and members of the Fort Worth community came to view Willie as a father figure, earning him the nickname "Daddy Criss."

His impact was measured not only in the teams he coached but also in the lives he helped shape.

From engineering to coaching

Despite his passion for football, Willie initially hoped his sons would pursue careers outside the sport.

"He actually wanted us to be doctors or engineers," Zachary Criss said.

Both Zachary and his brother, Anthony Criss, attended the University of Texas at Austin and majored in engineering. But their careers eventually led them back to the football field.

When Willie retired, his sons continued the family tradition at O.D. Wyatt, with Anthony serving as head coach. The brothers later went their separate coaching paths, with Anthony taking the head coaching job at Arlington Bowie in the 2000s before finishing his career at Arlington Sam Houston High School.

Willie returned to O.D. Wyatt for a second stint in 2004, with Zachary serving as an assistant. During that return, Willie earned his 100th career victory before retiring again in 2007. Zachary then took over as head coach.

Even after retiring, Willie continued scouting players for both of his sons, remaining involved in the game and the family tradition he helped establish.

The brothers also faced each other on the field multiple times, with Anthony remaining undefeated against Zachary in their head-to-head matchups.

The next generation takes over

The coaching tradition did not end with Willie or his sons. His four grandsons – Dominique, Quinnin, Meyer, and Antwaun – are all now coaches at O.D. Wyatt.

For Zachary, one moment in particular helped bring the family journey full circle.

In 2025, Zachary won a district championship, accomplishing something his father and brother had also achieved during their coaching careers. Antwaun was an assistant coach at the time, and his emotional reaction to the championship made the moment especially meaningful for his father.

"Seeing Antwaun's emotions is what made that moment special for me," Zachary said. "After seeing that, I knew I could retire."

The championship was more than another accomplishment. It was a chance for Zachary to see the passion his father had instilled in the family carried forward by the next generation.

Now, Antwaun has taken the next step, becoming head coach of the Chaparrals for the 2026 season.

Coaching with a family legacy in mind

Growing up, Antwaun watched his father, uncle, and grandfather build relationships with players that often extended beyond football.

He said he wanted to create those same connections with the young people he coaches.

"Growing up in the household of seeing how my dad, my uncle, and my granddad would always impact lives and people would call them their dads or my granddad, Daddy Criss, just because of the relationship and the bond that they built with them, that's just something I've always wanted to do for kids as well," Antwaun said.

That approach reflects the legacy Willie established decades ago – one centered on mentorship, opportunity, and the relationships built between coaches and their players.

But Antwaun is also making history of his own.

With the Chaparrals starting the 2026 season 6-0, he has led the program to a start no other Criss family member at O.D. Wyatt has recorded.

"They don't know, but I look in the record books," Antwaun said.

He acknowledged the family record he had surpassed with a laugh and a nod to the grandfather whose legacy helped bring him to this point.

"Granddaddy's record already went down. I'm sorry, Granddaddy," Antwaun said.

The moment captures the balance between honoring the past and building something new. For Antwaun, the wins matter, but the reason he coaches goes back to the example set by his family.

At O.D. Wyatt, the Criss name remains tied to more than football. It represents generations of coaches who have made an impact on players, students and the Fort Worth community – and a legacy that continues with every season.