Krum's Chuck Caniford to retire; Chris Taber named district's next athletic director and football coach

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Krum ISD announced late last week that Chris Taber will be the district's next head football coach and athletic director.

Chuck Caniford, who was hired to the posts in March of 2022, is set to retire at the end of March after a three-year stint leading the Bobcats' football team and athletics department.

Taber has been Krum's offensive coordinator since Caniford's hiring and will officially start his new roles on April 1.

Chris Taber is a proven leader who understands that athletics is about more than just winning games its about shaping young men of character and preparing them for life beyond high school, Krum ISD superintendent Jason Cochran said in a press release.

We are confident that under his leadership, our student-athletes will continue to thrive both on and off the field.

Chris Taber, left of middle, poses for a photo with members of his family after being named Krum's next athletic director and head football coach last week.

Caniford helped lead the Bobcats' football program to a turnaround in recent years.

Krum earned its first postseason appearance since 2016 in 2023 and followed that up with a 9-3 record and the program's first playoff win since that same 2016 season this past fall.

The Bobcats took a 24-14 win over Quinlan Ford in the opening round before falling to eventual 4A Division II state champion Carthage in Round 2.

Caniford went 17-16 overall in his three years at Krum.

Chris Taber's name is a familiar one to Bobcat fans, and not just from his own involvement with the football program.

His son, Ty Taber, has been the team's starting quarterback for the last three seasons.

Ty, a senior Kilgore College signee, was named the Denton Record-Chronicle's 2024 All-Area Football Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 2,930 yards and 31 touchdowns and rushing for 453 yards and 12 scores.

Chris Taber now takes the reins of the football program, bringing with him 24 years of coaching experience.

He was formerly head football coach and athletic director at La Vernia High School from 2017-21, leading the Bears to five consecutive playoff berths and an overall record of 31-27 with a regional final appearance in 2018.

Before that, Taber also served in the same roles at Jacksonville High in East Texas from 2012-14.

Now, he'll be tasked with continuing Krum's recent resurgence on the gridiron.

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