Ferris hires former WSU standout Billy Newman as head football coach; Isaiah Lockett takes over at North Central boys basketball | Prep notebook

The Ferris High School football team has suffered through some tough times in the last decade-plus. The Saxons hope they have the right man for the job of rebuilding a once-proud program back into a contender.

The school hired former Washington State University defensive back Billy Newman as head football coach in February, and the new coach recently had a chance to work with holdovers from last year’s 0-10 team during spring practice at ONE Spokane Stadium.

Ferris has won just 11 games over the past six seasons and has just two winning seasons since 2013.

Newman, whose children go to school in the Ferris system, has been involved in coaching in Spokane for many years, serving as an assistant at North Central, East Valley and at Ferris on multiple occasions. He has coached youth sports throughout the community for more than 15 years.

In addition to his coaching experience, Newman contributes to coverage of WSU football as a pregame and postgame radio analyst for the past eight years.

Newman played at WSU under head coach Mike Price, where he was a team captain and defensive leader for the Cougars. He recorded more than 300 career tackles and remains among WSU’s top 10 all-time leaders in tackles.

Following his collegiate career, Newman competed professionally with stints with the Tennessee Titans, NFL Europe, and the Spokane Shock arena league team.

“Football is a tool for growth, discipline, and resilience,” Newman said via release when he was hired. “Our program exists to teach life through football and to develop young people who carry those lessons long after the final whistle.”

North Central tabs Lockett: North Central named Isaiah Lockett head coach of the boys basketball program, replacing former Gonzaga University and NBA player Robert Sacre.

Lockett, a 2018 graduate of NC, played collegiately at Division III Knox College of Galesburg, Illinois.

Sacre took the Wolfpack to state in two of his three seasons, including an upset of No. 1 Auburn on the road in 2024 to reach the final eight before elimination in the fourth-place bracket. He finished his stint with an overall record of 53-22.