The Darren Allman era is over at Westlake.

After five seasons, 45 wins, and an appearance in the state title game, Allman announced he will accept an offer to become the new head football coach at Colleyville Heritage High School in the Fort Worth area.

“At first I wasn’t looking for a job,” Allman said. “The athletic director at Colleyville, someone I’ve know for a long time, called me and we talked about the job description, how I’d just be a football coach. I began thinking about my ability to just coach football, instead of being the district athletic director and football coach. It’s not that I was unhappy here, but once I took a look at it and met the people who work there I realized how good it would be for my soul and spirit to be there and just coach football. That’s my true passion and I was presented an opportunity to do more of that. That’s what really led me to my decision.”

Allman, formerly the head coach at Odessa Permian, came to Westlake following the retirement of former head coach Derek Long in 2008. At the time, his $120,000 salary was the highest of any coach in the state. In 2009, his first year, the Chaps went 13-3, losing to Euless Trinity in the State Championship, and in 2012, he took the team to the State Semi-Finals, where they lost on a last second field goal to State runner-up Cedar Hill.

Despite his relative success on the field, there were questions as to whether he was the right man for the job. A 7-5 season in 2013 was seen as a failure by many, and his 0-5 record against Lake Travis certainly didn’t do him any favors either when it came to winning the hearts and minds of the old Westlake faithful, many of whom had sat in the stands during the Ron Schroeder era, when Westlake won every regular season game from 1991-1997.

His departure leaves the current Westlake football team, which had just started spring practice in preparation for the 2014 season, without a head coach. Now in a state of “limbo,” they have suspended practices until a suitable replacement can be found, which is expected to happen by the week of May 5, according to an email sent out to football parents by superintendent Nola Wellman.

“Westlake will be good no matter if I’m here or not,” Allman said. “They’ll get someone in here who is experienced and a good fit, and maybe he will be able to take this program to a level that we were never able to.”