(May 20, 2026) San Antonio Sports announced that Davenport High School’s JD Zimmerhanzel and John Jay High School’s Gary Gutierrez will serve as head coaches for the 2027 San Antonio Sports All-Star Football Game. The game will showcase top local high school players following the Navy All-American Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2027 in the Alamodome. Zimmerhanzel will coach Team White and Gutierrez will coach Team Blue in the battle between the area’s top seniors.
The San Antonio Sports All-Star Football Game will feature players who are committed to play for some of the top universities in the country as well as players looking for an additional chance to impress college scouts with potential scholarships to offer. One hundred-seven (107) seniors who played in the 2026 game were named all-district and seven were MVPs.
Players from Bexar and seven surrounding counties are nominated by their high school coaches and chosen by a selection committee featuring broadcasters, journalists and former coaches. The 2027 All-Star Football Game rosters will be announced in the fall.
JD Zimmerhanzel is wrapping up his sixth season as the athletic coordinator and head football coach at Davenport High School (Comal ISD). Zimmerhanzel helped open Davenport in 2020 and has successfully built the football program into a state powerhouse. He has led the team to a 44-9 overall record during the past four varsity-eligible seasons. This included three district championships, a state semifinal run in 2023, and a 13-1 regional final appearance in 2025.
Zimmerhanzel has 21 years of experience in both education and coaching and began his career at Smithville High School where he served as the offensive coordinator. He later became the offensive coordinator at Boerne Champion High School leading the Chargers to a state semifinal appearance in 2019. Zimmerhanzel is a graduate of Angelo State University where he played linebacker for the Rams.
Gary Gutierrez is wrapping up his thirteenth season as the athletic coordinator and head football coach at John Jay High School (Northside ISD). In 2025, John Jay finished 9-2 and captured a district championship, marking the third consecutive year the school made the playoffs.
With 26 years of experience in education and coaching, Gutierrez began his career at Calhoun High School in Port Lavaca as the offensive line coach and head powerlifting coach. His coaching journey spans several Texas high schools including Houston Westside, Aldine Macarthur, Seguin, Houston Sharpstown, and Levelland High School where he was athletic coordinator and head football coach before joining John Jay High School in 2012.
Gutierrez was the 14-5A Coach of the Year in 2025. In 2023, he was named NEWS4 San Antonio Coach of the Year and the Mustangs were the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 6A Team of the Year.
Gutierrez is a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University where he played offensive line for the Cowboys. He played in the San Antonio Sports All-Star Football game in 1995 and his son, Jackson, played in the game in 2024.