Diamond Bar has struggled in the win column. So when the administration went to look for a new coach, they looked at those from winning programs. They also didn’t have to go far.

Kevin Argumosa is the new head Brahma. He comes over after serving as defensive coordinator the last three years at Los Altos, one of the better programs in the San Gabriel Valley. With him comes the veteran Dale Ziola, the coach under whom he worked at Los Altos. So call it two coaches for the price of one.

They’ll reverse roles. Argumosa will be the defensive coordinator and Ziola the offensive coordinator

“It will be great having him there,” Argumosa said. “We’re used to working together and he has a lot of knowledge so it has been a good transition. “Diamond Bar always interested me. We had played against them so I wasn’t unfamiliar with the program.”

The duo will be looking to turn around a program that went 4-6 last year, including a 1-4 record in the Palomares League. The Brahamas last had a winning record in 2013 when they went 7-5 (6-4 in the regular season).

The top returning player is senior wide receiver Shane Wells, one of the top pass catchers in the Inland Valley last year with 66 receptions for 1,105 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was a first team, All-Palomares League and All-Inland Valley selection.

Wells will have a new quarterback throwing to him however as Grant Maestas has graduated. The heir is sophomore Dylan Karanickolas, who quarterbacked the freshman team last year.

They will run the Power-I with some spread formations.

“He has a lot of potential,” Argumosa said. “I’m sure there will be some growing pains moving forward but it is nice to have the potential of having a guy in that position for three years.”

Among the others Argumosa singles out as expected contributors is Jovan Thompson, who like Wells will be asked to play on both sides of the ball at receiver and corner back.

The Brahamas also return two starters on the offensive line which should bode well for the young quarterback. That duo includes seniors Matthew Rodriguez and Matt Reedy.

Other who should contribute big include junior tight end-defensive end Randy McNeil and senior halfback-linebacker Greg So.

The Brahamas make their debut on Friday against Alta Loma, a team to whom they lost to last year 48-28 also in a season opener.

DIAMOND BAR SCHEDULE
Aug. 25 – Alta Loma
Aug. 31 – At Walnut
Sept. 8 – Covina
Sept. 15 – At Brea Olinda
Sept. 22 – San Dimas
Oct. 6 – Bonita
Oct. 12 – At Glendora
Oct. 20 – At Ayala
Oct. 27 – South Hills (At Covina District Stadium)
Nov. 3 – Claremont

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This is only the second year for Diamond Bar football coach Marcus Hughes. But he gets this rivalry thing.

The Brahmas will square off against Walnut on Friday night in the annual “Branding Iron” rivalry game and Diamond bar has won the last four.

“When you have it, you don’t want to be the team and coach that loses it,” he said. “It’s a very fun, friendly rivalry and it’s a game the community looks forward to every season.”

The Brahmas started the season with an impressive 44-13 win over Duarte.

Hughes singled out the performance of senior RB Dimaggio Rico who ran for 146 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries. He also singled out the showing of QB Grant Mestas. The Brahmas had the game in hand so he didn’t have to throw much but he did a good job of managing the game.

Defensively the coach praised sophomore LB Ryan Vargas and junior CB Davion Bluitt.

The Brahmas also won the field possession battle thanks to the effort of kicker Anthony Vargas.

Walnut is having to regroup after losing its opener to Don Lugo 31-0.

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Last year was a learning one for Marcus Hughes, who had just taken the helm of the Diamond Bar football program. It’s hard enough to come into a program new. Try coming in when you’re from another part of the country.

So the New York native comes into this season feeling a whole lot more comfortable.

Last year the Brahmas were also hit with some key injuries late in the season, many of those to skill position players.

“We’re light years ahead of where we were last year,” Hughes says. “Just having a whole off-season has been huge. “The learning curve when you’re from the outside is much steeper than people think.”

Much of the cast that contributed to last year’s 3-7 showing has graduated so this will be a young Brahma squad.

Hughes thinks the strength of this team will be in the offensive line which is led by senior David Omana, a three-year starter who is drawing some looks from smaller Division I colleges. Junior Bryan Kwon has moved from guard to center and will also be counted on heavily.

Junior Grant Mestas is the newcomer at quarterback. He directed the junior varsity team a year ago but did get some playing time on varsity late last season when starter Tyler Peterson was injured.

The entire backfield will be new. Hughes is looking at senior Dimaggio Rico, used primarily as a cornerback and return specialist, to shoulder much of the load.

The wide receiving core is also unproven but Hughes likes the potential. Top players there are sophomore Koby Duru, who is up from the freshman team, and junior J.C. Holmes, up from the junior varsity.

Top athletes on defense should include senior linebacker Connor Donohue, senior lineman Blake Goodman, who has made a transition from fullback, senior defensive end Andrew Gomez and defensive back Christian Kim.

A couple of sophomores are in pivotal positions on defense with Hughes singling out sophomores Ryan Vargas and Wayne Schuster who will be in the linebacking spots with Schuster a converted quarterback.

Hughes has taken over offensive coordinator duties and is changing up the offense. He will be looking to emphasize the run a bit more.

“Last year I took what I had been used to and tried to combine that with what they were used to here and it never really worked,” he said. “We as a coaching staff down and put thought into what was the best fit for our personnel.”

There is also a change defense as J.D. Thompson and Eddie Hernandez will coordinate that side of the ball. Hernandez was on staff last year as a line coach while Thompson is a new addition.

The Brahmas open the season on Friday against Duarte, which is coming off a 2-8 showing in 2014.

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