FOOTBALL: Who will be the new head coach at Monrovia and La Salle?

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Im with Goldenarm. Monrovia needs a head coach now, not later. The RHL needs to grow, and make a name for itself, and not be known for just going to the 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs. I want all schools to be competitve. Of course when Monrovia plays T.C. I want us to be Victorious but at the same time, I want the RHL to be like the NBA Western Conference. Theres 6 out of the 8teams that I actually enjoy watching. Im of course a lakers fan, but at the same time Im curious on the outcomes of the other games. thats how I want the rio hondo league to be. I want Blair to get back to right where they left off. I want san marino to be as competitive as they are during league as they are before league

NY
The NY perspective ignites just fine without GA to fire it, but I will take that as a positive.

Thing is, I respect the M-town program and I find no joy in seeing it headless. Hopefully some one has stepped up and is holding things together...maybe they have an "interim" type dude, whether officially appointed or not.
When kickoff nears for the TC/M-town game, my BP rises 200%, eyes bug out and my voice is gone by the 3rd quarter. Some drool may even be visible, but if someone notices it, I could give a SH - -, they should be watching the game, not me.
The rivalry has in the past brought out great things in both schools - and believe me I want a "W" for TC. But,we need to see the RHL build and grow stronger from within...and the Wildcat program is integral in making that happen. In fact, it will happen, as MM reshapes SM, Tip adds to what has already begun, La Canada steps it up this year and Backus stamps his fingerprint on TC fball.

I am betting at this hour, the HC is coming from the internal M-town candidates.
It is by no means "too late" to be effective, but WHY the long wait - Garrison's early notification is not to blame.

Goldenarm,
You sure know how to get me fired up. Can you imagine what the atmosphere on campus must be like? Who is running the off-season program? What are those 15 and 16 year-old players thinking?

Anyway, rumor has it that the selection committee interviewed three finalists late last week. Doing some more legwork reveals a board meeting this Wednesday. That may be the final step in the process before we have a named head coach.

I agree completely that we need to hit the ground running. I know most of the guys that Fil has coached with in the past at Monrovia and they are all excited as well. I'm sure there would be plenty of familiar faces from years past as well as a couple guys from last year's freshmen team who would have homes on Fil's staff.

As far as the Monrovia job - With weeks passing by and no announcement being made, it may be time for someone to step forward and determine IF PROGRESS is being made in the selection process, if the candidate field has narrowed, offers been made, etc.
Just my opinion, but with May nearly upon us - choosing an internal candidate is beginning to sound warranted - because a program re-vamp at this stage would be problematic...meaning new guy, new assistants and possibly new O/D schemes. Whoever gets the call needs to hit the ground running.
I am wondering if the Monrovia admin is able to offer any perks, dangle any carrots or "sell" the job as the extremely promising HC job it could be?

The kids need a head coach now. A request for a formal status report would provide some assurance the selection process is focused, not meandering or at a standstill for reasons unknown. Maybe the Star News could forward such a request??

Philly,
Lujan has been around Monrovia for a long time. He coached me there. At Monrovia he has been: Varsity OL and OC, JV HC, Clifton HC, Head Golf Coach, Clifton Science teacher and now teaches at Canyon, among other things. My point with Azusa was that he was able to coach the bottom team into a winner.

Philly,
Lujan has been around Monrovia for a long time. He coached me there. At Monrovia he has been: Varsity OL and OC, JV HC, Clifton HC, Head Golf Coach, Clifton Science teacher and now teaches at Canyon, among other things. My point with Azusa was that he was able to coach the bottom team into a winner.

I cant believe its mid-april and there hasnt been a coach found for monrovia yet. I know we want to find the right person but at the same time we need someone in their to get spring ball started again. Whoever the person is, they have some big shoes to fill. I know people have been wanting Garrison out for a few years now for play calling differences but you have to look at the mans track record and look at what hes accomplished. Playing under garrison, he can be sometimes someone you dont wanna hear from, but at the same time I think thats what you want in a coach someone that will put a spark in ya. So new york lujan played at Fresno state, and coached at Azuza High. Is he even interested in the position? Honestly I cant see someone from the montview league come to monrovia and keep the wheels rolling in the program, thats just my opinion. But maybe an asst. From some of the really good east san gabriel valley schools. But we should have a coach by now and Im tired of waiting!

Wildcat for life.

I'm not an insider, so I really don't know for sure who is a finalist or not. I've heard Hernandez' name mentioned.

The truth is that there may be some candidate that we have not mentioned who may get the job and leave us all scratching our heads.

NY, I hear you man. You sound very passionate about Monrovia football and want the best for the program. I just hope you are as passionate if Coach A, or the other candidate get the job. When will they make the final decision? Hey you have any idea if Coach Hernandez from La Puente is a finalist for the job as well?

Mike,
Meant to say "I'm not talking about handling pressure."...

Mike,
It's not about handling pressure. Plenty of stockbrokers can handle pressure. It's about understanding the role of the football coach in our town.

Look, I'm sure your guy Coach A. is an up and coming coach and he may even have his eyes set on jumping ship again once Monrovia wins a CIF title.

My preference with Lujan is that he lives in town, is involved with many aspects of our community: teaching at the middle school, teaching at the continuation school, coaching football, starting a youth reading program, starting our golf team, PTA member, etc.

Coach A could pass for Lujan's little brother. They look a bit a like. Fil is taller and bigger. They both started at Fresno State. They both had a bit of NFL. It looks like Jim had more, but I'm sure if NFL Europe had been around earlier then Fil would have done that as well.

Fil has been coaching longer, at Monrovia and elsewhere. Plus Fil is a proven teacher and leader within Monrovia. He has already taken his time off from football, so we know that our program would not be interrupted again.

NY, come on now. "Furthermore, coaching football in a one high school town creates a celebrity status that the Northview guy probably doesn't understand." The Northview guy is a former Division 1 college and NFL QB. I'm sure he could handle the pressure! LOL!

NY, come on now. "Furthermore, coaching football in a one high school town creates a celebrity status that the Northview guy probably doesn't understand." The Northview guy is a former Division 1 college and NFL QB. I'm sure he could handle the pressure! LOL!

NY, come on now. "Furthermore, coaching football in a one high school town creates a celebrity status that the Northview guy probably doesn't understand." The Northview guy is a former Division 1 college and NFL QB. I'm sure he could handle the pressure! LOL!

NY, come on now. "Furthermore, coaching football in a one high school town creates a celebrity status that the Northview guy probably doesn't understand." The Northview guy is a former Division 1 college and NFL QB. I'm sure he could handle the pressure! LOL!

Head Coach by Wednesday

for M-town.

What's the scoop Scott? or should I ask Adam Scheftner from NFL Network. That guy knows trades, cuts, free-agents way before.

Mike,

Lujan is not currently an HC. Thank goodness for that. If he were an HC right now, there is no chance that we could get him. Even though the HC job at Monrovia is Fil's dream job, he would never leave his team this late in the year. That's the type of guy he is. I also question anybody else who would leave for another coaching job this late in the year.

You must have misunderstood my comment and my use of the word "lateral." My reference was meant to say that if the coach from Northview came over, then he would be stepping up in caliber of athlete and community. Monrovia is a small town that has been taking huge strides over the past 25 years. Despite the recent wave of gang violence, Monrovia is still climbing. Furthermore, coaching football in a one high school town creates a celebrity status that the Northview guy probably doesn't understand.

I would be surprised if we don't have a coach named by this Friday.

Hey NY is this Lujan guy a HC coach somewhere? I heard yesterday that he wasn't? I don't know but you seem to know a lot about him. So since you said it was not a lateral move, he must be a head coach. Also, what is the word on the coaching search at Monrovia? Have they narrowed it down yet?

Stang Fan,
I really wish you would use a term other than "cats" in that context, but at least you referred to the east!

Big A,

As much as I'd like to see Muir beat DR by 40, that's definitely not going to happen. And I hope Golper DESTROYS those cats in the east sgv. Like the Huckster said, now NO ONE can hide from each other ANYMORE!!!

Goldenarm,

Golper's collision can be arranged this fall when the Pacific League can play those schools like Charter Oak and Diamond Ranch, etc...

I really hope Muir whoops DR by 40 points.

NY
I read that entry on the Trib site. It is one of MANY referencing or offhandly referring to the "lowball", save your breath - game of football we play over on this side of town.
While respecting some of the programs and all of those kids who participate on teams in the Tribs coverage area - some of the comments focusing on this side of the SGV regularly lack both validity, accuracy or basic constructive value. A simple and current example are several entries regarding Todd "Volper". A premier player regardless of what side of the Valley he calls home, the typo has gone on into several more entries, despite an entry asking correction to Golper. Oh well, universities across the US seem to place his name correctly in their Rolodex. It may be a poor example, but trust me, browse the comments there and behold what you take away...fball over here is for bottom feeders.

The negative comments on M-town are not the first I've read there..as I am sure you are aware NY. It is across the board, with La Salle, PHS, Muir, TC and the Moors all taking hits. Blair, being a positive of late around here, got gored a while back.
My point is the slams are more of a blanket slam - and in that regard, many here already acknowledge our disillusion in remaining competitive as our area teams enter CIF rounds deeper than 1 or 2.
Maybe if we could arrange a mid-field collision with "Volper" - it would silence the BS for a moment.

Some guy on Fred's blog just could not understand why Northview's coach interviewed for the Monrovia job. The NV fan considered it a lateral move...I corrected him.

Fil Lujan (pronounced loo-hon) know's that would not be a lateral trade. That's why Lujan CHOSE Monrovia 16 years ago, not because there was a job opening for a football coach but because he likes the community and wanted to help make it better, and that's what he has done through many channels, including coaching football.

I don't know much about the other coaches under consideration, but I know Fil would lead our program to where many of us know it can and needs to be.

Monrovia would finally play fundamental football. Fil would demand that his players and assistants act as dignified and classy school and community leaders. He would promote his players to colleges (Division I through NAIA) and develop his junior coaches and help place them into better jobs as well.

Then from an X's and O's and technique standpoint: I actually got to play for Lujan. The techniques he taught and the scouting reports he put together were on par with what I had in college. That's probably because he was a starting left tackle at Fresno State and is still good friends with Pat Hill. Makes sense.

Perhaps specific is a more appropriate term, rather than limited. I can see how somebody not on Monrovia's (or LaSalle's) schedule may not be concerned, but there should be at least 10 teams that are very concerned about who Monrovia's next coach will be. If I were a local private school alumnus, I might be concerned that La Salle decides to go big and hires somebody like Bill Redell and throws some resources at him.

I'll put one up soon. I don't think it's limited. Two very attractive jobs are open right now.

Scott,
can we get a new football topic please. This one was kinda limited.

Did Thropay QB the M-town JV team last year?

Lujan would be a great choice! The exodus of probably the best young talent I have ever seen,Frosh QB Josiah Thropay, will be impossible to replace. Thropay is now @ Amat.I believe one of there starting rb's has left due to the shootings. There is still a good core of kids.

Mike,
I won't go into too many details, but trust me when I say that Lujan's credentials are rich. To answer your question more directly, no he is not currently on the Football staff at MHS. However, he was a Varsity OC and OL Coach as well as a JV Head Coach at MHS prior to taking the Head position at Azusa HS and turning them into a league champ. Azusa winning league is impressive because they were probably the least talented team in the Montview.

Highly important is that Lujan would be able to assemble a tremendous staff at all levels. He would devote as much focus to Freshmen development as he would to Varsity. I think he could lead Monrovia to become a highly reputable program, not just a winning season.

LeadBone (HEAD)!
I’m one of Tony Crutchfield’s life long friends and will be till the day we die! I do admire your candor, but your way off the mark call “TC” a cancer? Now, if you called him a “Hamburger with cheese” then you would have had me! I know for a fact, that the kids in our community love “Crutch” and I’m talking about PHS, Marshal and Blair! Let alone he is a John Muir icon! What I do know, Tony is not going to kiss your butt and if you’re full of “doodoo” he’s going to flush you down the toilet. As for “Crutch” and him knowing “X’s and O’s” I can tell you nobody coaching in Pasadena right now is better than him! Period!!!!!!!!! Pasadena is a unique place to coach; I think it would be difficult for any outsider to come in hear and be successful. Now, for the first time in a long time the Pasadena Unified School District hired 3 born and raised Pasadena men coaching at the big schools (PHS Kevin Mills, Muir Ken Howard and Blair Tip Sanders) and all teams had winning records, plus qualifying for the CIF playoff’s. Tell me the last time that has happen! Probably 1983, not sure. These men know the community and the kids trust them, so the participation in these programs will be much better.

Coach Howard Fan,
PHS’s staff suck’s? I don’t think they suck, but I will admit they made an enormous amount of mistakes last year, because we shouldn’t have lost the “Turkey Tussle” and shouldn’t have lost 4 other games. The staff is still growing, learning and headed in the right direction. My brother is stubborn and once he’s clobbered enough times I have full confidence the ship will be right! He’s the ultimate professional and will trust some of the wiser staff members in the near future.

Any word on La Salle?

Northview coach Arellanes
- possible M-town coach?

New York, I hear what you are saying. Is he an assistant there now or have any HC experience?

Mike,
My first choice is actually not an alumnus, but he is deeply invested in Monrovia. Clearly I am not married to the idea of an alumnus.

Leadbone,

I was first going to ask were you a dog but even the would not stoop that low. You must have played at Monrovia in 86 or something. I notices you failed to mention any of the scholarship lineman we had on that team. Oh yea, we did not have any. Thats the reason we lost to Arroyo Grande. The game of football is won and lost in the trenches and our linemen were all sophomores who become good players years later but we were just out matched up front. Get your lies in order next time and know that we at Muir will ride for guy all day every day. Dont get it twisted

Rick Rock got hurt in a passing league in the summer at Village Christian. So thats takes care of one of your lies. Second Crutch never showed and started no practice over and we hit because we were football players and we are suppose to hit. But I will share with you some things he s guilty of.

1. Taking youg at risk man under his wing and teaching them about the world.
2. He saved a lot of us from gangs and drugs and the other social ills that victimize our communtity.
3. He made us belive in ourselves when no one else gave many of us a chance.
4. He made us accountable to our team, our family and ourselves.
5. He pushed us further then we ever thought we could go.
6. He used football as a way to teach us how to be msn. you see many of us did not have fathers and he gave us what we didn't have at home.

I will stop here because I know you get the picture now. Its really a shame though that someone is able to get in this forum and speard false accusations. It is sad but I know the world is filled with hateful and envious people. You picked the wrong Man to lie about. I bet you crutch really could run for mayor of pasadena and would win going away. We need more people like him in this world and our youth would me in much better shape. Find some else to lie about. He is the furthest thing from cancer that could exist. Get a life and get on

I will not even retort any fool that says Crutch is a cancer. You must be a hater, it is very obvoius that you don't know the man. i dare you to find anyone who would dare say a bad thing about him. I was on his teams of the nineties and i have played football on every level and I am proud to say he is be far the best coach i have ever had. He and Ej were coaches of the year in 95 and I think Crutch wa only 25 at the time. By far one of the best man I have ever known. His word stick with me even today. He impacted my life in many ways. He is much mopre then just a football coach. That man teaches life through football. His football record speaks for itself, so i won't even go there. You need to do your homework before you open your moouth about a pasadena legend. He is not just a Muir legend. Ask around idoit, he has touched so many young lives all over the country, have you ?????

leadbone,

Crutch was a cancer? You are off your damn rocker, bro. Apparently you have no clue what the term cancer connotes in the sports world. We have and have had some coaches I would place the "cancer" and/or "garbage" tag to, but Crutch damn sure isn't one of them.

All coaches make mistakes, especially young ones. How old was Crutch when he took over.....25-26. Tony is well-liked and well-respected in Southern California coaching circles, and if he were to EVER comeback I for one would love for him to lead the Stangs once again.

New York, what do you mean? Most coaches do a lot more than just show up on Friday nights. I understand wanting an alumni, but are there any qualified applicants? Do you think this is a high profile job? I think it can be with the right coaching staff in place.

First of all, he is a cancer. If you spent any time around the program at that time, you would know.
He would show up at pratice at 5:00pm and start pratice over from the beginning and pratice the kids til' 7:00 pm. Hitting drills were excessive to the point where Ricky Crockett seperated his sholder before the St. Francis win and did not play in either playoff games.
It's very clear that it's time to move on from that mess of the late 90's. Find someone who is on campus everyday and go from there.

the SGV continues to get slammed on the Trib site. Some of it may be based in fact, but it is getting tiresome.
They praise Paraclete, but seem to forget Monrovia got beat by one point 21-20. (I hope my memory is right on that one) Also, getting talked up is La Puente - who got handed an early playoff exit last year from the "no chance in hell" TC Rams. Smells like elitism...at least their is no daydreaming over here - we know we need to ramp it up.

8 plays? Are we talkin some kind of tie-breaker format or what? Or meaning two 4th quarter possessions?

Leadbone,
I think you addressed me, but I'm not sure.

First, I'm not boys with Crutch, but I do think that he and EJ did well under fire when they took the team over as very young coaches during a very drama-filled 1995. Which coach bailed again? Remember all the drama associated with Mikey transferring in? EJ and Crutch at least stuck it out.

Second, I can certainly appreciate your inability to move past a specific playoff loss to a team from up north. The game that troubles me most is Monrovia vs. Paso Robles in 1998. I think Paso attempted only two passes in the first half: one for a huge loss on a sack, and the other for in INT returned for a TD to end the half. Paso's half-time adjustment was not to pass again. Just line-up essentially in a double-tight Power-I and run down hill.

Ultimately, though, our Paso loss should not solely be based on our defense. I mean, if our offense had just held the ball more and burned more clock then we could have kept it away from Paso as well as rested our defense.

So, just because Arroyo ran only four plays (were those four to each side or just four in total) does not mean that stopping them would be easy. It may be simple, "Just tell the defensive tackles to penetrate and have the linebackers tackle the tailback." Well, it doesn't work that way all the time. I think all the players you mentioned were RB,WR, DB's, right? Any linemen? That's weakness that plagues most track teams, specifically when playing against teams that just line up and run between the tackles. You take a fast team up north where it's cold and wet and the other team is big and strong. If your passing game is not clicking and you go three and out without burning the clock, then you let those big boys get into a rhythm and start wearing down your faster team to a point where they don't look so fast anymore.

Calling Crutch a 'cancer' is more of a personal attack that would suggest poor character and therefore destructive to a team environment. Is that where you are going with this, or are you simply not satisfied with his X's and O's from 1997?

You know what's sad, transfer rules. Coaches can come and go as they please but the athletes must stay. Yes, I know sports are only one aspect of the high school experience and the primary purpose is to receive an education, but coaches remain strong role models to kids.

I hope whoever coaches the La Salle program makes a commitment to the kids. Administration take not you must make a commitment too! Alumni contribute funds based on the school's sports not the arts, music or english department.

Muir is a unique situation. It wood be very difficult to get a teacher in the coaching spot because the district has failed the kids by not educating them in the lower grades. They get to Muir after being socially passed to each preceding grade eventhough they don't read or can't write.For this reason, no reasonable teacher/coach wants to step-up and take the position.
Does anyone remember when "Mr. Brownfield" retired. Muir conducted a search and decieded to hire the current L A Dorsey coach Paul Knox. Knox agreed to take the job but the adminstration would not bring in his staff. Deal Breaker!!!
Knox is still successful at Dorsey every year and competes for the city title.That's how Tony Crutchfield and Eric Johnson eventually got the job. "Crutch" had his shot and would be a cancer all by his self. I just couldn't get past that playoff game at aroyo grande in '97. Crutch being the D-cordinator couldn't stop the four plays they ran. THAT'S RIGHT-FOUR PLAYS FROM THE SINGLE WING. They eventually ran for 403 yards on the ground in that game and only passed twice, both incomeplete.Your "boy" crutch blamed the kids. His lack of knowledge and inability to make adjustments lost that game, not the kids.
That '97 team was very talented, with Sultan Mccullough, LaShaun Ward, and Anthony Kelley all recieved pac-10 schollarships.Crutch had his chance and he failed. Muir and it's allumni deserve better. Much better.
Ken Howard is a great guy and a players coach. His knowledge is somewhat limited, but with the right assistants the 'stangs could actually win a section title in 2008 with the new re-alignment.

Mike,
That's interesting info. I don't know much about either of those guys.
It would take a blatant mismatch in qualifications, though, for me to support somebody who does not have a deeply vested interest in the well-being of the Monrovia community.
In Monrovia, the head football coach is far more than somebody who shows up Friday nights in the fall.

NY
I don't know 1/10th of what you and other M-town faithful know about the Wildcat program, but the traits I listed seem right for the times and the challenge at hand.

I thing MM is likely off the hiring grid, his presence and impact is sure to show soon in the SM program...likely this season. The SGV has not heard the last of that dude.

I hear that 2 former Rosemead coaches applied for the Monrovia job, Hernandez-La Puente and Arellanes-Northview. What are the chances for either one of these guys? They both lead their teams to league titles this past season.

I hear that 2 former Rosemead coaches applied for the job, Hernandez-La Puente and Arellanes-Northview. What are the chances for either one of these guys? They both lead their teams to league titles this past season.

To who's next, Ken Howard is still the head coach at John Muir And will be this up coming season.He will make some changes in his coach staff and cut all the cancer away from his program.I hope he get some help with his defense and the play calling on offense.Be happy P.H.S.staff (SUCKS)and gave last year game away!STANGS4LIFE

La Salle should have a conversation with Ken Drain from Rio Hondo Prep.

I forgot about Mooney in terms of the La Salle situation. I'm not sure if Garrison is interested in the job either, but you have to admit, it's a good gig at a private school where getting players could be a bit easier.

Why wouldn't it be Howard or Crutch?

Anyone know on the status of who plans to be the next football coach at Muir?

"matter" not "mater."

Goldenarm,
You seem to know us pretty well. I really wish there were more transparency with this process. Isn't it a public matter since it is a public school?

Fil Lujan meets and exceeds the characteristics that you described (except the alumnus mater). I hope he gets the job. I know he would assemble a staff comprised of some key alumni as well as other people who are deeply committed to our town.

Scott G,
As far as Garrison at La Salle: I suppose that job would be appealing to a lot of people, especially somebody who loves being around football as much as Coach Garrison. However, I would be shocked if Garrison did not follow through on his family plans right now. That said, assistant coaches have a far smaller time commitment so perhaps Coach G will assist another team (similar to the way DiFiori did with La Salle the past couple years).

I wouldn't be surprised if Coach Mooney had given some thought to the La Salle job (or Monrovia). Both could be appealing under the right circumstances.

How many players have left the Monrovia program?

Not knowing the candidate list, I don't have a clue.

The ideal candidate for Monrovia might be someone rooted in the community, an alumni athlete, who is extremely driven and willing to lay down a long term, disciplned program rooted in fundamentals. The person should have stones, both large and impervious to pain, to allow him the time to instill a program capable of refreshing itself year after year, to the point kids CAN'T WAIT to make the Varsity squad.
IF this person exists and he is supported, Monrovia has no shortage of quality players who need only a good leader to make them cohesive and successful.

My gut tells me they will field a damn good team this year.

????????????????
This is going to better than the X-Games!

Good luck to either Head Coaches and their new staff.

DAWWGER