San Dimas promotes Mark Holman to head coach …

San Dimas High School moved fast to replace recently resigned varsity football head coach Bill Zernickow by promoting Mark Holman to the top job on Thursday.

Zernickow resigned on Dec. 1 after a successful 10-year run at the school. Holman served as an assistant on Zernickow’s staff, coaching the offensive line and also being the offensive coordinator although Zernickow called the plays.

“I was a little shocked at first, but I’m real grateful,” Holman said. “This a big job, a big opportunity and I’m excited.”

San Dimas will be Holman’s first head coach job. He has worked on Zernickow’s staffs at both Northview and San Dimas and doesn’t plan to change too much although the Saints’ offensive strategy likely won’t mirror what it was under Zernickow.

Zernickow turned San Dimas into an area power after taking over a troubled program from previous head coach Roland DeAnda in 2005. Zernickow led the Saints to CIF championships in 2009 and 2013.

“I wouldn’t have applied for the job if I didn’t think I could it going,” Holman said of San Dimas’ success. “There’s always going to be pressure. In any big job, there’s going to be pressure but that’s what makes it fun, too.

“At San Dimas, there’s already some good things in place, no doubt. But there’d be pressure to win anywhere.”

Holman is hoping to retain whichever members of last year’s coaching staff wish to remain. With Zernickow having publicly stated that he’s looking to get back into coaching at a higher division, keeping the staff in tact maybe easier said than done for Holman.

“I have my staff pretty much in place, but these guys are my friends and they’re Coach Z’s friends,” Holman said. “I feel like I’m lucky to have a good staff in place, but Coach Z right now, he’s in limbo and we’ll have to see what does and we’ll see where guys go.”