Bishop Amat: So far, so good, but Hagerty says the Lancers still have a long way to go
"You're asking for measuring sticks and what this and that means to this point. I don't see how you can measure something that isn't finished." -- Bishop Amat coach Steve Hagerty on the Lancers' 7-0 start, and what it means.
By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
There's more than just good old- fashioned tailgating and the fresh taste of kettle corn on Friday nights at Kiefer Stadium. The Valley's proudest football tradition continues on its comeback trail, albeit with cautious optimism. With Bishop Amat 7-0 and off to its best start since beginning 9-0 in 1998, it's a reminder of how far the Lancers have come under second-year coach Steve Hagerty, but also a reminder of how prestigious the Lancers' program once was. To continue, click thread
For instance, seven straight wins is nice, but the Lancers have a long way to go to match their 26-game winning streak from 1992-93, or the 34-game regular-season winning streak from 1992-94.
Just how dominant was Bishop Amat more than a decade ago? Well, consider that from 1985 to 1996 the Lancers won 11 consecutive league titles, and in 1995 won the last of five CIF-SS titles.
That's impressive, considering that when the Lancers open Serra League play Friday at home against Loyola (3-4), they will be chasing their first Serra League title since joining the league in 2002.
In fact, the Lancers have never finished higher than third in the Serra, which is where they finished last year after starting 6-1 but finishing 1-2 in league, which was good enough for a Pac-5 wild-card playoff berth.
Before Hagerty took over, the Lancers were 33-33 since 2002, with just one winning season during that span. In the Hagerty era they're already 14-4 overall and 13-1 in nonleague games, which all means, well, virtually nothing to Hagerty.
The Lancers also are ranked No. 9 in the state by CalPreps and No. 8 in the Pac-5 Division.
"I wish I could give you more to talk about," Hagerty said. "Is being 7-0 scary? Does it add any more pressure? No, I think it's great. It's better than being 6-1 or 5-2. It's better than being 0-7. But it doesn't indicate anything.
"What I can tell you is that our kids are grounded. They're not thinking about winning streaks, they're ready for this week's challenge, which is how they have approached every week. What we have done to this point has no (bearing) on the future."
When Hagerty joined Bishop Amat, he put together a star- studded cast of coaches that included former head coach Mike DiFiori and defensive coordinator Daylon McCutcheon, along with Rodney Sermons, Bill Mulvehill, Wilhans Ili and Ealar Gallagher.
But this Lancers team was supposed to struggle, having lost so many key players from last year's 7-4 team, making you wonder how much of an influence the coaching staff has had on the players' mental approach.
"I wish I could measure that for you," Hagerty said. "That's a hard one. The best indicator I know is that our kids show up to work every day ready to practice, and they listen and do their jobs. I suppose that's as good an indicator as you're going to get."
After losing standouts Jesse Prieto, Sheldon Price, Isaiah Bowens and Brent Seals on defense, the Lancers somehow picked up where they left off, allowing just 17 points a game and holding five of their seven opponents to two touchdowns or less.
"It's not always about the star players," Hagerty said. "Sometimes that's overrated. It's about having 11 guys that are coordinated in their efforts."
Offensively, the Lancers are starting to roll, too.
Quarterback Jerry McClanahan has passed for 672 yards and four touchdowns. But his most impressive stats are his 66 percent completion rate with just one interception.
Running back Jay Anderson is averaging almost 100 yards per game, and electrifying specialist Darian Johnson already has returned four kickoffs for touchdowns to go with two punt returns for TDs.
But again, discipline has been the biggest factor. In the giveaway-takeaway department, the Lancers are at plus nine.
"Anytime you're at plus nine more than you have given it away, that's going to win a lot of games," Hagerty said. "Jerry has kept us in so many games by not being too aggressive. If he had been forcing the issue, we wouldn't be 7-0."
Listening to Hagerty explain it, he feels confident about where the program is headed, but isn't ready to pat himself on the back after running the table in nonleague games.
With only four teams in the Serra, only two are guaranteed a playoff spot, though there is a wild-card berth in the Pac-5, which the Lancers would likely grab with a third-place finish, considering their resume includes wins over St. Bonaventure and Alemany.
And with two of those Serra games at home (Notre Dame in the finale), beating a struggling Cubs team without 6-foot-4, 224- pound running back Anthony Barr, out for the season with a broken ankle, is a must for the Lancers to secure a wild- card berth. It would also remove the pressure of having to win one of the final two games to guarantee a playoff spot.
"Every game is a must win," Hagerty said. "If we go 0-3 and finish 7-3, what are you going to think about our season then? It won't mean much, will it?"
That's Hagerty, who always has a way of explaining things.
"You're asking for measuring sticks and what this and that means to this point," Hagerty said. "I don't see how you can measure something that isn't finished."
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Old Amat, you describe the coaches perfectly.... all are doing great, execpt for our first loss.. they were not too happy about that.. my sons on defense..
What position does your kid play new Amat? How is Koelle doing? I know coach Spoon is from the old school of hard knocks and Coach Marquez is a yeller. Zendola is a cool cat.
tcbruin..
My son happens to be a starter on the Amat Freshman team, and from converstations with him and from what I saw we had no starters out due to grades... at least no one that stood out..
AMAT Dude,
Don't waste your time on the cockroach werd up . Usually he surfaces around this time of year when it starts to get warm and he can out from under his rock. Just another loser who as of late are becoming fewer and fewer.
Were any starters from Amat's frosh team[please NO names] NOT present in yesterday's game due to grade issues?
I have to say that watching the Amat freshman game Thursday was heartbreaking... So many things were certainly not in our favor... In all honesty Loyola has a good team and were ready for us, but if this game was to have actually had FAIRNESS added into this game Amat would of (without a doubt) won this game. Too many UNFAIR calls shut us down.... The Loyola team didnt shut us down bad referees shut us down... It was so heartbreating to watch cause our boys NEVER gave up... No matter how bad the referees were, they just kept on playing harder... Everyone, including Loyola knows that Amat was robbed of a win.. We were clearly the better team, loyola was good, but Amat was and is a better and stronger team... GO Lancers!!!
Well said.
When we put the focus on officials and how they call the game it deflects the responsibility from the team for the things they may have done to offset that. Loyola did score 42 pts. We may have been able to do something along the way to stop a couple of those scores.
Officials are bad on Sundays, worse on Saturdays, inept at times on Friday so by the time we get to Thursday afternoon at the freshman level we are not exactly seeing the cream of the crop. Take care of business and lets not leave it in their hands.
Go get 'em next week. Crespi's frosh beat ND Sherman Oaks in a battle of unbeatens... so we need to focus the rest of the way.
L.Z. - I was also at the Frosh game. As much as I hate to see bad officiating I believe that the players must take that factor out of the game by leaving no room for "Zebra Error". We miscued on several occassions, interception, bad punt snap, missed tackles, overthrown passes and dropped passes which resulted in at least 14 points for Loyola (we lost by 9). I don't mind the passing so much because I think it shows that we can do it (we just need to practice it more). Defensively we were definately not the same team. Yes we are a run team but we didn't look like the same run team on Thursday either. Something just wasn't there. Ultimately we must also credit the Loyola players and coaching staff, they came preparted and ready to play! I think we may have been feeling alittle invinceable due to our record. I hope that's over. I also hope the team learned alot from this game. Although all was not lost, there were some positives to take away mainly...we never quit! And we probably could have come back and won that game. As I've heard said, "we didn't lose the game, we just ran out of time!" Stay strong Amat Freshmen Squad and use this as a rallying point for the next two games. BE READY VARSITY BECAUSE LOYOLA IS COMING TO PLAY AND THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT OUR 7-0 RECORD!!! On Blue and Lets Go Big Blue Machine!!!!
Unfortunately, our frosh team suffered their first defeat of the season 41-32. We didn't lose to the better team, we lost because the Refs blew the game. All the calls were conveniently in Loyola's favor including 1 TD catch called back killing our momentum, face masking non-calls and several blatant pass interference non-calls. You can't help wonder if these Zebras had relatives on the Loyola sidelines. Add Zebra incompetent officiating with bad tackling and you have a disaster on your hands.
To the young Amat Frosh coaches, we are a talented laden run oriented team with a big O line to boot. Why did we pass 20 times? We don't even pass that much during practice. Our poor and lack of fundamental tackling today surely reflects our non existent full tackling drills during practice. These weaknesses will be exposed against superior teams. We should be hitting everyday during practice.
Our boys need to learn to make basic and fundamental tackles.
Keep it simple and keep the ground running game, it is our staple.
Go Lancers!
Werd up who is your team? Ganesha, Bassett, Keppel, Covina? That's what I thought, now go and crawl back into that black hole of yours and keep that trap shut and let the big boys represent.
amat loses in playoffs like every year. they suck. werd up
smallcitymc,
The class of 2012[this season's soph class] is the 1st class for Hag's.
Most, if not all, started the enrollment process at Amat PRIOR to Hag's be hired as HC.
So in another POV, the class of 2013[this season's frosh class] is the 1st to come aboard knowing Hag's is the HC PRIOR to beginning the enrollment process at Amat.
I think the overriding factor here is the coaching staff that Hagerty has surrounded himself with as opposed to what Verti had. Also, I know this junior class came in when Hagerty came in, but as been mentioned, the damage was done. Prospective players looked at what HAD happened to the program under Verti and staff instead of what COULD happen with the program under Hagerty and staff.
I don't know Verti personally, but from what I have been told he is a good man and his intentions were always good. Maybe as has been mentioned it just wasn't his time to be a HC.
explain please ,
That's not really what I was saying - although that could be true if it's the right coach. If it's the wrong coach - they could do worse... as we've seen.
What I tried to say is the "wrong" coach loses players. Some leave the program for other sports, other schools, AND most important (especially in a private school) some never enroll. THOSE are the ones that hurt you long term... and THAT'S what shows up a few years later.
Was I better that time?
Explain please.
What it means is that the talent has always been there but the coaching and a good system were not in place. Hags inherited these players and took them into a big game vs Poly and almost pulled the upset. He upset Oluth that year. Had no change been made and Verti is still coaching this never happens. Then the big upset of St. Bonnies this year, what more can you say. This man can flat out coach. No disrespect to Coach Verti but there is a big differance over at Amat now that Hagerty is there. Paraclete was a loser and he turned them around. It does not matter if you can get a little talent to work with and you are a good coach, all you are going to see is a upswing in wins. If you already had the talent like Amat does, and get a new coach that can coach your are going to win at a faster pace. Hagerty would have done wonders with the 2005-2006 team and the 2007-2008 team. Those teams had more talent then these last two teams Hagerty and Amat have won with.
That doesn't make sense Joe.
You are saying that the players a new coach inherits do better than those that have been in the program for 3 years. And you're saying that's normal. Doesn't seem to make sense.
We know now that Hagerty was very successful at Parclete and Citrus Hill and now at Amat. But why did he fail at Riverside Poly? What was that bump in the road?
We know now that Hagerty was very successful at Parclete and Citrus Hill and now at Amat. But why did he fail at Riverside Poly? What was that bump in the road?
Just put it this way had Hagerty been there as the choice with no Verti this program is even rolling stronger then what it is right now. Mark Verti bless his heart is a good stand up guy, but he was not ready to take on that responsibility of Head Coach. The coaches were there for him Sermons, McCutchen, but when he had Adamek and Koelle as his main two guys I knew we were in trouble. Hagerty on the other hand had the experience and brought experience back to Amat with Difiori and Gallager. Mark Verti chose his buddies and that backfired. That Freshman team of 2004 went undefeated, I think they may have had a tie. Nonetheless that team had talent, with the right coaching those two years that Verti coached given Hagerty and that group of players, no way does Amat fall on its face and not make the playoffs. I think the school learned a good lesson and it is water under the bridge now, we have Hagerty and all is fine in Lancertown now. Beat the Cubs!
I think the future of Amat looks bright. There are some underclassmen that are going to step up and make an impact on next years squad. We got some good looking freshmen players and there are a few on the JV squad that are ready to step up and contribute. The word is also out that there are some local Pop Warner and JA kids now talking about the program. Go Lancers!
Ok, who is REALLY in charge over in the admin at Amat?
Joey...would Hags have been able to assemble the staff he did without the Verti years? One thing I really remmebr about this early days was how many Amat bloggers complained about Verti now using last years class who were actually Soph at the time.
I mean it worked out for Mc Bride, before his injury, and Wells who got "his" from Villanova.
Joey can you assemble all the names on that team...and wasn't DR's Brandon Sermons also part of that Freshmen class?
I also talked to Verti's dad and he said his son is the OC at Upland so I guess goood things happen to good people...amd Mark is "good people" from when we spoke.
MANZO is a want-a-be politician with NO say in ANYTHING at Amat.
He is the last piece that needs to change before Amat can return to where it once was!
He's only Nieto's puppet and yes man!!
go to ...... www.firemikemanzo.com
Wonder how's he doing financially now that Big O Herrera is not there to pay his car payment!!!
LOL
Does that mean Manzo had NO say in the next head coach decision?
If so, what DOES Manzo have a say in?
smallcitymc & tcbruin,
Prior to Coach DiFiori stepping down as head coach it was pretty common knowledge that Verti would be the next head coach. For some time during that final year, Coach D would allow Verti more and more responsibility and decision making to groom/prepare him to take over.
When Mike had told MSGr it would be his last season, MSGr felt Mark had "potential" as a Head Coach (which he might) and didn't want to lose him by naming another coach. Others tried to sway MSGr, but anyone who has tried that knows it is fruitless. So he gambled... and set us back a ton. So it was "technically" never really open for others to seriously apply.
smallcity - you make a good observation about overall depth and the talent gap in certain classes. We have some quality guys but not an outrageous number of them. And THAT is what separates Amat from others... depth. That's why we're so good on special teams. Depth. Those "down years" usually show up a couple years later. Next year, a bunch of guys will have to step up and youngsters will need to contribute to keep things going.
Amat saw the same thing in basketball after the three Walker years. OK coach, but for various reasons kids/boosters didn't like him so much and they lost players - and some didn't come. Two good years followed his departure with upperclassmen who came before his short tenure - but in the third year it reared it's ugly head. Unfortunately we lost a great coach and Amat has yet to recover under the present knucklehead. Just not enough alumni invested in that program to raise a big enough stink - but the reality is they're far worse off than Verti's program ever was.
But that's another story for another day. Let's just keep this football roll going.
I suppose Joe Amat would have the answer to that.
I agree they are building a great team, but I have to tell you, the junior class as a whole does not look that strong. I think this had to do with the Verti years. In that those that would have been at Amat saw the program on the decline and decided to go elsewhere. It's just my opinion. Yes, I know about Jay and few others. On the flip side, look at what Hags and crew have done with a team that was projected to be mediocre at best.
Does anyone know IF Hags even APPLIED for the Amat HC job when it was open after Difiori left Amat?
Hags is the real deal. The job is far from being completed. As a matter of fact, the job is NEVER done, it's always a work in progress, ever changing with time as new players fill in for those who have left.
It takes a great coach with a great staff to put all those pieces to the puzzle together and make them work as one from week to week. Kind of makes me wonder what stage the program would have been at if Hags had taken the helm 4 years ago. We wouldn't have had to go thru a rebuilding stage which I think we are still in the process of but gaining by leaps and bounds measuring in weeks instead of months or years.
I always said, it's the coaching that makes a TEAM great. Look at how many fantastic players we had that were never able to put it together as a unit 2 and 3 years ago.
Wow, what could have been.
The hiring of Coach Hagerty was the best thing Amat did after the debacle of Verti and pals running a top notch program into the dirt for a couple of years (man did those two years hurt with the talent Amat had). The coaching staff Hagerty assembled who collectively bought into his style and direction has worked 10 fold. One coach that stays in the background but I watch as he is upstairs is coach DiFiori who is calling brilliant games as a Defensive Coordinator. Coach D is reading the other teams offense and is matching x and o's from the defensive side of the ball beautifully (nice job Coach D). The Amat tradition has been restored by this Head coach and staff. To the parents of Jr. All American / Pop Warner youngsters out there that are considering playing football in HS, This is a staff you may want to consider playing for (it will enhance your kids play as he grows into a bonifide football player from Freshman to Senior). Of course it will not be long until other High Schools start to inquire about hiring some of this coaching staff as Head coaches.
I am rooting for Amat! SGV football has taken a real hit against the OC teams with very limited success dating back to when LA beat OLU for the D6 title in '03. Amat is the best hope we have for getting some "cred" back here between the Puente Hills and the Foothills.
Go Lancers!
Hey you guys, nice write-up on hags
( well deserved )
keep it going!!
KCAL 9 Ranking,
What does channel 9 know about high school football??? No way Oaks should be the number 1 team. Crenshaw is the legitimate number 1 team and they are part of the city section! This is who I believe should be 1-10 of the teams they included.
1. Crenshaw (7-0) Locke
2. Edison (7-0) Los Alamitos
3. Oaks Christian (7-0) Oak Park
4. Mission Viejo (7-0) Aliso Niguel
5. Bishop Amat (7-0) Loyola
6. Moorpark (7-0) Thousand Oaks
7. Servite (6-1) Santa Margarita
8. Lakewood (7-1) Millikan
9. Serra (Gardena) (7-0) St. Bernard
10.St. Bonaventure (6-1) Ventura
High School Football
KCAL.COM/Preps Rankings (Oct. 26)
Rank Team Record Opponent
1. Oaks Christian (7-0) Oak Park
2. Edison (7-0) Los Alamitos
3 Bishop Amat (7-0) Loyola
4. Crenshaw (7-0) Locke
5. Moorpark (7-0) Thousand Oaks
6 . Serra (Gardena) (7-0) St. Bernard
7. Mission Viejo (7-0) Aliso Niguel
8. St. Bonaventure (6-1) Ventura
9. Lakewood (7-1) Millikan
10. Servite (6-1) Santa Margarita
Others Receiving Votes: Westlake, Notre Dame, Citrus Hill
"You're asking for measuring sticks and what this and that means to this point," Hagerty said. "I don't see how you can measure something that isn't finished."
This is the best comment in this article and is that not the truth. Hagerty has impressed me as a coach who may not have very many top names but he wins by preparation of game planning, making his players believers in themselfs and the way his system for winning works. Hagerty and staff I believe break down their opponents film, finding their weakness and exploiting it to the fullest. Hagerty is hands down Coach of the Year in the SGV no matter what Amat does in league.
He knows they are not finished and could easily tank in League, but this coach is too good to let that happen, Amat will make it to the CIF, and to the non believers, dont be too shocked and jealous when Amat becomes League Champions, yes this coach and staff are that good. It starts with Loyola on Friday. I am betting on the Lancers,Steve Hagerty and staff to finish on top of the Serra. The Lancers will close the Show.
Hagerty is a great interview. Can't help but like his outlook on things football and his overall views regarding where Bishop Amat is and where they intend to be.
Would be nice to have a round table discussion with Gano, Hagerty, Farrar, Bogan, Pasquerella, Podley and Layton.
Maybe the blog could get a feel for what goes into coaching athletes these days, how they view parents today, the dynamics of shrinking budgets and the inferno that is the blog.
Maybe it would go a long way towards giving every one a better perspective of these men and the work they put into molding our sons.
What do you say Fred? Possible.. you could moderate the discussion....I'd put it on at an auditorium at APU but I'd rather take baby steps if a Pizza Party was impossible!!!! LOL
Between 1985 and 1996, the Lancer football team (don't quote me on this because it is an approximation) won 129 or 130 games and lost 21. They won 2 Cif titles (1992, 1995), and made two more CiF championship appearances (1988, 1994). LA times called them the team of that decade and the 1990 team was called by some the best team in Cif that season, but lost in the second round. They were ranked #1 in the nation in 1994 before losing in the championship game to Mater Dei. Good luck Coach Hagerty and the Amat Staff, we know you have the ability to put those numbers up again! God bless!
This article is exactly why Coach Hagerty is giving the Amat faithfull so much hope. He's keeping the men focused.
He also knows that it doesn't mean anything if you can't perform in leauge and in the playoffs.
It's not about playing in the Pac5 it's about winning it!!!
Go Amat!!!
Can't wait,
Is it friday night yet?
ON BLUE!!!