EP#27-How Coach LD Matthews Built A Consistent High School Football Power

You can hear it in Coach LD Matthews’ voice: high school football isn’t just a sport to him, it’s a community engine. We talk about how a kid from rural Montana grows up on Friday night lights, survives a winding college football journey full of injuries, and eventually lands in the Coachella Valley to coach and teach. What starts as a leap with no job lined up turns into two decades of lessons on leadership, toughness, and showing up for people when it’s hard.

We get into what it really takes to build a winning program at Rancho Mirage High School when you’re starting from zero: no traditions, no alumni base, and the daily grind of earning trust. Coach Matthews breaks down the years that led to playoff runs and a CIF championship game appearance, plus the story every local football fan needs to hear, an eight-overtime marathon that tested hydration, focus, and belief. Along the way, we dig into the mentors and community members who shaped him, and why gratitude is a competitive advantage.

If you’re a coach, parent, or athlete, the practical takeaways hit fast: consistency comes from staff alignment, clear standards, and a life-after-football mission. Coach Matthews shares his “E + R = O” approach to adversity, explains how his shotgun and midline identity forces defenses into conflict, and gives an honest look at discipline, competitive equity, playoff algorithms, and scheduling strategy in today’s data-driven high school football landscape. We also shout out the Rancho Mirage football golf tournament fundraiser and how to support the program at rmhs.psusd.us/football.

Subscribe for more Coachella Valley football conversations, share this with a coach who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway from Coach Matthews’ mindset.

RMHS Football Golf Fundraiser Info:

https://rmhs.psusd.us/athletics/sport-by-sport/football/football-fundraising

Transcript

Welcome And Meet Coach Matthews

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Welcome back, everybody, to Desert Valley Lit. On today's Coach's Corner, we got one of the brightest football minds here in the Coachella Valley, the head coach of the Rancho Mirage Rattlers, Mr. LD Matthews. Thank you for coming in, coach. Welcome, coach.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

Thanks for thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_00 0:43

We've been wanting to have you in here a long time. You're a big part of the community, and we're we're glad to talk to you.

SPEAKER_01 0:48

Well, thanks.

SPEAKER_02 0:49

And I I know a little bit how you got started, but I I know you're from back east. Like, how did you get in this crazy game of coaching? Like, where did it start?

Montana Roots And Friday Night Lights

SPEAKER_01 0:57

Well, it started, my passion started growing up in a little rural community in northeastern Montana. Um, less than 2,000 people. Wow. Um, I'm a son of a farmer and a rancher, and Friday night lights was everything in our community. I mean, that the town would shut down and and everybody was at the game, and I love that. It just was an opportunity to um, you know, play football and basketball, really track and field all the sports we played, uh, and and play with your best friends, and uh the community just came together. And my head coach growing up was just uh a super motivated guy. He could just he could get you to run through a wall, and being a part of his program really, really made me want to be a coach someday. And uh, you know, my father had a lot to do with that as well. Um, he's a farmer rancher. I didn't realize how hard of work that was, and um a lot of six in the morning and eight at night on the ranch, and I said, well, maybe I want to do something else with my life, you know. And so um, you know, that's just kind of how it started. And and you know, went to high school, we had some fairly successful teams, um, played in a couple state championship football games, a couple basketball games, and went on and played college football and just fell in love with just the team and being a part of it. And you know, Friday night lights, just you guys know, it's you don't get those feelings very often in your life. I mean, you know, when you get married, graduate college, um, get a new job, you know, birth of a child. Um those Friday night lights bring back those memories, and so you know, we all have to hang up those cleats at one point in our lives. We're not gonna be able to play forever. And so being able to still be part of the game and and you know, impact lives, that's that's really what matters.

SPEAKER_02 2:56

Yeah, I love that. Yeah, that's my favorite part, is right before the game starts. I mean, there's no better feeling. Like you got the two schools lining up, they're warming up, we don't know what's gonna happen. I just I just love it. So I can relate to that.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

Yeah, the national anthem plays and right before they kickoff, here we go. 100%. Yeah.

Injuries College Football And A Move West

SPEAKER_00 3:15

Well, you mentioned you played in Montana, so we're in California. So so how did how did that journey kind of start? And how did you end up here in in the Coachella Valley? You've been here, I know you've been here, you've been a staple of this community for a long time. So kind of you walk us through that journey.

SPEAKER_01 3:29

So um I graduated in 1999 from Malta High School and uh went on and played. I never was the best athlete, but I I worked my tail off and um was very coachable. And I played at Rocky Mountain College, got a scholarship at a little NAI school. Actually uh broke my arm, got a medical red shirt. Um, we had a coaching change, ended up moving out to Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, okay, California. Played there for a semester, and uh then ended up getting a full ride scholarship to D2 school in uh South East Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. Played there for a year and a half, and I actually tore out both my knees.

SPEAKER_00 4:12

And uh you've been through it, man, with the injuries.

Desert Hot Springs Head Coach Break

SPEAKER_01 4:15

Just went back, moved back home to a little school, Montana State University, Northern NAIA school, about 60 miles or 90 miles east of my hometown. Uh finished up my uh playing years there and was a graduate assistant there for a year and a half and um just got kind of tired of the cold weather. And uh my sister and brother-in-law were both teachers for Palm Springs Unified School District. And so one March I moved I uh flew out for spring break. I think I left the airport. It was like negative 10 in March and flew into Palm Springs, and it was like 77 degrees out and sunny. That's a good month, and I was just like, What am I doing in Montana? And they they kind of encouraged me to come down here. So um really went back home after spring break and told everybody there that I was moving to California. I didn't I didn't have a job. I mean, I was gonna be a full-time sub and try to pick up a coaching position, and kind of that's what happened. So um came down in the summer of 2005 and went to a couple interviews and uh got a job at uh Edward L. Winsloff Elementary as a PE teacher, and then started coaching high school football at Desert Hot Springs High School. So that's kind of how I got down here.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

Desert Hot Springs, huh? Yep. And ultimately you started, you you took over that program a couple years later, correct?

Building Rancho Mirage From Scratch

SPEAKER_01 5:40

Yeah, I was there um for a year with uh Craig Cheslick and then uh uh Kevin Hennessy came and then uh the the budgets uh cuts of 2008 came and people were getting cut left and right, and um actually I had some more seniority than than him, and I ended up ended up the they took so long to get everybody's jobs back or decide. Um we were already two weeks in to fall camp and like do you want to be the head coach? I was like, Well, somebody's gotta be. So I didn't really even interview for my first head position. And so and and it was a great experience at Desert Hot Springs High School. I there's some some great kids I coached, um great student athletes, um overcome over overcome, I mean a lot of things in their lives that just people can't even imagine. Yeah, and we've had had some good success there. Um and you know, I I was always kind of raised. I was I didn't I don't want to be a transient coach, you know. I was never I thought when I got my first head job, I'm gonna I'm gonna live there and die there and and be there forever and and just the opportunity I watched Shadow Hills open, Oak Kills, all these other high schools open up brand new, and and I just what an opportunity to have a chance to open a school from from ground up, yeah, from bottom with nothing. I mean, and uh so it was it was really it was really tough to leave Desert Hot Springs because especially with a group of kids I had coming back, um they they were very special to me, but um I just I it was always one of my goals, you know. I talk to the kids all the time about writing goals, putting them on paper, and and once an opportunity comes, you you gotta you gotta seize it. And it was always one of my goals to open a high school, and so um, you know, I got that opportunity. I was very blessed to to be in that position.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

2016 is when you guys played your first season, correct?

SPEAKER_01 7:45

2013 we opened the school. It was kind of interesting because I was still teaching at Desert Hot Springs, and and we had spring football in in April of 2013, and we had kids from all over coming from Palm Springs, Cat City, Palm Desert, DHS. I mean, you know, it's very interesting because ever they're coming from another school, and there must be a reason they're coming. You never been and no nobody knows why, but um just trying to bring a bunch of kids from all of the over the you know, really the valley uh to have practice and to, you know, put in put in our you know philosophies and our systems and all that when they're not even on campus yet was was a huge challenge. But you know, I I feel very blessed. Um Dr. Wagner, Ken Wegen, and and Chris Caldwell, Mr. Caldwood gave me an opportunity to and try. I mean, I didn't I when I interviewed for the position, I I didn't think I was gonna even get it because Mr. Caldwood coming from Palm Springs, there's so many long lines of people that that could have been in that situation, but they took a chance on me and and I'm forever grateful because it's it's really my dream job, what I'm doing right now. It's what it's what I've always wanted to do.

SPEAKER_00 8:58

Yeah, they took a gamble. I mean, you only had one year of varsity experience, but it paid out. I mean, that here we are, you know, 13 years later. And you're still the you're still the head guy, and we're running one of the most consistent programs in the valley, I think.

SPEAKER_02 9:11

You had more than one varsity year at DHS, right?

SPEAKER_01 9:14

Yeah, I was there for eight years at DHS and four years, four years as the head coach there. So um yeah, I this is my it's funny because it's like 21 years already. It's like I remember starting, you know, when all the OG coaches were here with with I mean Fabian and Murphy, yeah, Armstrong and Blackburn and just some of the greats that have been around, they're all retired now and and all you know, a lot of turnover at schools and and uh you know I know everybody's looking for an opportunity, but I mean I my home is where it's at. And I I mean, unless my wife tells us we need to go to warmer weather, which I don't think there is gonna be any. Yeah, I don't think so. You know, it's just it's it's uh it's something special because you've built it from from ground zero and you know, everything you've put into it, it's it is what it is, you know. You know, it's kind of different than going to a program that's maybe established or that has stuff set in. I mean, we didn't we had no uniforms, we had no weight room, no traditions, we had no tradition. I mean, one of the things we even struggle right now with today is just, I mean, I know you're a Laquinta guy and you're an Indio guy. I mean, we don't have any alumni. I mean, we're still we're only 13 years old, and you know, I'm I'm hopeful that that I can coach a player's kid of mine, you know. That's always been, you know, so I can say, hey, your dad used to do this, don't don't listen to what he's saying. Listen to what I'm saying, you know, but just the alumni, the the you know, we we haven't been around very long, you know, and shadows a little bit, they're they're they're in the silver role, and even Xavier. I mean, so um it's just one of those things that you know having a history, you know, we're you know, each day we're building that history, but it's just still young, still young.

SPEAKER_02 11:04

I didn't I didn't think about that.

SPEAKER_00 11:06

Yeah, no alum to pull and ask for you know booster club money and a lot of passion in those older, you know, parents and yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:13

100%. Well, you got you just got history at schools. I mean parents and uh grandparents and great grandparents have you know bled a certain color for their whole life, and it's it's sometimes hard, you know. And even in our city, I mean Rancho Mirage, great city, but we don't we have a lot of retirement people, so we're you know, we we helped uh balance some some population with with schools within our district, and we're pulling from Cat City, DHS, Thousand Palms, a little bit of Palm Desert, and and whoever else wants to come with that open enrollment. So um, you know, and the fact we you know we really don't have a feeder program. I mean, there's you know, there's the there's groups around us, but um you know it's it's just a different situation. So but you know, it's it's been a blessing and and I just you know 15 16 more years, hopefully, in me and uh can retire.

SPEAKER_02 12:13

But um coach some of the kids that you yes second generation battlers coming through. That'd be cool.

Early Playoff Run And CIF Final

SPEAKER_01 12:19

That would be cool, and and uh it's always been a gold mine, you know. And part of that growing up in my little community watching we didn't have a lot of high school coaches. I mean, the coaches stayed for 25-30 years, and so um you when you stay that long, you and especially in a one school city, you you're gonna you're gonna see some generations come through. And so we're looking forward to that. And it just it's just time. You gotta have time to be able to do that. It's coming. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:50

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SPEAKER_01 13:22

Well, you know, it's it's yeah, I mean, we, you know, when we we we did things right, not going into the DL right away. Um it it really helped us stand in the in the Deanza Um to start things off. And you know, when you open a school and you you take your lumps, the first varsity season we were one and nine. You know, there's lots of motivation. Um you got people around the valley calling you in elementary school and um saying you're not you don't belong. And so there's motivation built in. And so there's you don't have a graduating class, you know, you have juniors that are playing. And so um and in our first varsity season, we had a lot of freshmen that were starting varsity and several sophomores. So um, you know, we figured we'd have a good chance, but you know, you mean you just never know with this game. I mean, you it's a lot of momentum, um, got to stay healthy. And so uh 2015 was our first uh playoff berth. We uh finished second in the league, and then 2016 we were 11-3 and uh won our first league championship and went to the CI finals, lost to Arroyo in overtime. They went for two and and beat us right at the end. But that group of that group of seniors is just remarkable. I mean, they were they were freshmen, they were ground groundbreakers, they just everything was harder, you know. Um when we opened the school, they're just we didn't have all our stuff even put together yet, the weight room, and and those kids were just tough. They just they just went with it and they just um and they overachieved and and worked really hard. So always be a special group of of guys that first uh graduating class and even in the first uh you know CIF championship appearance that we had, so only one so far. You know, it's it's it's tough, man. I mean, get get into a championship game is just you have to have everything go right. And um, you know, especially in this valley, we play each other and you just beat the crap out of each other. And if you can survive injuries, and it's just tough sometimes. Um, but you know, I truly believe the strength of our league, um, especially the especially if you if you finish second or third or even fourth, you're not gonna be necessarily in the higher division. You have a really good chance of making a run. Yeah. And and we've seen that over the last several years with some of the teams.

The Eight Overtime Classic

SPEAKER_02 15:50

So but I really thought Shadow Hill was gonna they had a good seed this year. I thought I thought they had a good chance. So like you said, third, fourth place finish is pretty good. Especially with the new, you know, the new playoff system. Uh do you still have that record of like the biggest overtime? How many overtimes was that?

SPEAKER_01 16:11

Yeah, we played uh record I remember. Yeah, it was back in uh check this out 2000 um I want to say 11, maybe. Yeah, DHS. Yeah, we played Big Bear and it went into eight overtimes.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

And uh run out of plays and it's an overtime, right?

SPEAKER_01 16:28

Yeah, Coach Griffith from Big Bear, he's such a great guy, man. I I have a lot of respect for him. We ended up losing the game. I I can't, I think it was 56 to 50 or something like that, but um the the game ended at like 1127. It's it's a California I don't know, it could have been broke. I haven't looked, but it was at the time it was a record. Yeah, it was a state record in California, and it was fourth nationally.

SPEAKER_02 16:51

Um, but it just was Can you imagine that eight overtimes yeah?

SPEAKER_01 16:56

Well, and the thing about it Big Bear, I mean, they're from the mountain and they come down. We played them, it was it was early on, it was a hot day, hot evening, just normal for us in the desert. But I mean, we everybody ran out of water a couple times that game. I mean, they had to refill the jugs, guys were cramping up, and the game was won three or four different times. Uh it could have been on a fumble on this overtime or a drop two-point conversion. It just it just never ended, and uh, I mean it finally did, but it it's probably one of the most memorable games. You know, you always want to win no matter what, but just just ever although every every kid on that field just played their heart out that night. Nobody nobody wanted to lose, but um, you know, unfortunately we did, but it was just a great game, great atmosphere.

SPEAKER_02 17:41

And um coach, you gotta be really locked in.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

I mean, eight overtimes, I mean well, you just you don't script plays for that long of a game, and so you're kind of you know, and it's funny because you know, the the refs were getting tired. I mean, I remember I won't say who they were, but uh, he's a good I like he's a good guy, and he's a good ref. And I was like, hey man, they're taking forever. He's like, I'm giving you you guys all 40 seconds, man. This it was just getting exhaust everybody's exhausted. So but it was one of those games that you just you never think you'll play in, and you just it just keeps going and going and going. But it was it was a great memory, and and uh I remember that.

SPEAKER_02 18:20

I just I think about that sometimes. I don't know why, but eight overtimes. That's crazy. It's like a whole nother game.

SPEAKER_00 18:26

You don't think it's possible, but it's possible. So I mean at some point somebody somebody could be one coach be like, all right, just let them score. Yeah. I'm trying to get on the bus and go home. This is too much, you know. But we could do a whole podcast on probably your breakdown of that game. That'd be kind of good.

Mentors Gratitude And The Support Team

SPEAKER_01 18:40

It was you know what we didn't after the game, there was uh there was not a lot of I mean, we could have won the game. We and we lost. And we, you know, the kids were just so exhausted and that we just we just talked about how good good of an effort they put in. And just, you know, you we got extra time, you know. You played, we got stronger and um because you you played longer and it helped us for the rest of the season, but um you just you can't prepare for the stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 19:10

Um, coach, so we never we all we don't get to the places we're at without some help throughout our careers. Who are some of your guys that you look back to as kind of mentors and people that kind of helped you along the way um to get to the position that you're at?

SPEAKER_01 19:25

There's so many. I mean, it's hard to to bring them all up, but my my father, first of all, I mean, his ability to work hard, he never graduated high. I mean, he graduated high school, he didn't go much, he was working on the farm. Um, my high school football, Scott King. Um, I had some college college coaches, um, Ryan Gatch, uh Jumbo Wells, guys that um uh I was an assistant under, and you know, um just uh Chris Caldwood, our athletic director, former athletic director. I learned so much stuff from that man um on how to run a program, you know, just uh trying to do things the right way. Uh the right way isn't always the easy way. Um, you know, trying to really teach kids on how to be productive human beings, because at some point you're gonna be done playing the game of football. And um, you know, with the social media world we live in and and the gotcha now, and just the the things that kids are exposed to now that quite frankly, growing up, we didn't have cell phones, we didn't have all um some of this technology or distractions. But um, you know, Dr. Wagner, our first principal at Rancho Mirage, I mean, those guys were were all coaches. Um they really they really shaped shaped me into, you know, you think you know a lot until you you talk to people that do. And uh so I've been I've been, you know, Scott Saban, he's a soccer coach at DHS. Uh we used to talk a lot. He's won eight or nine league championships. He's a guy from uh Wyoming that really looked up to early on in my career at DHS and had a lot of conversations about kids and how to do practice and how to function. Um so two guys that have really impacted me over the last four or five years. Um, Dr. Jerry Argovitz, who's bought the naming rights to our stadium, uh, was an NFL agent uh for many years, a dentist. Uh he's really helped mold me into the coach I am. Uh another guy, Barry Golden, who works with our Jazzy, our our uh leadership program on campus. Um, those guys just have uh they've been very successful in their lives, um, and they've really come back and given back to to our to our school and to our community. And you just you can't you can't put a value You want experience and prior knowledge, and you know, when something comes up, whatever the situation is, you you have guys you can go to and talk to about, well, what do you think about this situation? And um, they've probably been in it, maybe not so much in the coaching world, but in the life and business, and and so, you know, I've I've been very blessed. Um, and of course, my wife Anna Matthews, I can't, she hears more about anything um than probably anybody, and uh her advice is usually pretty sound um for me, and I'm very blessed that I that have her, and of course, my two boys, Trey and Ty, um, you know, they don't care about the scoreboard. Um they just they love dad. So I've got a lot of people in my corner over the years that have really helped mold me, and I'm I'm very blessed. So, you know, I hope to to have that impact on kids and even on the coaches that come in into into my uh program and into my world.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

That's awesome. We always always gotta look back and kind of give thanks because we didn't get here by ourselves, you know. There's always some important people along the way.

SPEAKER_02 23:05

Especially when you have success. Yeah. Usually you have like an army behind you. Sounds like you got a pretty good one. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:11

Yeah, it's been it's been uh it's just you know, every year goes by, you're just like I mean, 21 years is doesn't seem like a lot, but it is, you know, and it just they just keep racking up and um you know it just you gotta look back and it's it's funny how people come into your life and then they they might they might retire or they might move on. And so you you just gotta make sure the people that really are on your side that have your back or with you through thick and thin, um you let them know how much you appreciate them and and let them know before they're gone. And I think that's something that you know when you're in the heat of the moment, when you're when you're battling in the season or in a in any particular school year, you know, people support you, and then you really realize how much they support you when they're no longer there, when they moved on, and you're like, you know, dang, they they used to do this, this, and this, and the new guy doesn't do this, this, and then or they did this little extra thing that made it so much easier for our team to do this and do that. And so it's just um trying to try to really tell people how much how much they mean you and what they've done for you while they're doing it. Um but then of course when they move on, let them know as well.

SPEAKER_02 24:32

So I love that. Yeah, it's very important.

SPEAKER_00 24:37

Very important.

SPEAKER_02 24:37

Because I think uh as coaches we lose you know track a little bit. Sometimes it's all about wins and losses and the next challenge, and sometimes it's nice just to enjoy it, you know. Sit back and enjoy it because it is a ride, man, and it it's there's a lot of highs and lows, and it's it's easy to lose sight of what's really important sometimes.

SPEAKER_00 24:56

I think I love that. You know, such a high pressure, you know, profession that we've chosen to go into, especially Coach Matthews. So yeah, you gotta have that team. But um, tired of payroll headaches, iPay Solutions is your local payroll and HR partner right here in the Coachella Valley. From direct deposits to compliance, we handle the details so you can focus on growing your business. iPay Solutions local, reliable, and built for your success.

SPEAKER_02 25:22

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Consistency Culture And E Plus R

SPEAKER_00 25:40

Speaking of kind of going back to football, when I think of uh rattler football, I think of I know they're gonna be well coached and they're gonna be consistent. You guys have been you've been probably one of the most consistent programs over the last 10 years is Value. You've loaned the DEL there for a while. There was a period where you guys were winning it every year. Um, what do you attribute that consistency to? Is it is it the processes that you come up with? What is what is one thing that you kind of lean on to be so consistent over these years?

Midline Shotgun And Offensive Identity

SPEAKER_01 26:11

Well, I think it's a combination of a lot of things, but I mean, one guy that comes to my mind that's been with me since we opened the doors at Ranch and Raj is Mario Castillo, um our defensive coordinator. Um that man is as loyal and hardworking, um, cares about the kids, has high expectations. Uh, he really, you know, he's he believes in what we're doing. Um, you know, and I've I've been fortunate to have a few other coaches uh that have been, you know, Antonio Desmaras was with me for 10 or 11 years. Um, we've had some coaches around that they they truly believe in what we're what our philosophy is and what we're trying to do. We're I mean, you know, a lot of people say it, but we we really are trying to prepare kids for life after football and being a productive human being. Uh when you get out, when you get it to get a job, and being a good father, um, you know, being a good husband, being somebody that can uh work with a team and and be accountable and show up every day, especially when you're not feeling like it. You know, every day, every day is a grind, especially as you get older in the real world. Um, you're not always gonna have a coach or somebody there motivating you to do something. You gotta you gotta be a self-motivator and you gotta get up in the morning and you gotta put your big boy pants on and go get it done. And and sometimes that's not easy for people. And and so, you know, it's just it's a combination of a lot of things that the coaches that that really have been with me, um, they believed in and it's kind of been the standard that we function on, you know, wins and losses, we wanna we wanna win every game we play. I mean, you're not going to. Um, you're gonna lose some. You in some years you might lose more than others, but it's how you prepare to win. You know, if you're if you're you know, hardest thing to do is to get up after a butt kicking by a rival. Yeah, it's a good thing. I mean, and especially when you know on social media they're gonna let you know about it. And we've all been there. Yeah, and and getting up and going back to work because you're gonna you're gonna face that in life. You're gonna get up and and boss is gonna tell you something, or you might get relocated, or you might have whatever. And you gotta find, you know, we really talk about E plus R equals O is it's your event, what happens in your life, and your response really is what your outcome's gonna be. And and a lot of times events you can't you have no control over whether it's in a game, you know, in life. I mean, something happens, the only thing you can control is your attitude and how you respond after it. You know, a bad call in a game, you know, you're not gonna get every call, and uh, but how you respond to it, that's gonna really determine you know what can happen next. So we've I've been fortunate enough to have guys that have come in and and to our program and really believed in in that message of of we're here to develop young men, and you know, no nobody's bigger than the team, which is sometimes hard because you got some star players that they have to they have to be a certain way. And and because you're a great player doesn't mean you get to get away with things. And you know, we've lost some players over the years because of that, but we've also created some great young men because of it. And so um I'm you know I'm gonna go on coach as long as as long as they keep me, and that's you know, we're gonna we're gonna we're gonna keep our program the way it is. So um, and I think those guys that have been with me have believed in that system and and we kind of live and die with it.

SPEAKER_02 29:48

It's a good system. Yeah. When do you start running that midline? What what when where did that come about?

SPEAKER_01 29:53

Because you're pretty famous for it around like like just in the coaching circles, you I mean at La Quinta, we got to start preparing for it a couple weeks before we see uh the well honestly, Big Bear and Dave Griffith up there used to kick our butt at DHS with it all the time.

SPEAKER_02 30:08

And and uh But you do it differently, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:12

We do it a little differently, but it's just it's just you know, it's trying to it's about you know matchups and trying to find, you know, you know, especially this and this DL, there's some guys that are gonna be tougher to block, so yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:26

They run right by it.

SPEAKER_01 30:28

And so, but you know, I mean, there's people know what we're gonna do. We're we've done it for a few years now, and so it it's getting it's getting tougher, and they're learning how to defend it. So, but you know, it's just you know, I it's it's fun to to put certain kids in conflict where you can you can take a player on the other side of the ball and say, hey, well, he's over aggressive, we're gonna try to do something about that, or he's you know, maybe not as quick as he needs to be or as strong. We can, you know, and so it just you know, I really like the early Oregon Chip Kelly's um zone read stuff that they used to do, and fascinated by by just how fast they played, and and you know, we used to play a little faster, but um just just how you never know who has the ball, and and everything tries to look the same.

SPEAKER_02 31:20

And yeah, and you do a good job of it. Well thanks, we appreciate it. The quarterback he he's he does everything, even though there's no handoff. I notice your quarterback he'll just put the ball out and then he'll just toss it. I don't know if it's by design, but it the timing of it is so nice because it's like the quarterback developed this like pattern of just putting the ball out there and then throwing it. I was like, man, I don't know. I peek out on that stuff.

SPEAKER_01 31:42

So well I appreciate it. It's uh it's you know, it's something that um you know, we've I I always wanted to go and shotgun in high school when I was a when I was a quarterback in in my high school. And he played quarterback? Yeah, he I didn't know that. He never let he never let us go understand. We had a small offensive line and just hard to get back and three-step drop to before the defense was there sometimes. And so I just I told him one day when I was senior, I said, Well, I'm a coach someday, we're running shotgun. And I said, because it's not it's not I I can't, I don't have enough time.

SPEAKER_02 32:16

Yeah, especially when they're blitzing, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:18

And so here we are. And so, you know, people might see it's crazy. Fourth and one, you're in shotgun. Well, that's just what we do, you know. Um, and so it's kind of it's kind of been that way since we took over.

SPEAKER_02 32:30

Yeah, I I love it. So I I love the way receivers block too on screens. You guys do a good job.

SPEAKER_01 32:36

Um yeah, Oregon was big on that. If you watch some of their stuff back in those early days, they I mean, in any, any, any big time, you know, college offense, those receivers, they they're just the difference makers. They can spring spring an extra, you know, whatever option we're running. Uh, they you never know if it's gonna get thrown out there to the third or fourth option. And and those guys have to, I mean, it's it's tough to do because you have consistent.

SPEAKER_02 33:04

So yeah, just the angles they take, and it's they don't I I don't know. I I hear people gotta your receivers gotta come off the ball super fast and make it look like a you know, like explode off the ball, but you guys come off nice and smooth, and it's you're always in position, and those kids get get their handles on there and turn their guys the right way. So um, I don't know, I'm a big fan. So I appreciate it, man. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 33:24

Big fan of the big fan of the Metro Mirage offense. Yeah, I've been watching them on film a lot.

Discipline Lessons From A Tough Season

SPEAKER_01 33:30

We didn't have much issue, but uh we're we were young and we had some injuries, we had some things going, but it's it's uh, you know, we have a lot in, and sometimes we don't get to to all of it based on our personnel. Yeah, and and uh, you know, this year's group, man, I I just gotta give them a shout out because you know, we we I'll tell you what, I mean we didn't do very well in league. We and uh we had our struggles with some ejections and some injuries and whatnot. Yeah, and but it's crazy because this group of seniors that we had is probably the most disciplined, um well respected on our campus. They were such good big brothers to our E freshmen. We have a phenomenal incoming freshman class this year. Our freshman team was nine and one, and yeah, we had a lot of freshmen that got some time on varsity. And the senior class, you know, I mean, it just shows you how tough the DL is. I mean, we we were three and two in all league. We played Tockwitz, they played in the I think Division IX finals. We beat them 42-16 and lost by seven on the road to Ramona. I think they finished second in division ten. And but it just shows you how how the DL is and and you know, how important it is to make good decisions on the field, you know. And you can't, you know, I'm this is something that will stick with those guys for the rest of their life, is because you you can't go back once you do something that you're not supposed to, it's taken away. And and we got a good message this year on that, you know. I've I've been coaching for 21 years, and I I've had four ejections in 21 years, and three of them were this year in one game. So uh it was that it was a disappointing season in that aspect because we we do take pride in our character and our integrity as as players, and and and you can't you can't I mean it's hard to tell people this is a great character class when something like that happens, but it was. They they're great people, they're gonna be successful in their life. They are.

SPEAKER_02 35:26

Did everything the right way.

New League Structure And Playoff Data

SPEAKER_00 35:27

Yeah, yeah. We're kind of turning the page from 25 to 26, uh new league next year coming in, coming into the valley. What's your thoughts and opinions on on the new league and what can we kind of look for as fans?

SPEAKER_01 35:41

Well, I mean, I don't think our league's changing much at all. We're the the you know, the competitive equity, that's that's based, that's how playoffs are set up. Everything is set up that way. And I think it's um it's good for our league because you're you know, you get in the DL, it's you're gonna you're gonna have you're gonna have a a tough road. Um you know, I think there's teams that have played in the DVL, and even maybe in the Sun League, that you know, they build their team back up and they have some success. You know, there's Coachella, Yucca, those guys, they can compete. Um and so uh the way it's set up is and I mean uh this year going into the association, there they've already they've ranked the teams based off of the end of the regular season um uh uh high school sports rating. So wherever you finished at the end of the regular season, that might be Cal preps or something. It used to be Cal Preps, now it's it's called high school sports rating, I think it's what it is. Okay. But so those top six teams, we didn't change nothing. Now going forward, uh the plan is is is the next season, next year in 27, the top team will move up and the bottom team will move down and so forth. So um I believe I believe ban Indio's dropping down, and I think banning is moving up. And so, but it's great. I mean, that's that's how playoffs are. Uh, you know, that's it's where we're moving to. And so, you know, I mean, if you're you know, if we have another year where we struggle, maybe we should go down. Yeah. I mean, you know, I I don't recruit kids. Kids are gonna come in the door. You you can only coach who shows up. Yeah. And if if you you know, you might have a couple good years, and then you might have a year where you have injuries or you have less enrollment or whatnot. And so might need a reset. And that's gonna help, it's gonna help teams um, you know, get a chance to get in the CI playoffs and and and make a run. I think um moving people around to where, you know, where they should be based on the current year and then even going forward is is is kind of you know, there's no perfect model. I mean, yeah. I I don't like the days where you're matched up with just a league over there, and those two leagues have two private schools in it, and that's who you're gonna face, and they're really dang good, and it's gonna be a tough road, versus I kind of think it's exciting, you know, pulling up the the brackets and seeing like, okay, where are we going? Yeah, I didn't even know that was a high school.

SPEAKER_02 38:14

Yeah, I've never even heard of it. We've had some interesting matchups last couple years because of that.

SPEAKER_01 38:17

And so, and it and then and if you look at the scores of a lot, there's no more blowouts. Yeah, I mean, there is some, but most of the divisions, it's based on data. And these, I mean, you got you can have the number one seed where that line was drawn, playing a 16, and it's I mean, it's a three-point game. It could have gone either way, you know, and so that's what they're trying to get to. And I mean, nobody wants to be in a league or in a in a in a division where where the opening round games are 30-point blowouts or 40-point blowouts, and it's just so I think this nobody really knows what what the actual what they're looking for in the data. I mean, what you know, strength of schedule, common opponents, um that high school sports and CalPrex, they never you you can't they won't release the play. They they they won't. So, but I mean, there's never gonna be a perfect system, and I know there's a lot of people that don't like the um well, we won league, we don't get a home playoff game and and X, Y, and Z. But you know, there's a there's always another side of the story. I mean, if you if you don't have a home game the first round, first round, you're gonna get one probably the second. And if you get if you get to the semis and you've been on the road twice, you're gonna get a home game, maybe a CF championship.

SPEAKER_03 39:32

Nice, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:33

And so you're gonna have to be on the road. I mean, the goal isn't to win the first round, the goal is to win a CF championship. And so one way or the other, you're gonna have to be on the road, and and you know, now it's competitive. I mean, it's it is it's really I mean, there's the advantage is to be at home to play. There always is an advantage, but you want that semifinal game at home, or do you want the first round at home? Right. I mean, you just um so we've had them, we've had them both. Um actually we played in two semifinal games and they both have been on the road. We lost one and we won one, but you know, it's all perspective. You know, you can argue, you can argue both sides really.

Scheduling Strategy In The Algorithm Era

SPEAKER_00 40:12

So it's all there's always two sides to every story. 100%. Yeah. So but we're all slaved to the algorithm now and everything, right? As now as high school football is as well. Is that is that the way they're doing it now, though, is that gonna affect the way you schedule in the future now in terms of your preseason? Because you got to play your league games. You already know what those are. But now are you gonna go out and maybe take a tougher opponent, you know, to kind of boost your ratings, or maybe take a, you know, to if you lose that game, you don't fall as as far. I've heard some I've heard different philosophies on the the preseason schedule because of the algorithm. Are you changing the way you kind of look at it?

SPEAKER_01 40:45

First thing, I mean, what people gotta understand, you have to win your league games. Yeah, you got to be an automatic qualifier. If you're if you're worried about just getting in at a large or having a 500 record, I mean you're doing it wrong. And so while not, I mean, non-league are important. I mean, it can help get you in the playoffs and and obviously it can help prepare you for the DEL and the run you're gonna have to make, but you also, you know, you gotta worry about injuries. You're playing too many, too many physical teams that are that are gonna take you. I mean, you lose half your guys. I mean, how are you gonna survive league? Um, but you also can't have just you can't be five and oh or have just games that you're just gonna roll people because you're not gonna you're not gonna be prepared. But I think the biggest thing, you have to win a league. You have to you have to be a top, you know, a top three team, uh automatic qualifier. If you're not that, you may not deserve to be in the playoffs. And so, you know, what what's what looks better? A loss to a really good team or a win to a really bad team? I mean, I think you know, people are trying to figure that out right now. Um, because I mean a couple years ago we played Farrington High School and we we lost by 42 in Hawaii and we moved up like 43 points.

SPEAKER_02 42:00

I remember that. And how is that how is that good?

SPEAKER_01 42:03

Now we've played teams in the past where they were they weren't they maybe were not as strong, and we won by 30 points and and we moved down. Yeah, and so um there's no I I try to find uh opponents that are that are gonna be a challenge for us, but at the same time that um you know they're they're well-run programs, they're they're they're coaches I respect. They're they're not gonna really do any shenanigans, and we don't need guys getting ejected, we don't want fights, we don't want any craziness, and and so but we also want we want to be competitive and and we've played some of the best teams in the section and and out of state, and we've made played maybe teams that um you know were good one year and the next year they weren't. So I try to schedule um, you know, non-league means nothing to me other than it's a warm-up for leagues. So we got to have a couple couple teams that may be us, maybe a little out of a range, but then there's got to be some that are we're gonna be able to win. I so but the bottom line, we're we're we're going out there to try to compete and win. So um, you know, this year we were three and seven. We had a few more people wanting to play us, you know. Um in the past when we were league champs, it was hard to find a game. We're getting these bigger schools, but you know, and we're not we only have we only have 1,453 students, and so it's pretty small. We're not, I mean, we're not the biggest school around as well. So, and we usually have around a hundred kids out for the program. Um but and we try we fill three levels, so some of that goes in does does a does a team have three levels so we can get three games in, or I love three levels. And or having that freshman team and giving those freshman kids a chance to play a schedule is important. And you know, there's some schools in the valley that are that are good at doing it. And and I mean, I I'll be honest with you, I don't our lower levels we want to win, but it's it's really to get them experienced to play.

SPEAKER_02 43:58

More games the better, right? Different levels down there.

SPEAKER_01 44:01

100%. And you know, there's I I love when people say there's you know, we're league champs for freshmen. It's like, well, how did you do in the playoffs? Like there's no banners being hung. It's really you're developing kids to get ready to play varsity. And and or having two levels below us, a freshman and a JV team, you're giving kids opportunities to run your system and run your plays and get experience so that so that they can be ready to play varsity football. Yeah.

unknown 44:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:32

So I think it's yeah, you're I think you're right. You're just preparing for league. Win, get in the top three league and let the chips fall where they may, right? That's kind of your philosophy. Yeah. Get in the playoffs first.

Program Goals Beyond Winning

SPEAKER_01 44:42

Yeah. Well, it I mean, our goals have always been the same for the last 13 years, is is number one, we want to get in the playoffs. We want to have another week together with each other. Yeah. Uh, number two is we want to win a league championship. And then number three, it was always be we want to get to Thanksgiving weekend. Well, it's different now. That's the CF championship. So, and then it would be ultimately win a CF title. But then the fifth one is graduate high school with honors. And and and so, you know, it's hard because you everything is all focused on winning and losing and how what you did. But um, one of those goals we talk about is was watching those kids grow up walk across the street and uh graduate high school and and and have a good idea of what they want to do with their life. You know, it's hard. Kids don't know what they want to do. I know, you know, and you gotta have a plan A and a B. And I know everybody wants to go to the NFL. Yeah, they want some full ride, they want an NIL deal, they want, you know, and all this stuff, and that's great. You work towards that, but um, that's such a small percentage. You you need to have a plan B and C. Like, what do you what would you do if if you if you know if you didn't have to worry about paying bills, if you do it for free, what do you enjoy to do? Yeah and what is your passion? And so um those are all you know, it's all packed in there with those, those are our goals.

Advice For Future Coaches

SPEAKER_02 46:04

And so, you know, when you don't achieve them, it it it it burns a little bit, but there's a brighter future out there because you're gonna keep trying to trying to get there, and they learn the tools to find success in something else after football. Yeah, football teaches life, man. That's what it's all about. That's what I love about it.

SPEAKER_00 46:24

Um, kind of running up against time here, coach. What advice would you give to somebody that's maybe thinking to get into your profession? Maybe a young kid coming out of school, thinking about coaching, what advice would you give to that person?

Golf Tournament Fundraiser And Closing

SPEAKER_01 46:36

Well, I think I think first of all, I mean, I'll even say it right now, like I don't think I know everything. Uh everything that I've learned over my career, I've either been taught or stolen it from somebody. Um and so, but the biggest thing is is commitment to a program. I mean you you need to go somewhere and and and find what people value at that program and what they're about, and then and then commit to it. Be there for two, three, five years. Um commit to that coach and tell them, tell them what, you know, be up front with them. What what's your goals? Well, what what do you well I want to be a head coach someday? I want to be an offensive coordinator, and and um but then be there and and and live what they're doing, be what they're about. And you know, for me, anybody that's ever come in and coach for me, uh I've always asked them, what do you want to and what do you want to do? And whatever they want to do, okay, let's work towards that. And and you want to be an OC someday, okay. Well, this is how we do it here. Um, you want to be a DC, you want to be a head coach. I think the biggest thing is young coaches always looking for that title. They wanna um they want to be a be a part of something, but they wanna they want I'm only gonna be in varsity OC or I'm only gonna be this. Offensive, yeah. Yeah. It's like, well, you know, and I really value over the years the guys that have come in and said, Coach, I'll do whatever you need. I mean, I and then they're there for your what do you want to do? I well, I really like working with the O line, or I like to work with the linebackers. Okay, well, if that position opens, I need you to, I need you to I need you to coach DBs this year, or I need it, whatever, whatever it is. And yeah, they're willing to, you know, I got a guy right now that is not on the offensive side of the ball, and he was a defensive guy his whole life, and I need him to come over on offense, and he's like, sure, coach, whatever you need. And so I know he wants to be on the defensive side of the ball, so we're we're gonna try to get him back there when we can find another guy that can fill his role. So I think it's just committing to a program and then being willing to learn from from you know what they're doing there. And um, and you know, don't be shy to to bring up things that you think, but um sometimes a coach is gonna say, I mean, I remember being a position coach and being told no so many times, and then that one time I was told yes about something we did, you know, that's gonna happen, and it's okay. And you know, then mark down, have a notebook and mark down the things that man, at this program, they do this really well. That when I'm a head man, we're gonna do this. At this program, we they don't do this well. Uh we're we're not doing that. And just start putting a little collection of things that you know, we're we're gonna I'm gonna do these things this way because I see how it works, and then add your own your own spicing into it when you get when you get that opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 49:38

Yeah, yeah. So I love that. Great advice, man. Great advice, people. Take take note. Lastly, coach, what's this uh golf tournament I'm hearing about uh at Ranch Mirage High School? What's that all about?

SPEAKER_01 49:50

Yeah, it's well we just it's just our it's our it's it's our fundraiser that we do. It's um Saturday, May 16th at Tamaris Country Club. It's just um uh poor man best ball scramble that we use to help uh raise some funds to buy our gear and uh help fund our trip to Hawaii that we took and just any any we have a couple future trips we're looking at. Um so it's just you know, I I try not to, I I hate doing car washes. I mean, I hate Nickel and Diamond. And so we only do a couple fundraisers, and I've been very fortunate, uh, Barry Golden and Dr. J. Argovitz and the guys, um Tamaris Country Club, they've they've opened their doors, and really the community of Rancho Mirage and really the greater Coachella Valley have been very supportive of our event. We have a silent auction and we have um um some raffles and stuff like that. So it's just uh a fun day. The kids come out and uh just try to raise a little bit of money. So uh, you know, those helmets are cheap going up, keep going up too, man.

SPEAKER_00 50:53

Keep going up in price.

SPEAKER_01 50:54

They don't stop. So it's just it's a fun raising event.

SPEAKER_00 50:57

Okay, so all you rattler nation out there, you heard it here, you're all guys are almost sold out. So we gotta you guys gotta go sign up. Where can they sign up, coach?

SPEAKER_01 51:04

They just go to our high school website, uh, just ranch or rmhs um dot psusd.us backslash football, and and it's right there on uh there's a link where they can see all the information about the tournament and the event. Awesome. Cool.

SPEAKER_00 51:20

And we'll put that in the show notes as well, people. So look scroll down and look at the show notes. We'll have the link to the event and get out there, right, guys in Rattler Nation. You guys got to get out there and support your team. This is a very expensive endeavor that we that we partake in every year. So, coach, thanks for coming in, man. You were great. Um, we're gonna want to have you come back and kind of preview 26 as we get closer. Um, but thanks for coming in and joining the show.

SPEAKER_01 51:43

Appreciate you. And and thank you guys for uh what you do for our valley and and the exposure that you you give to not only the DL, but just all the Coachella Valley community and athlete, athletes that play football. I mean, um you give an opportunity to you know, you're a voice of reason. You you guys, I know you're a black hawk and you're a Rajah, but you guys, you know, you you do a great job of of being very neutral. Yeah. You call it how you see it. And uh, and some don't do that in this area as well. And we appreciate your guys' coverage. So thank you. That's awesome. Well, thank you, coach.

SPEAKER_00 52:20

We appreciate the kind words. And you guys know the routine. If you have some value in this conversation, like, subscribe, and follow. And we'll see you next time on Desert Valley Blitz. See ya.