Star's Football Coaches of the Year since 1999
Check out 15 years of the Coach of the Year.Â
2014 Sahuarita's David Rodriguez
Four years removed from a winless campaign, Rodriguez led the Mustangs to an undefeated regular season and just their second trip to the state semifinals in the last four decades. Sahuarita outscored opponents 518-193 and won 12 straight games. Rodriguez has gone a remarkable 36-9 in four seasons at Sahuarita and had his team in the postseason for the third straight year this fall. While there was plenty to remember about the 2014 season for Rodriguez, the signature moment had to be when his Mustangs rolled past defending state champion Lakeside Blue Ridge 42-0 in the first round of the Division IV state playoffs, giving him his first postseason win. It was also Sahuarita’s first since 2004.Â
2013 Salpointe's Dennis Bene
Salpointe Coach Dennis Bene broke through, winning its first football state title in 62 seasons, as Bene coached the Lancers to a 14-0 season, outscoring its opponents an average of 50-7.
2012 Ironwood Ridge's Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson Ironwood Ridge's third-year football coach led the Nighthawks to a 13-1 record and the Division II state championship. Johnson led the program to at least the semis three straight seasons.
2011 Cienega's Nemer Hassey
Cienega Nemer Hassey led the Bobcats to a 13-1 record and a spot in the state championship game and has posted a 35-5 mark over the past three seasons.
2010 Cholla's Laurence Ruhf
Cholla's Laurence Ruhf, a first-year coach, led his team to a 6-4 record after two wins in three seasons.
2009 Canyon del Oro's Dusty Peace
Canyon del Oro Coach Dusty Peace was undefeated, 14-0, to become the 4A-I state champion in his first year as head coach.
2008 Santa Rita's Jeff Scurran
Santa Rita high school head coach Jeff Scurran led the Eagles to 4A-II title game. In his second season as Santa Rita's football coach, Scurran piloted the Eagles to a 12-2 record and the Class 4A-II state championship game.
2007 Santa Rita's Jeff Scurran
Santa Rita head coach Jeff Scurran leads his players and staff in a post game prayer. After three years away from coaching football, Scurran returned, taking charge of an 0-10 Santa Rita High School team. At year's end, the Eagles were 11-2 and in the 4A-II state semifinals.
2006 Sabino's Jay Campos
Sabino head coach Jay Campos gets a cooler of ice water dumped on him by Max Baumann as the Saber Cats beat Scottsdale Chaparral. Campos guided the Sabercats to a second consecutive berth in the 4A-I state championship game.
2005 Palo Verde's Todd Mayfield
Palo Verde High School head coach Todd Mayfield addressed the fans while holding the Championship trophy at Arizona Staduim in the 4A-II State Title Game on December 2, 2005.
2004 Cienega's Nemer Hassey
Cienega coach Nemer Hassey was the Arizona Daily Star's 2004 Southern Arizona Coach of the year.  Despite losing a handful of key seniors from 2003’s 8-3 state playoff team, Hassey’s Bobcats improved in 2004.
2003 Sunnyside's Richard Sanchez
Sunnyside High School head coach Richard Sanchez, named the 2003 Coach of the Year, exhorts his defensive unit to make a stand against Cactus High School deep in Sunnyside's end at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe afternoon Dec. 6, 2003, late in the fourth quarter of the state 4A title football game. After an 0-2 start to the season, Sanchez coached Sunnyside to 12 straight victories and his second 4A state championship.
2002 Catalina's Shawn Wasson
Catalina High School coach Shawn Wasson, right, was the Star's All-Southern Arizona football coach of the year. With him is Catalina High School fullback Phillip Pickett, who was chosen the player of the year. Catalina had its first winning season since 1974.
2001 Sunnyside's Richard Sanchez
Sunnyside  football coach Richard Sanchez and his son Philo Sanchez, the Star's 2001 Football player and coach of the year. Here, they're reflected in the state championship trophy. The Sanchez team guided Sunnyside to a 13-1 record and its first state football title.Â
2000 Canyon del Oro's Pat Nugent
After leaving Flowing Wells to coach football at Canyon del Oro, Pat Nugent took an 0-10 team to a 6-4 season in his first crack and was named the Star's Football coach of the year.
1999 Sabino's Jeff Scurran
Sabino High School football coach Jeff Scurran, seen with Sahuaro High School quarterback Reggie Robertson, right, was named the 1999 Football coach of the year. Robertson was named the player of the year. Â Scurran, in his last season at Sabino, led the Sabercats to the Class 5A state championship game in their first season at the big-school level. He elevated a perennial 4A power to a national ranking before falling 21-14 to Mesa Mountain View in the state championship game.
Today begins the countdown to the high school football season.
Friedli led Amphitheater to 288 wins and three state championship games over 36 seasons.
Taylor Fitzgerald is a record-breaking, touchdown-scoring scatback for the Lions.
Dante Anderson figures to be a workhorse for Amphitheater and first-year coach Jorge Mendivil.
In 2013, Smith became third-ever CDO junior to be named captain.
Williams gave up basketball to focus on perfecting his gridiron skills.
Nogales junior Coy Colgate is continuing the football tradition in his family.
Sahuaro’s Omar Lloyd is aiming to be the top defensive back in the state this fall.
The Star honors 278 players and one coach for their performance this season.