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Carlson will coach Elk Grove…Jr. Herd
By John Hull - Citizen Sports Writer
Jeff Carlson will be back on the sidelines of a football field this fall. It’s still up the air whether that’s going to be at Elk Grove High School.
Rather, Carlson will be an assistant coach of the Elk Grove Junior Thundering Herd’s mighty mite team, according to Junior Herd president Tim Gula.
Carlson’s two sons, Tanner and Dylan, will both be playing for the Jr. Herd at Adreani Field on the Kerr Middle School campus this fall.
Last fall Carlson was a regular at his son’s football practices, leaving three hours of practice with the Herd each evening and coaching two hours each evening with the Jr. Herd.
But this fall, the only football coaching that is certain in his future will be with the little guys.
However, the elder Carlson is still in the running for head football coach at Elk Grove High School, the Citizen has learned.
Despite the dispute over Carlson’s status the past two seasons with the Thundering Herd program, sources at the high school say Carlson was one of three interviewed last Thursday in a second round of questioning by school administrators.
The list of candidates was narrowed from seven who were interviewed by a larger panel of administrators, two former EGHS teachers and one current teacher on Mar. 7.
Merced High School defensive coordinator Jake Mussina confirmed to the Citizen he was interviewed for the position, along with two out-of-state applicants.
Mussina played his high school football at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, and briefly at the College of San Mateo. He coached at Palo Alto High School for five seasons before going to Merced in 2002. He’s been the defensive coordinator there the past two seasons.
Mussina acknowledged that he was invited back to the second round of interviews last week.
He said he remains interested in the job and knows that, “I would have my work cut out for me.”
He said that if hired, he wouldn’t change the program very much. “If they offer me the position and I decide to take it, I would certainly offer all of the coaches an opportunity to continue on in the program,” he said. “It would be foolish not to.”
And, he knows he would have big shoes to fill.
“I don’t know Hoskins or Carlson personally, but their reputation is strong in the section,” he said.
The Citizen learned last weekend that Mussina removed himself from consideration, leaving Carlson and the two out-of-state candidates as the remaining potential suitors. Mussina did not mention removing his name when contacted by the Citizen last week.
Elk Grove Unified School District communications director Elizabeth Graswich said in all, 15 men applied from for the job left vacant when Dave Hoskins retired following the Thundering Herd’s loss to Napa in the City Championship last November.
Carlson, who has had the title of “co-head football coach”, found out in December that on paper he was officially an assistant coach and thus had to apply for the head-coaching job.
The dispute arose because, according to sources on the Thundering Herd football staff, Carlson performed the tasks of a head coach alongside of Hoskins the past two years. Elk Grove Education Association president Tom Gardner confirmed this week that the teachers’ union continues to represent Carlson on a grievance filed against the school for that reason.
Gardner said the grievance has not been settled.
Staff, boosters and players have repeatedly asked for Carlson to remain as co-head coach and another co-head coach be hired to replace Hoskins.
School administration has declined to comment throughout the entire process, causing frustration amongst boosters, parents and players.
The past two years, under Carlson and Hoskins, the Herd lost only three games - one in the regular season - and reached the City Championship twice.
Carlson, who returns home today from San Diego while there with his varsity baseball team for a spring break tournament, did not return phone calls this past weekend.
Former Elk Grove offensive coordinator Chris Nixon said Saturday he was never interviewed and never got acknowledgement from either principal Cathy Guy or athletic director Pete Archerda that his resume and letter of interest in the coaching position was received.
“In fact, I e-mailed Jim Smerker (EGUSD athletic director) asking for a timeline (of interviews),” Nixon said. “I added sarcastically that I was finding out more about my chances (at getting the coaching job) by reading the Citizen. He (Smerker) fired back a short e-mail giving me the same timeline that (the Citizen) had reported.”
Nixon was a key part of the Thundering Herd coaching staff on the 1997, ‘98 and 2001 section championship teams. He currently teaches at Feikert Elementary School and has openly talked about his interest in returning to Elk Grove High School to coach football.
Meanwhile, football players, parents and boosters are impatiently asking for answers. Quarterback Club president Derek Harper said an invitation was extended to both Archerda and Guy to discuss the head coaching situation but neither showed for a Mar. 6 parents’ meeting.
Both told Harper they had prior commitments.
“We’re all pretty upset because we’re all being left out in the dark,” he said.
The Quarterback Club has raised more than $120,000 for the Thundering Herd football program in each of the last two seasons.
Harper said boosters left the meeting unified and have called for the “re-hiring” of Carlson.
“We want our voice to be heard,” said Harper. “We want to preserve the tradition of Elk Grove High School football by letting the (administration know we) support our existing coaching staff.”
Rather, Carlson will be an assistant coach of the Elk Grove Junior Thundering Herd’s mighty mite team, according to Junior Herd president Tim Gula.
Carlson’s two sons, Tanner and Dylan, will both be playing for the Jr. Herd at Adreani Field on the Kerr Middle School campus this fall.
Last fall Carlson was a regular at his son’s football practices, leaving three hours of practice with the Herd each evening and coaching two hours each evening with the Jr. Herd.
But this fall, the only football coaching that is certain in his future will be with the little guys.
However, the elder Carlson is still in the running for head football coach at Elk Grove High School, the Citizen has learned.
Despite the dispute over Carlson’s status the past two seasons with the Thundering Herd program, sources at the high school say Carlson was one of three interviewed last Thursday in a second round of questioning by school administrators.
The list of candidates was narrowed from seven who were interviewed by a larger panel of administrators, two former EGHS teachers and one current teacher on Mar. 7.
Merced High School defensive coordinator Jake Mussina confirmed to the Citizen he was interviewed for the position, along with two out-of-state applicants.
Mussina played his high school football at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, and briefly at the College of San Mateo. He coached at Palo Alto High School for five seasons before going to Merced in 2002. He’s been the defensive coordinator there the past two seasons.
Mussina acknowledged that he was invited back to the second round of interviews last week.
He said he remains interested in the job and knows that, “I would have my work cut out for me.”
He said that if hired, he wouldn’t change the program very much. “If they offer me the position and I decide to take it, I would certainly offer all of the coaches an opportunity to continue on in the program,” he said. “It would be foolish not to.”
And, he knows he would have big shoes to fill.
“I don’t know Hoskins or Carlson personally, but their reputation is strong in the section,” he said.
The Citizen learned last weekend that Mussina removed himself from consideration, leaving Carlson and the two out-of-state candidates as the remaining potential suitors. Mussina did not mention removing his name when contacted by the Citizen last week.
Elk Grove Unified School District communications director Elizabeth Graswich said in all, 15 men applied from for the job left vacant when Dave Hoskins retired following the Thundering Herd’s loss to Napa in the City Championship last November.
Carlson, who has had the title of “co-head football coach”, found out in December that on paper he was officially an assistant coach and thus had to apply for the head-coaching job.
The dispute arose because, according to sources on the Thundering Herd football staff, Carlson performed the tasks of a head coach alongside of Hoskins the past two years. Elk Grove Education Association president Tom Gardner confirmed this week that the teachers’ union continues to represent Carlson on a grievance filed against the school for that reason.
Gardner said the grievance has not been settled.
Staff, boosters and players have repeatedly asked for Carlson to remain as co-head coach and another co-head coach be hired to replace Hoskins.
School administration has declined to comment throughout the entire process, causing frustration amongst boosters, parents and players.
The past two years, under Carlson and Hoskins, the Herd lost only three games - one in the regular season - and reached the City Championship twice.
Carlson, who returns home today from San Diego while there with his varsity baseball team for a spring break tournament, did not return phone calls this past weekend.
Former Elk Grove offensive coordinator Chris Nixon said Saturday he was never interviewed and never got acknowledgement from either principal Cathy Guy or athletic director Pete Archerda that his resume and letter of interest in the coaching position was received.
“In fact, I e-mailed Jim Smerker (EGUSD athletic director) asking for a timeline (of interviews),” Nixon said. “I added sarcastically that I was finding out more about my chances (at getting the coaching job) by reading the Citizen. He (Smerker) fired back a short e-mail giving me the same timeline that (the Citizen) had reported.”
Nixon was a key part of the Thundering Herd coaching staff on the 1997, ‘98 and 2001 section championship teams. He currently teaches at Feikert Elementary School and has openly talked about his interest in returning to Elk Grove High School to coach football.
Meanwhile, football players, parents and boosters are impatiently asking for answers. Quarterback Club president Derek Harper said an invitation was extended to both Archerda and Guy to discuss the head coaching situation but neither showed for a Mar. 6 parents’ meeting.
Both told Harper they had prior commitments.
“We’re all pretty upset because we’re all being left out in the dark,” he said.
The Quarterback Club has raised more than $120,000 for the Thundering Herd football program in each of the last two seasons.
Harper said boosters left the meeting unified and have called for the “re-hiring” of Carlson.
“We want our voice to be heard,” said Harper. “We want to preserve the tradition of Elk Grove High School football by letting the (administration know we) support our existing coaching staff.”
