Layton Speaks Out: “My Resignation Was Planned!”

"I resigned because I wanted to. It had nothing to do with an investigation"-Roddy Layton

“I resigned because I wanted to. It had nothing to do with an investigation”-Roddy Layton

Roddy Layton stepped down at Diamond Ranch Friday afternoon because he was tired – tired of 12-14 hour days, tired of getting home at 9:30 every night, tired of not being able to spend more time with his family and grandson. It had nothing to do with an investigation into somebody hacking into Diamond Bar’s Hudl account.

“It was just timing. I was ready to resign two years ago but was asked to wait. I had planned for this to be my last year before the season started. It would have been earlier but I was waiting for the Charles Brown camp to end before I stepped down,” Layton said Monday afternoon. “There is an investigation going on right now by an “outside entity” but it hasn’t been completed. It has nothing to do with me stepping down. I was not asked to resign or forced to resign. I stepped down because I wanted to.”

The investigation involves a lower level coach (not varsity) who is no longer at the school. He is now employed at Diamond Bar.

“Everything will come out but we just need to let it play out. This coach was disgruntled probably because he was never asked to coach on varsity. Neither myself or any of my varsity staff had any knowledge of hacking into Hudl accounts,” Layton said. “We did what we always do against Diamond Bar. We watched film and we saw them live. Our whole staff saw them live against Los Altos. We did nothing different against them that we always do. Watch the game film, it shows that.”

Layton was first informed of the investigation two to three weeks ago. Prior to that he had never heard anything about it or had any knowledge of it.

“I just thought it was it sour grapes. I didn’t think much about it. I was just thinking man here we go again…we won, let it go,” Layton said. “I’ve been interviewed two or three times already and I always tell them the same thing. I had no knowledge of this and never participated in it. I understand why it’s a story and I understand I’m responsible if I’m the head coach. But I have no idea what a lower level coach does on his spare time and I wasn’t aware of any of it.”

The Diamond Bar game, played on October 18 of last year ended with Diamond Ranch winning 34-20 but was cut short when a brawl broke out.

“The way that game ended, as ugly as it was, why was nothing ever brought up then or until two weeks ago if there was something to it? It’s ironic now that this guy is gone and is at Diamond Bar that now there’s an investigation,” said Layton.

Layton said he doesn’t read the blogs but was made aware when he started receiving texts and phone calls over the last couple of days.

“I don’t read them. I don’t have time. But all of a sudden I stated getting all of these texts saying ‘hey did you see what they’re saying about you?’ None of it is true. It’s comical. It has absolutely nothing to do with why I stepped down,” Layton said.

“I went to USC and I’ve been to two games in the last five years even though I have free tickets. And at one of them I was falling asleep because I was so exhausted. And even then I felt guilty because I was not watching film or working on something for the team. It was all about Diamond Ranch football for me. I also want to see some of my former players play on Saturdays. It was for all these reasons and the ones I stated that I stepped down,” Layton added.

Layton doesn’t rule out a return to coaching after he takes some time off.

“I love coaching. It’s who I am. It’s what I do,” Layton said. “Who knows when I’ll jump back into the water to go swimming again? I’ve received several job offers, college and high school, just in the last two days. But it was time for me here to step down. I liken it to being pregnant – either you are or you’re not. How could I ask my players to give 100 percent if I can’t?”

The investigation into the Diamond Bar Hudl account being hacked should be completed in a few days.

“I’m sure we’ll talk more then but again this is something I and my coaching staff had no knowledge of. There was no communication to us. It’s unfortunate but I guess I’ll just have to take one on the jaw here for awhile until it gets all sorted out,” Layton said. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m still coming to work everyday and working hard on getting my players from last year to the next level.”

For now Mario Gomez, who was the D-line coach on Layton’s staff, will take over as interim coach during the hiring process. Gomez is expected to apply once the position is flown.

“He’s a good coach and a great guy. I’m sure he’ll be part of the mix. I don’t know If I’ll be part of that process or not but like my wife says ‘if you’re going to step away then you should step away’. I’d probably be too biased anyway,” Layton said.

Diamond Ranch will begin the search for a head coach immediately.

 

Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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