New Temple City head coach Riley Saxon is ready to lead the Rams into the future
By Alex Gonzalez
When I heard the news about Riley Saxon becoming Temple City’s new head football coach I said, ‘Wow, Saxon became the head coach the same week Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss are relieved of their duties from the Lakers. Obviously the Saxon hire is bigger news right?. I have to talk to him.’
That is exactly what I did. I got on the phone, texted and called him and ask if he wanted to have a sit down with me so I can personally pick his brain and what he plans on doing for Temple City and their football program.
GONZO: What happened the day of the hire?
SAXON: First day, my phone is just blowing up. I Couldn’t keep up with everything. That was cool. Since then, getting situated and catching up is bit of a challenge but its been good and the kids are excited.
GONZO: Besides you, what does this hire mean for your family?
SAXON: Its surreal to start off. In Joe’s article and in the school news paper it said that I’m the 14th head coach in history. Just reading that in print it was a surreal, it hit me. My parents are proud and I don’t think that its hit them fully. I don’t even think it’s hit myself fully but they’re excited and my sisters are excited and proud.
GONZO: Since you’ve graduated, there has been five coaches with a combined record of 38-76-2 and you are the third coach in four years. You feel any pressure?
SAXON: I think there is always pressure. Pressure in a sense that everyone is excited and if it goes wrong, how are they going to react? I don’t think it’s going to be wrong. I think we are going to be prepared, and were going to show a different product. I think there will be more pressure as time goes along but I have confidence in the coaching staff that I have and confidence in the kids. When those two work together we’ll see a product that we all can be proud of and I don’t have to worry about that pressure as much.
GONZO: Have there been former teammates and coaches come to congratulate you on the hire?
SAXON: I’ve gotten a few texts. Coach Mooney texted me. Coach Backus talked to me. There has been a lot and I can’t keep track. I’ve had a lot of former players that I played with congratulate me.
GONZO: What are you looking forward to?
SAXON: There are a lot of things that I’m looking forward to. I really enjoy seeing the kids grow from the first day in spring to the first day in pads to that first game and to that first victory. They can see all that hard work they put in and see that light bulb click when that happens. It’s going to be awesome here Friday night, first game, the band is going to be playing the lights will be on, it’s going to be a really cool moment.
GONZO: Are you going to have an Offensive Coordinator call the plays or are you calling the plays?
SAXON: I will be calling the plays. I have a guy, who I trust that will be in the booth. He and I have been working together for multiple years. At San Marino we won a league championship together. We have the same philosophy and we have the same eye for things.
GONZO: Are you going four wide?
SAXON: Fullback and a Tightend. Go watch the 2005 and 2006 teams at Temple City and thats what you’re going to see. I understand the Temple City kid and I’m going to use that to our advantage.
GONZO: Are your seniors ready to lead?
SAXON: There are guys that I have to set the tone. I have guys that I have to guide the underclassmen to be at that point that I want. We’re going full speed. We are going to push it and I expect us to make some noise. We are ready.
@ ART…….. BELIEVE IT OR NOT WE DID. BEST OF LUCK TC!!! NO APACHES DOWN!!!
@TRi City Saints –
I find that hard to believe that the last 2 years the TRI City Saints tried to reach out to the TCHS football staff.
We were trying to solicit help to rebuild a football program at the youth level but we got no response from the Head Coach at TCHS. We have not gotten any response from any Head Coach at TCHS during the past two years.
If Riley can’t coach he’ll be just another coach at TC who couldn’t get it turned around. I don’t think he can possibly do any worse than the previous coaches. TC administrators know that have to support this hire it almost feels like now or never. Good luck Riles!!! Get this done
It doesn’t matter if you know TC kids or not. Do you know how to coach football is the question. He had been a subpar coach at TC. I think TC is in the same boat as the other coaches. He is a bad hire and he will prove it in the up coming years. TC administration got lazy and hired the easiest person without doing there homework and it will show.
Yes, Desmond reed was form tchs class of 2002-03 and then commuted to USC under coach Mike money. According to former Arcadia hc dimalante, reed was part of the tchs team that ACTUALLY defeated us Arcadia in 2001 at our stadium and that was a hard-fought game…
Link (another is provided-click on my name and it will direct you there):
http://lang.sgvtribune.com/socal/preps/articles/092201/rams.asp
That was now 2 years ago so this is outdated…even though I’m from Arcadia High, but that was 2 years ago…and back then, Castaneda was a walk-on, NOT an on-campus/in-district coach, but things are now changed with TC back to a full-time on-campus head coach which will benefit temple City BIG TIME…Monrovia’s current head coach is now jerry Chou who REPLACED coach Stevens after Stevens left to return home to chino hills when he wanted to coach/teach at a job nearer to his home and under coach Chou, their biggest highlight of success is taking back rio hondo league from San Marino who then took it from Monrovia in 2015 where they were 15-1, 5-0 (fell behind in cif state finals then; Monrovia was 8-4, 4-1 behind SM and that was steven’s second/last year)…coach policky is still around Arcadia entering his 5th year, so…
Best of wishes and of luck to coach Saxon and temple City and much respect to tc, a great neighboring commonity and good school out there…hopefully, tchs’s football program can rejuvenate now…
THE PREMISE FOR STARTING TRI CITY SAINTS POP WARNER PROGRAM WAS TO REBUILD A YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAM FOR THE TRI CITIES OF TEMPLE CITY, ARCADIA AND MONROVIA. WE ALSO INCLUDED MANY OF THE SURROUNDING CITIES WHO DID NOT HAVE A POP WARNER FOOTBALL AND CHEER PROGRAM. WE WANTED IT TO BECOME A FOOTBALL TEAM FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE NEVER SHOWED ANY ALLEGIANCE TO ANY OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE AREA. THE PARENTS ARE FREE TO CHOOSE WHERE THEY WANT THEIR SONS TO PLAY THEIR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL. WE HAVE KIDS ON OUR ROSTERS WHO LIVE IN TEMPLE CITY BUT WILL LIKELY CHOOSE OTHER SCHOOLS FOR THEIR ACADEMIC AND FOOTBALL NEEDS. FROM THE BEGINNING WE REACHED OUT THE TCHS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH (CASTENADA) FOR HIS HELP. BUT HE NEVER RETURNED OUR PHONE CALLS OR EMAILS. HE SEEMED VERY UNINTERESTED IN HELPING US REBUILD THE YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAM. WE REACHED OUT TO COACH STEVENS (MONROVIA HIGH SCHOOL) FOR HIS ASSISTANCE. HE WAS MORE THAN WILLING TO HELP. WE REACHED OUT TO COACH POLICKY (ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL) AND HE WAS ABLE TO PUT US IN CONTACT WITH ARCADIA PARKS AND RECREATION WHICH GRANTED US AHS FIELDS TO PRACTICE AND SALTER STADIUM TO PLAY OUR HOME GAMES. TCHS IS A TOUGH SELL, THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN DOWN FOR SO MANY YEARS. ALL THE QUALITY COACHES EITHER GOT FIRED, QUIT OR MOVED TO BETTER PROGRAMS.
Good luck Coach Saxon.
I do think it is a bit unfair to say that Saxon “Knows” the TC kids better than anyone. Previous coaches knew TC kids and that may have been the problem…not all kids need to be TC kids let alone maybe the TC kids are not as good as they were… Was Desmond Reed a TC kids..hmmm seem to remember him coming from another part of town… and driven in with a certain coach??? Just asking?
As stated by others TC kids are “No More” here are my reasons:
1. demographics- what true “TC football kid” wants to compete academically with the current demos.3.0- 3.5 GPA at TC will get you ranked #200 in a class of 350?
Go to LaSalle, St. Francis or Cathedral and now you can get a good education and play big boy football check out Cathedrals current roster and you will see 6-8 kids are from TC youth football and should geographically be going to TCHS.
2. Too many successful schools in the area that have open enrollment, permits or access to programs that do not offer what TCHS has..i.e. athletic training, sign language etc. many area schools admin. are savvy enough to develop into their curriculum these programs to support the athletic programs for those kids that are thinking of leaving and at the same time foster some sort of athletic competitiveness with-in the area to draw a few more Desmond Reeds.
3. Four coaches in as many years. WOW!! What does that tell the kid and let alone the coaches? Ask any coach in the San Gabriel Valley, assistant coaches are vital!!! Was not Mr. Saxon a coach under those coaches? Yes he was and how much success did he have? I seem to remember his record was about the same as a frosh coach as his predecessors at the varsity level. His assistants will be his lifeline and being on campus helps.
4. Facilities, Facilities, Facilities!!! They stink!!!
5. Mooney booted for well …, Backus for well you know…..McFarland saw the handwriting on the wall, Casteneda was too hard on the kids and Shutterow was hamstrung by years of turmoil. Saxon would be so lucky to have these coaches on his staff and maybe he will.
These are why I feel there are no longer TC kids and oh by the way JOSH O they’ve had horns on their helmets for the past 2 years and they did win a couple games to “earn them”
Good luck to those kids that are TC Kids!!! and to Mr. Saxon
Good luck from MTown
One more thing… Bring back the Horns, and make ’em earn them.
Good job, Gonzo and Riley. As a TC kid I hope only for the best for the program and love that someone who was there in one of its heights is now leading the program again.
Good luck coach
At the youth football level, i always liked the TC kids, they always played hard, and never quit,
I wish upon him all success. A new young coach is good for high school football. There will be growing pains like any other job, it will be crucial how fast he learns and becomes better for it. That being said the 21 offense is for the big boys. He might have to adjust to a more progressive offense.
Nice article… Best of luck to TC!! I am sure the haters will be responding soon, the kid seems to have a good head on his shoulders and a plan.