MidValleySports.Com

After several area coaching stops Josh night was named the head football coach at Don Lugo this year. Knight played high school and college football locally before going into coaching He already has people taking notice in his first summer at Don Lugo. We had the opportunity to sit down with Coach Knight this week for a Q & A.

MVS: Where did you play your high school football and what position?

JK: I played football for two years at Azusa HS and finished at Baldwin Park HS my last two years (class of 1999). I was a QB and SS. I played for legendary Coach Tony Zane. Learned a ton from Coach Zane about football and life.

MVS: Did you play after high school?

JK: I played QB at PCC for two years under Tom Maher and transferred to West Texas A&M (class of 2002) on scholarship my last two years playing QB/WR.

MVS: When did you decide you wanted to be a coach?

JK: I knew I wanted to coach when I left high school. Coach Tony Zane and his staff taught me so much about the game and I was hooked.

MVS: What was your first coaching job?

JK: My first coaching job was in 2004 as a QB coach at Baldwin Park High School. 2007 at Monrovia under Steve Garrison. 2012-2014 Buena Park under Anthony White. 2015-2017 Arroyo HS under Jim Singiser. 2019-2022 under Ibis Aguilar.

MVS: When you first went to Baldwin Park you were the Athletic Director and then ended up coaching as well. Was your ultimate goal to be a head coach?

JK: When I first went to Baldwin Park HS in 2018 I was hired as the head football coach. When I became Athletic Director they told me I couldn’t be a head coach and AD. I did what I thought was best for the kids at the time. But my goal has always been to be a head football coach.

MVS: What factors led you to taking the head coaching job at Don Lugo?

JK: I have lived in Chino Hills for a long time. I have been waiting for an opportunity to coach in my community at one of the four high schools for awhile now. Nothing like it. It’s a great community with a ton of great families.

MVS: Will your coaching style change at Don Lugo from Baldwin Park with a different program or will your coaching philosophy remain the same?

JK: My coaching style and philosophy will always be the same. I focus on building relationships while teaching the game of football. Football should be fun! My staff and I will put student-athletes in position to be successful, have fun and teach life lessons along the way.

MVS: What coach had the biggest influence on you and why?

JK: I have had the opportunity to play and coach with some great individuals. Tony Zane taught me the pass game. Tom Maher taught me the box (run game a pass pro) along with progression in the pass game. From Steve Garrison I learned how to manage personalities and keeping everyone on the same goal when there is only one football. Anthony White I learned team building and creating competition for everything. Jim Singiser and Chris MacMillan I learned how to make both the offense and defense easy for us and complicated for the opponent. Ibis Aguilar I learned a lot about organization.

MVS: What do you feel will be your biggest challenge at Don Lugo?

JK: Just building a winning culture. It’s fun when you are winning. When things are not going our way in a football game, how are we going to respond. We have more than enough talent. But they haven’t won here yet. We need to make it a habit. We need to be able to respond when there is adversity.

MVS: There has already been a buzz this summer with the Don Lugo program. How does the squad look so far? Who are your key players coming into the 2023 campaign?

JK: The kids have bought in to what the staff and what we are teaching. I’m very happy with the progression this team has made during the short spring and summer. We look great in T-shirt and shorts. Now it’s time to make the next step and play some real football.

Key players:

Elijah Montijo RB Sr.

Gavin Hrynezuk WR/DB Sr.

Blake LaPorte WR/DB. So.

Sam Plunkett QB/DB/WR Jr.

Kalib Pacheco QB Jr.

Boe Canty RB/LB Sr.

Anthony Borbon OL/DL Sr.

Jayden Ruiz OL/DL Jr.

Noah Peck WR/DB Sr.

Connor Carver LB Sr.

Shane Biggs LB/RB Jr.