MidValleySports.Com

By Tim Peterson

(Chino) – Pete Smolin, who has 25 years of coaching experience at the high school level, has been named the new head football coach at Don Lugo he confirmed late Thursday night.

Smolin has 32 years of coaching experience in Pennsylvania, California and Utah, including 24 seasons as a high school head coach and 5 years at the college level. Smolin was most recently the head coach at Granger High School in West Valley City Utah.

Granger just won their first playoff victory in 27 years since 1997 under Smolin in 2024 and again in ’25 with the 2025 season, being the best winning record since 1997.

The prior three seasons Smolin was the head coach at Valley View High School in Moreno Valley, California, where the record had improved every year. 

From 2018 to 2021, Smolin served as the running backs coach at the University of Redlands, the winningest college football program in the state of California. Redlands earned Conference champs and was ranked 11th in the nation in Division 3, with appearances in the NCAA National Playoffs.

Before the University of Redlands, Smolin was the Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Citrus Valley High School in Redlands. Opening the new school, earning a league championship, and making the playoffs all but one year of the 7 seasons with Seniors. Citrus Valley competed in the demanding Citrus Belt league and coached against the current Heisman trophy winner, Jayden Daniels. Under Smolin’s tenure, many Division One players were produced. One player is currently a linebacker at Texas A&M University – Danny Lockhart.

Smolin also served as the Head Football Coach, Dean of Students, and Athletic Director at powerhouse Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary College Preparatory in East Los Angeles, with two league championships and four playoff appearances in five seasons. 

Before that Smolin was the Head Football Coach for two seasons at Bassett High School, with two playoff appearances and a league championship.

Smolin Coordinated Special Teams and coached the Running Backs at Pasadena City College for two seasons. The Lancers had the number one offense in the nation at that time, along with the second-ranked JUCO in the state and produced NFL Running Back Jonathan Smith.

Glendale High School was Smolin’s first experience in California where he served two years as an assistant and three as the head coach at the age of 29.

Smolin came out from Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania where he was an assistant at the top Nationally ranked prep school in the nation and went 12-1. Two veteran NFL players were on that team -Gary Stills and Larry Smith.

Smolin played in college at Division II West Chester University of Pennsylvania where he was a running back. West Chester was the winningest Division II college football program. His teammates were two long-term NFL players, All-Pro Linebacker Lee Woodall and Offensive Lineman Ralph Tamm, both starters for the 1994 Super Bowl Champion 49ers. Smolin was also captain of the rugby team and the leading scorer in his senior year.

Smolin played running back and linebacker, along with wrestling, lacrosse, and track at Cheltenham High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Smolin takes over at Don Lugo for Daniel Robles who stepped down after one season. The Conquistadores went 1-9 last season and missed the playoffs.

“I am incredibly excited and honored to be named the new Head Football Coach at Don Lugo High School. With 32 years of coaching experience, including 25 years as a high school head coach and four years at the junior college and NCAA levels, I feel fully prepared for this opportunity. I am grateful to follow in the footsteps of outstanding leaders such as Coach Gano, who made the move from Los Altos to Don Lugo ten years ago, along with Josh Knight, whom I had the privilege of coaching at the college level, and the many successful coaches who have helped build the strong foundation of this program,” Smolin said.
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“Our culture will be built on focusing on what we can control — our Attitude, Character, and Effort (ACE). We will hold ourselves to the Gold Standard through discipline, consistency, and grit. Our players will be fundamentally sound in ball security, blocking, and tackling. They will be confident in their assignments so they can play fast, physical, and with relentless effort. Don Lugo football has a proud tradition of success. That history, combined with the tremendous potential of our student-athletes, gives us an exciting opportunity to continue building a program that develops young men not only on the field, but in the classroom, in the community, and in preparation for the next level of life.

I am truly grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to get to work.” Smolin added.