WEEKLY BLOG: 1/8/22

The first month of the new year is usually a quiet one on the football front. Aside from assisting in the recruitment of their current roster to colleges, it's a time to begin lifting sessions and some speed workouts.

At Perry, however, this next few weeks will shape the future of the Chandler District school located in Gilbert. It was just about a month ago that Preston Jones announced his retirement from coaching.

According to Perry assistant principal and athletic director Jennifer Burks, there have been 60 applicants for the vacant head coaching position. Of those, the committee plans to interview at least five beginning on Monday and Tuesday of the coming week. The hope is to find the best one and take that candidate to the governing board at the January 26 district meeting for approval.

"We are looking forward to a head coach who can be successful in the very strong 6A Conference and the Premier Region," Burks said in an e-mail interview. "But more than wins and losses, we are looking for someone who can build relationships with students, staff, and the community, while maintaining a strong sense of integrity within the program."

I also talked with a pair of seniors in the program and both echoed the brotherhood within the team and the relationships that get built with the players and coaches that lead to the happiest moments of playing high school football.

"We all spent so much time together that everyone was familiar with each other," senior wide receiver Ian Nieto said in an e-mail interview. "Nobody was a stranger. We all made bonds that will last a lifetime."

Nieto has an offer from Lewis & Clark University and senior defensive end Steven Kennedy Jr. has three offers, including a recent Division II one from Western Colorado.

"It really felt like I had a group of people who would always have my back," Kennedy Jr. said in an e-mail interview. "I'm going to miss playing football with them."

Jones came to Perry in 2007 when the school opened from Highland, where he was the head coach for five seasons. The Pumas played their first varsity game in 2008 (with an independent schedule). Over the next 13 seasons, Perry made the playoffs 11 times capped by trips to the 6A final in 2017 and 2018. Jones compiled a record of 90-67 in his 14 years at the helm.

"Our community expects that our programs compete with the best teams and are working toward a state championship every year," Burks said. "They also expect that our student-athletes develop positive character traits, are strong in the classroom, and follow the ideals of educational athletics."

I've heard through the rumor mill that there are some big-name head coaches that could be changing schools and taking one of the many openings in the state. In Jones' most productive run from 2016-2019, a prominent passing game (the Pumas averaged 300.9 yards during those four years) led to some high scores and a lot of victories. Perhaps that could be the direction the school goes.

"I would say that Perry should be open-minded with its recruitment process (for a new coach)," Nieto said. "I am not too sure what they are looking for in a new coach, probably someone who will match the new pass-heavy form of football that is becoming so popular."

In addition to the form of offense that they want to run, the new coach also must be able to build a culture and may encounter some growing pains. Perry rebounded from an 0-6 season in 2020 to finish 3-8 last season. The Pumas arguable played the toughest schedule in the state as nine of their 10 opponents made the playoffs and four of those were in the Open Division tournament. Perry's wins came against Desert Vista, Mountain Pointe, and Pinnacle - all of which were 6A playoff teams. The difficult schedule (and the wins) got the Pumas into the playoffs as the No. 15 seed. Helping matters will be a large pool of students to pick from as Perry ranks No. 8 in the state in enrollment with 3,163.

"Some of the characteristics that Perry should be looking for in the next head coach is a hard worker that is patient, understanding, supportive, and outgoing," Kennedy Jr. said. "I feel like Coach Jones was all of those things and I would want the next coach to be there for future players."

While the Pumas' rival, Basha, found success by moving out of the Premier Region and into the Central Region over the last two seasons, Perry doesn't plan to follow suit. Conference realignments should be finalized on Jan. 18 (Perry will remain 6A) and regions in February. Perry's opponents in the Premier Region are district rivals Chandler, Hamilton, and Casteel along with Highland. Chandler and Hamilton made the Open Division finals and semifinals, respectively. Highland won the 6A Conference bracket and Casteel was also a playoff team.

"We would like to stay in the Premier Region," Burks said. "It's extremely competitive and we believe that we belong there."

I asked Nieto and Kennedy about some players to watch for in the 2022 season. On offense, Nieto said to look out for Kolton Coleman, Jaxsen Young, Jack Amer, Brock Ford, and Bo Hall.

Coleman, just a sophomore, averaged 22.4 yards on kick returns with a touchdown last season and totaled 604 yards. Young and Ford are junior receivers that combined for 572 yards and two touchdowns. It appears Jack Amer will be in the hunt for the starting quarterback position. He's 6-2 and 200 pounds and completed 8-of-11 passes in the five games he had attempts in. Amer also looks like a dual threat as he ran for 260 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Hall is a junior lineman that can play center and guard.

On defense, Kennedy Jr. said players we should be watching are Aiden Herring, CJ Snowden and Coleman.

In addition to his kick returning, Coleman is a lockdown corner. Herring is a 6-3, 230-pound defensive end, and Perry's best college prospect, who had 57 tackles and 12 sacks. Snowden, a junior cornerback, had 26 tackles and 10 pass breakups.

While it will feel like the start of a new era when the next coach is named, there are some things PHS has built in its 14 years of varsity football.

"Perry has a strong tradition of community support, student participation, and athletic achievement," Burks said. "We plan to grow from this foundation year after year."

Reach Chris Eaton at gridironarizona@yahoo.com or DM at @gridironarizona with story ideas.

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