Gilroy has hired Brian Boyd as its head football coach, GHS athletic director Julie Berggren announced Thursday.
“We are very excited,” Berggren said. “Brian brings a sense of emotion and dedication to the program that will serve our athletes and community well.”
Boyd served as an assistant coach the previous two seasons with the Mustangs and takes over for Steven Lo, who spent one season at the helm.
“I’m excited, anxious, all those things,” Boyd said by phone Thursday. “Lo left a good start for me. This program is headed in the right direction and it’s full-steam ahead from here.”
Boyd is Gilroy’s fourth head coach since 2008, and he said that what the program desperately needs is stability, which was one of the major factors in his decision to apply for the job.
“Four head coaches in fives years doesn’t work,” he said. “These kids need something stable, and I’m stable. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not looking to bring this program to the top then leave or anything like that. I’m staying in Gilroy.”
The Mustangs went 4-6 in 2011, losing their final four games of the season. They have missed the playoffs each of the last two years.
“To not make the playoffs here at this school is unacceptable,” Boyd said sternly. “We are going to play at least 11 games every year. This 10-game thing isn’t enough.”
Boyd’s son, Brandon, became Gilroy’s first 1,000-yard rusher (1,128,) in six seasons en route to being named co-Sophomore of the Year in 2011. Boyd, who coached five years with the Gilroy Browns Pop Warner teams, also has an older son, a 2010 GHS graduate, and a son in the sixth grade. He has held the same full-time job for 20 years, and has a schedule that will allow him to be on campus by 2 p.m. every day.
GHS will play in the newly formed Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division alongside San Benito, Salinas, Palma, Alvarez, Monterey and Christopher.
“We are going to compete every time we step on the field,” Boyd said, touching on some of the changes that will come. “We are going to get better defensively. We have to stop the ball – that’s where we struggled last year. We have some great kids coming back.”
Spring practice starts May 14.
