School: Class 4A Durango Demons, 5A-4A Southwestern League.
Record: 7-0 overall, 2-0 league; first head-coaching job.
Coaching resume: Assistant at Moon Valley High School, Phoenix, 1990; Northern Arizona administration, including working with quarterbacks and hosting camps and clinics, 1995-2003; youth football camps, 2004-07; assistant at Phoenix Brophy Prep, 2008.
Lifelines: Age 42, native of Phoenix. Graduated from Moon Valley, 1985, and Northern Arizona, 1989; earned degree in business finance. Works at Durango Mountain Resort as a financial analyst.
Back in his day: Quarterback at Moon Valley, 1981-84, and Northern Arizona 1986-89, all-Big Sky Conference and NCAA Div. I-AA All- America second team. Had tryouts with the San Francisco 49ers and London Monarchs.
Last week: After Kaelen Waters intercepted a pass at the goal line with less than a minute to play on Friday night to preserve a 19-14 victory over 5A Grand Junction, the Demons moved closer to their first outright league title since 1995; they tied with Central (G.J.) for the 1997 Southwestern crown. The Demons are undefeated in 2009 after going 0-10 in 2008. They were 3-17 the past two seasons, but they’re currently tickling one of Colorado’s popular resort towns with a dramatic turnaround.
“Everybody around here has gotten pretty excited,” Wyatt said. “There’s a lot of activity in Durango, but this is something for people to talk about again.”
It was Waters’ second interception of the game. Running back Gus Barnes and linebacker Gus Singley also turned in big efforts for the Demons, who were outgained by nearly 100 yards and converted only 1-of-11 third downs.
Durango dressed just 28 players the previous week in a victory over Fruita Monument, the Demons’ first over the Wildcats in 12 years, and only 30 against the Tigers.
“The numbers have been a problem,” Wyatt said. “Recent history has made it more difficult. But the kids have been responsive. They just needed some confidence. I knew they had the ability to turn it around.”
Durango next gets Fossil Ridge in 4A nonleague, then will finish in the Southwestern against Central (G.J.) and Montrose. They are on target for their first postseason since 2001.
“It has been a lot of work with more to do,” Wyatt said. “But we’ve been very fortunate that the kids have bought into it.”
Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post
The Denver Broncos high school coach of the week award, in its 14th year, will have 10 honorees during the regular season. NFL Charities will present $1,000 to the school’s program. Durango’s Greg Wyatt joins Manzanola’s James Lopez, Eaglecrest’s Tom Doherty, Liberty’s Jaron Cohen, Chatfield’s Bret McGatlin, Castle View’s Ryan Hollingshead and Rock Canyon’s Tom Lynch as winners in 2009. A coach of the year will be announced at the Broncos’ final home game, against the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 3 at Invesco Field at Mile High, and receive $2,000. The coaches are picked by a panel consisting of Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post; Billy Thompson, the Broncos; and Andy Lindahl, KOA 850 AM.
