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DENVER BRONCOS HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE WEEK
Stacy Coryell
School: Class 4A Wheat Ridge Farmers, Mountain League.
Record: 8-2 overall in 2015, went 5-0 to win league; 8-2 career.
Coaching résumé: Assistant at Wheat Ridge from 1991-95, Colorado School of Mines from 2000-07, Wheat Ridge from 2008-10, Green Mountain in 2011, Golden in 2012, Bear Creek in 2013 and Wheat Ridge in 2014. In his first season as the head coach at Wheat Ridge.
Life lines: Age 56. Graduated from Wheat Ridge in 1978. Attended the University of New Mexico from 1978-79. Retired from telecommunications.
Back in his day: Farmers running back from 1974-77; named a Joe Namath National Prep Sports Magazine preseason All-American before his senior season but started to have knee injuries. Played one year of junior varsity football at New Mexico.
Last week: “I’m thrilled for the kids,” Coryell said. “Those seniors have had three coaches in four years.”
In addition to adding stability to the coaching staff, Coryell led the resilient Farmers to a league championship.
Friday, the Farmers kept getting up from the Jefferson County Stadium turf to deal with Denver South. The Farmers trailed 15-0, then 22-7 after three quarters and 28-14 early in the fourth quarter. They also were behind in overtime.
But the Farmers scored twice in the fourth quarter to tie the game, then defeated the Rebels 35-34 in overtime.
“I’m really not surprised about these kids after being there last year,” Coryell said.
Quarterback Gino Tate ran for two touchdowns and passed for another. Payton Dietrich rushed for a touchdown and threw for the winning score off a toss from Tate. Nicco Young caught the game-winner as well as another for a score and finished with eight receptions for 205 yards.
The Farmers will host Fort Collins on Saturday in the Class 4A preliminaries. Coryell hopes his approach will make a difference beyond won-lost results.
“We preach accountability, responsibility and respect, and those are the things we try to hang our hat on,” he said. “And that’s everything — equipment, practice times and grades, everything.” Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post
SUBMIT:
The Denver Broncos high school coach of the week award will have 10 honorees during the regular season and a coach of the year at season’s end. The weekly winners are selected by a committee led by The Denver Post’s Neil H. Devlin, Ring of Fame member Billy Thompson and 850 KOA’s Andy Lindahl. Each weekly winner will receive a $1,000 donation to his school in his name made possible by the NFL Foundation and the coach of the year will receive a $2,000 grant. Coach of the week selections and the coach of the year will be honored during halftime of the Broncos vs. Chargers game Jan. 3.
