Sean McDonald
Staff Writer
After a successful 2015 campaign, Mira Costa’s football program will add some coaching depth next season in the form of a new running back coach, Josh Waybright, the former head coach of South Torrance High School.
Waybright was at the helm of South Torrance High School’s football program for thirteen years until he was dismissed at the close of the last season due to his alleged tobacco usage, despite leading the team to a 7-3 overall record in 2015.
“I think he is a good addition for the team this season,” junior linebacker Jordan Fischer said. “His accomplishments at South show he is a skilled coach and I think he can help a lot.
Waybright spent five years as an assistant for the South High football team and then served as head coach for 13 years. He had coaching stints with teams such as Lakewood and Narbonne before that and he earned the Daily Breeze Coach of the Year Award for the 2010 season.
“We are coming off of one our best years in a quite some time,” junior quarterback David Arredondo said. “I think our team will only get better with a new addition to the staff.”
Waybright has remained as a physical education teacher at South Torrance High School after his dismissal in January from the football team. Some of the returning varsity players are in rugby right now, but the players in spring football have had some interaction interaction with him since he is now helping out the team.
“I just came back from a year of not playing and I have already noticed that he really knows what he is talking about and has a lot of knowledge to share,” junior linebacker Brogan Tyrer said.
The running back slot is likely to be filled by junior Kevin Russell or sophomore Brian Laudermilk. The two might also form a split backfield as the next season starts up, so both should look to benefit from a new coaching perspective due to Waybright’s ground and pound play calling style.
“He is a strong coach overall but I really think he will improve our running game as he has already proven he can do it with other schools,” Fischer said.
Head Coach Don Morrow actually has some experience with Waybright, as he coached him when Waybright was in high school at South Torrance. Waybright’s impact is sure to be felt as the Mustangs gear up for another solid year of football in Bay League.
“He’s the type of person who’s willing to put in the work, and that comes from a love of the game. He had as much passion as anyone I’ve ever coached,” Morrow said.
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