New FHS football coach vows stability

By KEITH JIRON 
Sun Sports Staff  Saturday, July 19, 2008

The first person Jeremiah Smith called when he found out Wednesday he was hired as Flagstaff High's new football coach was his father Wayne.

Jeremiah, an Eagles varsity assistant since 2003 and former FHS junior varsity head coach who got his chance with Pat Harlow's resignation, not only wanted to pass along the good news, but say thank you. "I was absolutely ecstatic. It's been a dream of mine to be able to take over a program. And to be able to take over a program like Flagstaff High is even better, and I just wanted to tell him what happened," White said Friday. "Without him raising me the way he did and teaching me the morals I have now, I probably wouldn't be here."

Smith is the school's 16th head football coach since it began playing the sport in 1923, but the fourth since the end of the 2006 season.

In January of 2007, longtime coach FHS Craig Holland's (125-85) contract was not renewed. FHS principal Tony Cullen declined to discuss the details -- with either Holland or the Daily Sun -- citing Flagstaff Unified School District's privacy.

Cullen hired former NFL wide receiver Erik Affholter to replace Holland, but his tenure lasted eight games before resigning.

Harlow, who was a member of Affholter's coaching staff, coached the Eagles for the three remaining games of the regular season and into the first round of the Class 4A, Division II state tournament as the interim coach.

He signed on as head coach last December, but said he was forced to resign due to growing personal reasons.

Smith said he knows the importance stability at the top plays in any successful athletic program.

"All of the kids we have now I've coached since they were freshman. They know I'm not going anywhere," he said. "I want to bring back that sense of stability so (players and fans) know year-in, year-out, they're always going to see my face on the sideline."

He added, "I'm honored just to be part of something Rick Smith started and Craig kept going. Something Erik and Harlow and all of the other great coaches who ever went through Flagstaff High School."

Rick Smith coached the Eagles to four straight Class 4A state titles from 1981 to 1984. Holland, who was a member of Smith's staff in the early to mid-1980s, left as the program's all-time leader in wins with 125.

The newest FHS coach wasn't around to pick Rick Smith's brain for football knowledge, but he said he took full advantage when it came to learning from Holland -- who gave him his start in FHS colors -- Affholter and Harlow.

"I kept my eyes and ears open and tried to soak in as much as I could in the hope that one day I would get this chance and I could put it to good use," he said.

FHS's first practice is just around the corner, but Smith said the team won't have to go through a rocky transition.

"To be honest, I think right now we are where we need top be right now," he said. "The (offense and the) defense are going to (pretty much) be the same as last year, so as far as I can tell, we're right on schedule.

"We're really looking forward to the Kickoff Classic on Aug. 30."

The Eagles will open the 2008 season in the two-day annual event versus Phoenix Moon Valley. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Coconino will play its opener Phoenix Washington at 4 p.m. earlier that day. Sinagua opens its season versus Apache Junction on Aug. 29. Game time is 7 p.m.

Keith Jiron can be reached at kjiron@azdailysun.com or 556-2259.