Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:09 Welcome to the SB live California podcast. I'm your host Connor. Morrisette got another great guest on tap today. I'm at PMA St. PS 10 St. Matthias academy with head football, coach dev Thomas Dubai. You made the championship game in division seven of the Southern section in year one. You're coming into year two. I got a ton of stuff I wanna ask you, but how are you doing coach? How's the off season treating you?
Speaker 2 00:00:30 Oh, I'm blessed, man. I'm just, just blessed. Highly favor. Just glad to be here, man. I'm doing all right.
Speaker 1 00:00:34 It it's great to see you. Um, I covered your game against Receda last year and you guys had the great, uh, deep playoff run. So that was really cool to see what was year one like for you as a head coach? I know you've been here as an assistant before, but having the program all to yourself as head coach, what was that like?
Speaker 2 00:00:49 Year one was overwhelming. I mean, I couldn't have done it without a great admin of course, great assistant coaches and, and my two associate head coaches, coach SHA fields and coach Russell Shaw. He was, uh, I mean, those two guys played a pivotal role in my success this year. They older than me. They're my big brothers, but they kept me saying they kept me tame. But my other sister coaches just, I mean, I just delegated a lot and, and, and it was, and I've been around guys that I trust guys that I know, and they wanted me to be successful. And we did this together.
Speaker 1 00:01:21 Yeah. A staff here, you guys have a great situation. August 23rd, you get that first win or Xavier prep. I believe it's always tough to get win. Number one, what was your emotion like after that first victory,
Speaker 2 00:01:33 Man, the game was going backwards and forwards. I'm like, I don't know how this game gonna go. But our guys that pulled through, man, they, they settled down. They bought in, it was just a relief. Like, Ooh, I got that monkey off my back. So, so that first win was, I mean, it was joyful, man, the guys, they just, they just, they just executed the game plan and did all the right things at the right time. And it worked out for us.
Speaker 1 00:01:55 What were some things you learned last year? Again, you were around this program a lot as an assistant, but being a head coach, what'd you learn?
Speaker 2 00:02:02 I learned that it's not easy being a head coach. I think it looks easy cuz it's like, okay, we are doing this cuz I'm one of those assistants that kind of take a lot off my head coach, cuz I'm just so I mean, if I'm in the program, I'm all the way in I'm I'm I'm all in. So I mean the head coach delegate a lot to me cuz you know, I'll be the, the assistant coach be the first one last one to leave. Just uh, make sure the guy's on task on point, but just year one being the head coach, just knowing just all the responsibilities off the field, the budgeting, the, the budgets, the meetings, the, the parent meetings. You gotta get a team mom team meal. You gotta make sure the bus on time. You gotta just it's the communication with the, with your ad and things like that. It just, it was a lot man that I was like, man, this is overwhelming a little bit, but you know, but you know, everybody knew it was my first year. Know how much I love these student athletes. So they helped me get it done.
Speaker 1 00:02:59 And I think sometimes when you do something for the first time, that first year's tough, but now you know what it takes and year two, are you feeling a little bit more comfortable? Yes <laugh> that's awesome. So last season you get all the way to the division seven championship game. It didn't go your way against Aquinas, but what did it mean to you to get to a title game in year one?
Speaker 2 00:03:17 It, it was a blood cause I know, I mean the schools I've been at been kind of I've, I've always been a small private school setting guy. I mean the big school thing I can handle it, but I've just, I mean, guys just blessed me to always be at the small private school setting from being at ver day to Bishop Moore, Allegion high school to here. I never had over 400 of 50 kids in the school. You know, I've been at two all boys schools and this is my first one as co-ed and just to have 440 kids in the school and maybe only 35 is athletic. Co-ed both. And just to coach 'em up and get 'em going and just, just get them to have that Supreme confidence to buy in to what you, of teaching and to go and compete week in and week out was just a blessing.
Speaker 2 00:04:04 I was just like, wow, these, these, these guys are really buying in and they really getting tougher by the week and, and they going out there and just man, they just executing the game plan. They listening to what we teaching them. So man, it was a, it was a joyful season, a blessing, man. I feel like we still overachieve for year one. Like it's a lot of coaches in year one. Don't go only coach. I know maybe winning year one. And one was my great friend and my mentor, Eric Scott at LA high, he went everywhere. He go, he's a great coach. He's one of my mentors. He's currently the receiver coach in past game coordinator, sister head coach at San Jose state. So I look up to coach E Scott a lot.
Speaker 1 00:04:41 Yeah, he's done a great job recruiting guys from smaller schools, especially in the LA city section. I, I always like to watch San Jose state cause you know, some great local guys will be playing last season, 46, 43, winning against MI Costa and the semi-finals. And there's a great photo. You praying on your knees after the game. It you're praying, but it's just the looks like the game took so much outta you. And, and uh, I just saw that photo on Instagram and people were congratulating you that, that had a million likes <laugh> what was your emotion after that game? I had to take a ton outta you.
Speaker 2 00:05:13 Yeah, it was just man, just the whole day. Just that adversity from them calling saying we can't show up at four o'clock or normal game day ritual. We have to delay our bus ride to make us get dressed outside. It was just a lot adversity that we faced that day and our guys overcame it and they just really just was dialed in. And I mean to, to be honest, the score wasn't the game. We dominated them from start to finish at halftime. It was 40 to 15. Okay. The kind of, I'm not going to talk about rest, but they kind of got some love a little bit okay. On a couple calls to make it more competitive, but we just, our guys were just physical all night man, and just playing to a high level to, it was just, I was just so proud of them kids just to see like, wow, we really going to the championship in year one, just, just, just drop down to my knees and thank God man.
Speaker 2 00:06:04 And also pay homage to my late grandmother, man. She played a pivotal role in my life and really was the first person that believed in me in this coaching ministry was her, you know, cuz she started the little lead, the LA sheriff. So she always is big in a football thing. So I kind of took that from her and I'm doing it in the high school thing. This is my ministry. You, you know, just helping these young men and, and, and becoming better young men, you know, like becoming great men, great fathers, great husbands, you know, just great people. So that's what we are instilling. It's not just about just winning football, our games. It's about creating great people, you know, and that's what we big on man. Accountability, me and my coaches. We're big on that, but just, I just have to thank God and, and thank my grandmother. My two late brothers that's that's in heaven also. And Johnny Ray, Thomas Jr. And David, Elijah Thomas, and my two big brothers resting peace and also my uncle, Jesse Harris, man, those, those four people, man. I, I, I pay ho to every game I get by myself and kind of just pray and tell them I love 'em. I know they, you, you know, they're watching down on me and things like that. And I go out there and just try to just execute the game plan.
Speaker 1 00:07:11 How'd you get to your start in coaching. You got here in 2017, but what'd you do before?
Speaker 2 00:07:15 Uh, I was at Allegion high school about 10 years, but I started coaching at verum day. The year before I got to Legion, it was from my cousin Rico. Martin kind of forced me to coach. I didn't know what I was doing. I was just in school, a young guy in school. I, I, I really didn't want to coach, but he kind of, he kind of forced me to coach. So I was just like, then I started liking, but then we had got, let go at verum day. And from there I was at a camp. I had a bunch of kids that wanted to come to verum day. I just started just going out to the pot Warner and getting our name out there. And people started taking the liking to me, had a bunch of kids that was ready to go to verum day, but we got let go.
Speaker 2 00:07:54 And I went to Legion through coach Angello Jackson. I had add ad, went to Salian high school for a year, but I didn't know the coaches. And then just so happened. I ran into a guy that I know coach Jackson, lo Jackson. Who's another great mentor of mine. He got the offensive coordinator job. He got me on as a, a, a lower level coach. And man, I just elevated from there. Just kept getting better. Just kept grinding every day. I, I wasn't trying to miss a day. I was just grinding, grinding, grinding. I mean, that's what I tell people. I really crawl before I walk in this coaching game. You know what I'm saying? So, I mean, that's how I got there to Allegion. And eventually coach Jackson had took over and he became the head coach and he made me, he still was caught the plays, but I was like his co OC.
Speaker 2 00:08:37 He was grooming me and we ended up winning first championship during school history. So I mean me, him and coach Anthony Atkins is currently the head coach. Now us three, just kind of just, just, just put our heads together. We had a, a father, son relationship with coach Jackson and we just built that thing up and got better and up. We had about, I had about 45 guys go in and out there to college. We got about three currently in the, in the NFL playing professional football. And it's just been a blessing. We just been helping these guys and guys getting better. They come back, they come here and visit me. They love me. We, we still in communication. So it's just a blessing, just helping these young men and seeing them just to change their family narrative and going to college.
Speaker 1 00:09:17 Who are some of those NFL guys?
Speaker 2 00:09:19 We have Keshawn Nixon currently with the green bay Packers, the Amador Leor currently with San Francisco 49ers. We also have, uh, Kiano he's in the us L with the Pittsburgh team. You know what I'm saying? Those three guys, we had Jermaine Kelly that played for the, he got drafted by the Houston, Texas and was with the 49ers of last year of, uh, when they went to the super bowl the last time. But now he's, uh, he's currently a free agent in the CFO. So we got about four or five guys that made it professionally, man. It is a blessing. So
Speaker 1 00:09:53 Did you say that before you really got into coaching? You weren't sure if you wanted to do
Speaker 2 00:09:57 It? I didn't. I, I kind of didn't want to, I'm like, man, I wanna do, you know, I was kind of still young. I don't wanna deal with my high school kids, man. And now I love it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:10:05 Cause I
Speaker 2 00:10:05 Was gonna say around with
Speaker 1 00:10:06 It, you, you strike me as a guy who this has been the plan all along, but that's interesting. So what was your plan? If it wasn't coaching what you want to do,
Speaker 2 00:10:12 Man? I wanted to be actor.
Speaker 1 00:10:14 Okay.
Speaker 2 00:10:14 Yeah. I wanted to get an act. Think, kind of do some commercial, something like that. Be a comedian <laugh> I like to laugh and things like that. But at the same time, this is my calling man. This is what I need to do.
Speaker 1 00:10:25 Yeah. How happy are you years removed that you made this choice?
Speaker 2 00:10:29 Uh, man, I'm I'm, I'm, I'm blessed. I met a lot of great people doing this football thing. I mean a lot of celebrities and things like that. We became and me being like, wow, that's that's that's them on TV that man sitting on the living room couch with 'em just chilling on a normal day. So it's crazy, man. Like, you know, I have, I, my best friend, like one of my best friends is probably gonna be in the NFL first ball hall of Famer and Richard Sherman. So me and him slept in the same bed together, head to toe. You know what I'm saying? To see him do what he did in Seattle, win super bowls and be on TV and me and him get together and be wrestling in hotel room. You know what I'm saying? We be in there wrestling, like we still eight years old, you know that dude love a play to have a great time. He got a podcast going that I think is gonna be like successful. I think he gonna be a great NFL commentator one day, but just, I mean, just people like that. It's just, it's just a blessing.
Speaker 1 00:11:19 What's your best Richard German story from growing up with him?
Speaker 2 00:11:24 My best Richard Sherman's story. Uh, well, one time, me and him, his mom told him come straight home, but I bribe them to come to my house and I got him in trouble. <laugh> that's one story. Then also we, we had to dress up for Halloween. He wears PI Warner uniform, but he always was ashy. He never liked to put on lotion still. Don't like to put on lotion, but he's always ashy, man. That's my bro. We always laugh and talk. But last, I think two birthdays ago I was in Las Vegas and he flew out there and showed me a good time. We, we had a great time. Me, him, Julio Jones and Todd girly. It was a good time. So those guys, they kind of made my birthday, want to, uh, to remember
Speaker 1 00:12:06 That's amazing. The people who are listening to this based on what you've already said, they, they underst in how much you care as a football coach, just based on your answers so far. But that's something that stuck out to me covering your program and even covering the program before you were the head coach. I know you're routinely checking in on kids in the classroom. You're always promoting your guys. Like you said, first one in last one to leave. That's a reputation that, you know, not just anyone had as what does it mean to you? That, that you've earned this. And to me, you're, you're one of the hardest working coaches in the business and a guy who I'm on the media side, but I have the utmost respect for, because I know how hard you work and how hard you grind. What does it mean to have that reputation?
Speaker 2 00:12:48 I mean, it's, it's kind of just it's, it's a, it is a saying, we say, I, I don't know. They wanna say slang or what, but it's not, it's not on you. It's in you. You know? So I, I, I mean, I just feel it's in me to just be, I'm just a genuine person in general. Like, I'll take the sh the jacket off my back. If you shivering and give it to you, I'd rather see you happy than me being happy. Don't mean that much than me. I like to see other people happy. I like to see like other people be successful because you know what I'm saying? The, the struggle I grew up in, like I grew up in poverty. I grew up with with just me and my mom. You know what I'm saying? I know my brothers and my father was around, but it wasn't like that.
Speaker 2 00:13:24 My mom did everything. Rob Peter to pay Paul to take care of me. That's why I give her the, I give her flowers or why she here a living, you know what I'm saying? I try to take care of her as much as possible or mom, don't worry about that. I got it. I'll take care of it. Uh, I just feel like man, just, I mean, just, just coming from the rough neighborhoods I grew up in and in tough south central and in the, in the Dreama village and things like that, I grew up in, in two, in two different housing projects, bloods and Crips, you know? And it was just tough for me. You know what I'm saying? My family, it was, it was tough. A lot of my family members, I got an uncle that's doing about 35 years in prison. He just now about to come home in another five years.
Speaker 2 00:14:01 I haven't saw, I haven't haven't I haven't hugged my uncle and man, like, since I've been born almost, you know what I'm saying? So it's just like, it's just, it, it just CRA I just try to change that narrative, you know? So I'm like, man, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm trying to show kids and let kids know that you can make it out. These poverty areas. Like you don't have to make excuse. You know what I'm saying? Let's get results. I'm not about excuses. I'm about results. So if I can make it out, then, then you can, I had it rough as you or rougher, but I'm not making that. No, excuse. You know what I'm saying? So I'm just, I'm big on the not making excuses let's get results. Like you can be a cool guy, still be at, you know what I'm saying? You don't have to be a rapper to just be cool or just, or just be an athlete.
Speaker 2 00:14:42 Like I want my guys in ASB. I want my guys to be the school president. That's cool too. Like, that's, it is bigger than just football, you know? Or it's bigger than just sports. Let's take care of these academics. Let's be on the, on the honor society. You know what I'm saying? I, I want my guys to participate in everything in school. Like we are the leaders at campus. We start the school year off every year. We the face of the school. So I just try to instill that Supreme confidence in these guys. And it's been working a lot of guys been buying and in man, I, I think the blessing to me over the years is guys see how, how truthful I am and, and, and how much I care to where they're buying in now. You know what I'm saying? The guy buying in, they don't, they don't second.
Speaker 2 00:15:22 Guess me? Or, oh, like, like coach D just kept like, no, like coach D solid. He got us, man. If you say he got it, he got it. I hate, I hate disappointing kids, man. I'm not big on that. I don't like lying. I don't like I'm, I'm just not a guy to, to go on my word. When it come to kids, man, you know what I'm saying? Like kids and elderly people got a soft spot in my heart. Always, you know what I'm saying? My grandma, I love her death. And then like my players, I love them. Those two got, you know, they got me, you know? So that's pretty much it.
Speaker 1 00:15:51 You sort of answered my next question, which is how, how tough is it sometimes to get kids to buy in. But I think you've been so consistent with it that now you're, you're seeing that it ISN. Isn't that tough.
Speaker 2 00:15:59 It's it's some, it's some guys that are kind of like, like test the waters. But I mean, like, I, I just let 'em know it, it is not a dialogue. I'm not asking you. I'm telling you, you know, it, it is not like I'm telling you to go snatch a purse or go to take something out the store. I'm I'm telling you something that's gonna help you in life. Cuz we want to build great husbands. We wanna build great fathers. We wanna build great men. So these are the steps that you have to take. Adversity comes with this. You know what I'm saying? Adversity comes with this. Like you, you gotta have a little adversity. If you wanna be like successful has been a, a success story without any type of adversity, you know? So you just have to be able to face adversity, face it and keep grinding. Don't give up. You know, that's pretty much it
Speaker 1 00:16:44 Amazing. So division 14, couple years ago, and then last year with
Speaker 2 00:16:48 The couples in there <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:16:51 Last year with the new playoff format, you have such a great regular season and it bounces you all the way up to division seven. And I'll be honest when I saw you guys in division seven, I, I thought, okay, you know, they'll maybe win a couple games here or there. I didn't expect a championship run. So you go all the way to the
Speaker 2 00:17:04 Championship. A lot of people didn't man. It's it's okay. You still a fan of you still love you. You still love.
Speaker 1 00:17:10 But again, you know, you're running to a buzz on Aquin is 66 14 in the title game. It's probably not a division 17. What as a smaller school coach, what are your thoughts on how the Southern section does it now? Where you don't know what division you ran until after the regular season's over?
Speaker 2 00:17:26 I, I mean, I, I get, I, I guess the guys that's been stand up and doing it the right way is getting punished for guys that may be tanking it and, and letting the good guys, just sit out the fire games and then put 'em in there for league and blowing people out. Cuz you, cuz you kind of, uh, know the divisions you're going to. But I mean, I still think that they should take a consideration. Some of the small schools and the numbers being co-ed only having 400 kids and you only getting 28 to 30 guys that come out to play man like football and I'm playing against a school with 2,500 kids to pick from. It's a big difference. You know, like we played against some schools got 1800, 2000 kids and we 420 and only 30, 35 is playing and maybe only 20 is athletic.
Speaker 2 00:18:10 You know what I'm saying? And, and physical enough, I'm not here to cut anybody, put nobody down. Cause that's not me. You know what I'm saying? I want everybody to, to leave no child behind, but it's like, come on, man. I can't just put no kid out there that I know, go get the pounce on and hurt, you know? And I'm trying to take care of the little guys I got that gotta go both of ways and make sure that don't get hurt. So I mean, I feel like they should still take in consideration school sizes and things like that. I mean, I, I, I don't even know the format on what they're going off of to pick the divisions. It's just like you beat this team and they ranked high, like man, that CA I mean, I don't know. I never got into the Cal prep run.
Speaker 2 00:18:49 Cause I don't know. I never, I never emailed them so they don't have to put me on blast. I know some people was emailing, oh, can you drop my ranking? And things like that. That's never been me. But I mean, I just feel like I, I think school side should play a factor in that to a certain extent. It should be a lot of things, man. Just like your league play. Like, like if I'm playing my league is not as tough as you throw me again to let's just say AMA the first round, like, come on, man. Like you setting me and my kids up for failure. Like, I'm not saying like we gonna go in there and compete. Of course. Cause our pride is long. But come on, man. Like we don't have to resources to, to play these schools, but we just gonna keep competing, man. All I can instill in my guys is competition breed champions. We was gonna show up and compete.
Speaker 1 00:19:35 I didn't picture you as someone who would email the nah,
Speaker 2 00:19:38 Man, I kept, I was like, man, I thought that was gonna put those people on blast in schools. They did like man, like let us hear it.
Speaker 1 00:19:45 What was your favorite memory from last season? Does anything in particular stick out?
Speaker 2 00:19:50 Oh, our favorite memory I think was our best memory was maybe the quarter finals game against R hon prep. Man. We had this communication with the bus company.
Speaker 1 00:20:01 Okay. That's not. So
Speaker 2 00:20:02 We was here at three o'clock, 18 mill did walkthroughs and we probably didn't get on the bus to 6 45 to go to real hon prep. So the game had to get delayed cuz the bus company was so late and we got off the bus and had to like hurry up and get taped and get out there and play. And it was a, it was a battle man. And we end up, I mean we came out on top, but, but that small school was ready to play, man. Them dudes was physical and they stuck with what they do. And I think that was a, was more the big moment just them. Cause they just beat a big charter Oak school the week before. And I'm like, wow, they beat charter Oak. Like man, we got our hands full, you know? And I played against them when I was atele twice. They beat us in the semifinal game. My first year, as in the year for us to win the championship, we beat them in the semifinals by touchdown. Like those guys always come to play that school. Is they greater at what they do? They don't, they don't have a lot of guys, but they gonna be physical and they gonna be tough. Cause the coach does a great job at real hon prep.
Speaker 1 00:21:02 He does that. Absolutely. Mark Carson, I think is his name. He does. I think it's
Speaker 2 00:21:06 Either was a coach before. Yeah. They, they do a great job. Yeah,
Speaker 1 00:21:09 Absolutely. So from the Camino real league to the Delray league this year, what do you expect with the, the new league format? Uh, or not new league format, new league in general? Uh, this season, it seems like it's a step up for you guys and should it should provide some good competition.
Speaker 2 00:21:23 Yeah, it should be some good competition, some good schools in there. It just wait to see what St burner's gonna do. Cause right now they're in our league, but the rest of the teams are pretty good. It's gonna be a battle weekend a week out. We know like Harvard west, like my guy, coach Carson is he is the OOC over there. Uh, Genevie the head coaches, my guy, I helped, I, I helped him with, with his running back that committed to San Jose. I told San Jose about him, my play against him. Like this dude is still to go get this dude. And they went and offered him. So that was big. And lasal does a great job out there in Pasadena competing and St Anthony's is down the street. They, they definitely go compete. Coach. Laura does a great job. He gave us our first loss this year. So, so coach Laura got those guys playing tough too. He did a great job too. His first year in year one also. Oh,
Speaker 1 00:22:08 How do you know coach Carlson? The old Canoga park head coach now at Harvard west lake.
Speaker 2 00:22:12 Oh man. Through through through 7 0 7 back in the day, man. That's one of my guys, man. Me.
Speaker 1 00:22:17 He's a good dude.
Speaker 2 00:22:17 Yeah. Great guy, man. Me and him is so tight. It's solid. I know his brother. I know his nephew played for him like that. Family's a great family.
Speaker 1 00:22:25 What's your goal for this upcoming season?
Speaker 2 00:22:27 My goal for the as upcoming season is just, is just to maintain and man let's maintain. Let's be man. You see our schedule beat up. Your schedule is legit. Oh yeah. We got banning. Now John me St. Marie of St. Joseph Bishop.
Speaker 1 00:22:43 Diego's good.
Speaker 2 00:22:44 And St. Francis, they play championship. That's St. Francis. So we got, we got our hands full here. You know what I'm saying? So we just trying to just be more competitive compete cuz, cause we know the microscope is on us. So just kind of just how these guys, just man, just fundamentally ready mentally and physically and go out here and compete. Let's put on the show.
Speaker 1 00:23:06 The good news for you guys is you bring back Jordan Shaw, you bring back dear bar. How, how excited are you to work with some guys who had a huge impact a year ago?
Speaker 2 00:23:13 Man, those two guys are man. They the, I mean like they, the one, two punch man, like we bring back. I mean those two, we bring back the Jordan mini, uh, that was a great star for us. Uh, Kevin Johnson to be a star for big D lineman, Dale, VA Herbert, a big time lineman, Devon Mata, big time lineman, ache luon, a big time lineman. We bring back chase boxy linebacker, our team, defensive MVP, Christian Harris come back. And we got a lot of eternal man. I mean, we got some new coming guys that came in that want to be a part of something. Great. So we waiting to see what they do. Like, you know what I'm saying, to see how they, how they contribute. But those kids, they, they hear, you know what I'm saying? They loyal, they stay down and they, and they hungry, man.
Speaker 2 00:23:57 They wanna show the world that this, that this small PMA that we, somebody that they gonna respect. So man, they got that same. I mean they got their coaches mentality, man. Like, like respect is earned, not given. So let's go take it. Like we plant some big times seven oh sevens. We had one May 14th. That milli again, the big one. Okay. So we'll be in that. We'll be, we'll play at Sarah twice. I think once in June and once in July on they Wednesdays to do the big thing. Cause Scott does a great job with that. I'm trying, trying to get in the battle of the beaches and all that stuff. But nobody, I don't know the contact and that I'm trying to show him little PMA ready to compete a little bit. You know, we just trying to make it happen, man. So I mean, yeah, I, I got those guys met us coming back and I'm excited, excited.
Speaker 2 00:24:39 My quarter. I'm really excited for my quarterback dealer, man. He jumped on the scene this year. Really didn't play before, had all my oh 700% completion rate out a thousand of like 3,500 yards passing and 55 touchdowns and six interceptions. That's unheard of for a kid his first year playing man, he's getting more mature. He's just coming into his swaggers on a million right now. He's winning 7 0 7 tournaments fors. He's just, he, it just, the game is getting easier and easier. 4.6 GPA. I mean just a smart kid, man, just a, a great kid. And Jordan char just the, the SI assassin man. He don't, he don't say much Lee by example, he just gonna go out there and work. He wanted them 1980 football players, man. You don't get those guys every day that he, he, he, he never lose a conditioning rap. He, he take pride in, in winning every rap, you know, just a guy. That's just a dog man. He's he's every bit of a football player that you want. The Jordan Shaw kid. He's great, man. He's a great kid. He's our, he's our team. Captain.
Speaker 1 00:25:43 Your campus has seen a ton of college coaches stop by this off season. <affirmative> has that always been the case here? It seems like since you've been the head coach they've been coming and coming, man.
Speaker 2 00:25:52 Yeah. I mean, man, you got colleges. Write me personal letters. My guy Ryan Barto at Florida state Uhhuh. I mean, yeah. Like coaches come in, man. I do. I, I, I try to do a great job. Me and my and my another, my associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, coach a fields. We kind of just work the cell phones and our contact and text 'em, we'll be on campus these days, these hours coaches there. And they just kind of just pull up just kind of just, oh, I'm coming through or I'm coming through to get Alabama here, Tennessee, head coaches, things like that. We just working, man. Just trying to just, just put these kids out there. Cause I know that transfer portal kind of, it's kind of hurting high school football. I know it's killing junior college football, but just trying to just get our guys in front of these coaches before they can be like, okay, well let me just go to the portal. You know what? I'll take a chance on this guy. PMA play for coach D he gonna be mentally ready. He gonna be physically ready. And we'll go from there.
Speaker 1 00:26:47 The note card from coach Barto, it says, uh, young guru. I know the coach D nickname. That's obvious first name Deva coach D but where's the young guru nickname come
Speaker 2 00:26:57 From. The young guru name comes from a guy, a late guy he's resting. Peace's now named Tony Perry. They called him him the OG guru. He was called the guru and he was a mentor of mine. He was he's a big time out of Fresno, California. He had his, his name is Tony Perry, but they call him guru. He had Mackay quick, went the Oklahoma. He, he was the Oklahoma connect. Totos brothers. Love him. He had Courtney V when he went to UCLA, currently the DB coach of San Jose. He had a lot of DBS. They called him the DB guru. So me and him just connected. He saw me in the 7 0 7 and my guys was good. And me and him just took a liking like a father, son, relationship got each other number over the last man, like 15 years. Like since I've been coaching and everybody like, man, like you, the young GU rule, like you young guru.
Speaker 2 00:27:44 Cause I do the same thing. He do take care of these kids. He, he older guy passed away, but he drive kids from Fresno all the way to Seattle, Washington. He wasn't getting on no plane. He, he got his, his young coaches driving and they meet us in Seattle, Washington. I been jumped on the plane. I ain't for the ride, you know, no $18. But, but TP man, he just man like Tony Perry too. Helped me a lot with just how to like how to maneuver with the college coaches, with the media, the writers, this how I got real tight with the Greg bigs and the, the Brenda Huffman's the Adam, Gorney the Eric McKinneys, just the, the media people. Like he introduced me to everybody. I just do right here. Know what he doing? His guys are good. Take care of, of them. So man, like TP, man. I, I, I, I take my hat off to him, man. That dude taught me a lot. Tony Perry, man, I can never let that name go forever as I'm living that name and be it always get mentioned. Tony Perry man is a great guy, man.
Speaker 1 00:28:38 Thank you for explaining that. That I, I had no idea the history behind the, the nickname. Take me through your relationship with of Keshawn Johnson. He was at practice the other day and you going to the draft with him tomorrow in Vegas. Um, how did that come about and how long have you known Keshawn?
Speaker 2 00:28:53 Um, I've been know Keshawn Johnson since. I mean, I've been a kid almost, but we got that personal relationship. When I got grown and was coaching. He was doing a 7 0 7, his team and I had a team that kind of, we didn't have no sponsor. We was kind of asked some dudes though, but he had the big name guys, but I had some dogs and we beat him at his tournament. And I remember I told you I wanted to be a comedian. I put on the show, I was clowning him. And he, he, he couldn't do number laugh. We beat his team. We got the Dre beat bags and our team got this and that. And that dude just got my number. Like man, love this dude right here. He's funny. And I mean, he's a celebrity. And I mean, he bought my team, some Adida uniforms after that, cuz he sponsored by Adidas and just looked out for us and me and him and him had that, that relationship.
Speaker 2 00:29:38 And like, man, he took me to the set of ESPN when he had work like, Hey man, you gonna come, I'll go and watch him do a segment at ESPN. We'll go eat. We didn't travel the world together. He's just a big brother to me, a mentor. So he like, man, you went to the championship this year. I forgot to take you to the Grammy party with me. So I'm gonna take you to the draft. So I'm like, I'm cool with that. <laugh> so we going to the draft. We, well he's already out there. I leave tomorrow and man, just to show a good time. But key is like a brother mentor to me. I've been knowing key. He look out for my players. He's just a good dude, man, anything I need, he can help. He going. He gonna contribute. But him it's a lot of guys.
Speaker 2 00:30:16 Frank Clark, Kansas city chiefs, John Abram, uh, the Las Vegas Raiders, Ja Jacob, the Las Vegas Raiders. I mean, I mean, I know Deebo Samuel, like all those guys, man, you know what I'm saying? My player have got, you know what I'm saying? They got teammates that take a liking to me. Like man, I like coach deman. I wish I had a coach like that. And they just gravitate to me cuz I know how to be young when I'm also know how to be the mature one out the group. You know what I'm saying? Like, let you be grown to a certain extent. You're still my player. Hold on now. You know? So it's more like that.
Speaker 1 00:30:47 Got any insight info on Debo Samuel for us. <laugh>
Speaker 2 00:30:50 I think the New York jets
Speaker 1 00:30:52 Really?
Speaker 2 00:30:53 Yeah. I think the Frisco era is over. Okay. Yeah. That's over. I think it's too far. He live in South Carolina. I think his baby in South Carolina, probably in taxes over here, hitting them over the head. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:31:03 I heard that.
Speaker 2 00:31:04 Yeah. The taxes too. Yeah. I mean, you know, he, he wanna see his money. I mean, and I think when Christian Kirk got that, if, if Frisco would've paid him before they let the free agent market hit mm-hmm <affirmative> and he saw how much Christian Kirk got. I think, I think that would've lowered the Christian Kirk. I think that would've lowered the Christian Kirk sweepstakes, but when they gave him the 21 million, he like, man, like, come on, man. I, I, I can't take that. I need at least like 26. I, I need to know that I'm a superior receiver in this league. So I get it. I respect it, man. He want to get his money. Like you, I mean this time, this, this, this money may only come around one time. So you gotta take advantage. So I get it.
Speaker 1 00:31:44 That's a fun storyline. Looking ahead to tomorrow. We'll see if the jets, they got two picks. So yeah, maybe they'll deal one of them. Uh that's cool. When you wanted to be an actor or a comedian, how, how far did you get, were you doing comedy shows? Did you have any
Speaker 2 00:31:57 Audition? Just, I just was like, man, I just want act like I look at people acting like, man, I can act better than him. <laugh> just kind of do like the family of friends is kind of just, just clowning around a little bit Uhhuh. And I was kind of like looking at the head shots and stuff, but that stuff was expensive at the time. <laugh> I may get a head shot now. See if they do a coach D story or something, man, I play myself.
Speaker 1 00:32:16 They should,
Speaker 2 00:32:17 They should man. Get lifetime and Netflix. I mean like even give us a, I mean like a, a dog days or a story. My team, I got, I got comedians on my team. I be on these dudes, man. Just see the grind during the week to get to the results on Friday night, it is a grind during the week with all the running and the hitting. We do the, the coaching up, the encouraging the, I mean just the punishments, just the, you know what I'm saying? The just it's crazy, man. These kids will tell you like coach V crazy. They love me though. They love me and all my coaches. All I have a, I have a great staff, man. I cannot just talk about me. I gotta talk about my staff. I mean coach Russell Shaw, great guy played at Michigan. He Jordan Shaw father, but played at Michigan with Tom Brady.
Speaker 2 00:33:02 Charles Wilson won the national championship. The first recruit the first junior college recruit ever in Michigan history. So he he's in the history books there. Uh, coach Russell Shaw coach SHA Shefield. Some was also Shefield at Bosco, broke all the records. That's son he's here with me. Great guy, man. Great personality. We have coach Dennis Ford. You know what I'm saying? What is the cousin of mine? Coach Tony Lamont Bush. Another cousin of mine, coach Greg Moore. Been here with me since day one. He been here with me the same time. My receiver coach, coach Joe Daron, also my special teams coordinator, DB coach. He been here with me. Uh, we had a guy coach Brico Robinson he's a long beach. Poly guy was, was here with us, our DB coach last year. Uh, let me make sure I'm not forgetting, man. I don't like, I mean our shit, our video guy, man, coach, coach cha.
Speaker 2 00:33:57 I mean he, he does all our videos and he does all our, our social media stuff. And he also was de like kind of life coach from dealing with me last year as OC I me down his throat, but DE's a great kid too man, but just, I mean, we had some great, we had some great coaches, man, some real, real, real good coaches, man. And everybody jailed together and got, I mean and worked together and we made it happen. These coaches made it happen, man. They made life so easy for me. So this year should be a lot better. I think we going to finally have two levels at our school ever. Oh yeah. Then we made history. This is our first time in school history that we're having a spring ball. We never had spring ball before
Speaker 1 00:34:39 During the spring game.
Speaker 2 00:34:41 Uh, probably not what we gonna do a spring showcase in May 11th, all the college coaches. So May 11th or 6:00 PM at Warren high school. It'll be us Warren Inglewood and Pasadena high. So the coaches will love to see that.
Speaker 1 00:34:54 Okay, May 11th. You said
Speaker 2 00:34:55 May 11th at Warren high school.
Speaker 1 00:34:57 I should make a note of that. That's something that I should check in at 6:00 PM.
Speaker 2 00:34:59 Yeah. At 6:00 PM am. So it should be great.
Speaker 1 00:35:03 The last thing I have for you is looking ahead at the future. How long do you wanna be here? What are your goals? Can you get to top divisions? Is that something thats on
Speaker 2 00:35:12 Your mind? That's that's probably my goals to be here is just man. When I leave here, I want the school to be known, to be like a be in the same conversation is to Sarahs. The Allen mainly is the, Boscos just, I just want them to respect their school as a, as a great academic institution. But also the athletic is, is competitive and all athletics, not just football. I want this whole athletic department to be, to be respected and be, and, and I just want the competition for 'em. Like I think every sport can compete. Every sport can compete. Our basketball program is second and none won one. The first C championship in school history two years ago and fell short. The Bishop Diego and the semi-finals who won our division by four. And we was up by third team with all freshmen as on varsity whole team come back.
Speaker 2 00:36:00 So coach Dante got a guy in the top 56 in Tyrone Riley and coach Dante is here right now. You know what I'm saying? So, and that's my little brother. He's a great coach, man. He does a great, phenomenal job with those guys. He got those guys going, those guys already working, you know what I'm saying? They working harder than our foot players. We start Monday. It's gonna be hard for our guys too, but just man, just competition, brief champions, man. So I mean, I, I, I wanna be here for, for the long haul. I got a great admin. I got a great president, principal and ad. So we here, we in this together, you know what I'm saying? So we trying to make it happen. So I want to be here for the long, but I just want, I mean, man, I, I don't think it, it probably take a lot for me to leave at least a real big high school job at Trinity league or college. But other than that, I don't wanna make any lateral moves, man. This is the place to be.
Speaker 1 00:36:51 All right. You heard it straight from the horse mouth right there. That's dev Thomas Head coach of PMA already doing an excellent job of establishing PMA football. And it's only gonna get better with you with the helm. So Devon, thanks so much for joining me. I really appreciate
Speaker 2 00:37:04 It. Appreciate you.
