Former Dana Hills assistant Paige Nobles named new football coach at Saddleback

Michael Nobles, new Saddleback football coach, was a former head coach at Northwood. (File photos: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone).

Saddleback High School officials announced Wednesday night that Paige Nobles, former assistant coach at Dana Hills and ex-Northwood head coach, has been hired as the new varsity football coach, replacing Glenn Campbell, who resigned after two seasons in January.

Coach Nobles has spent the last four years as an assistant coach with the Dana Hills football program.

Nobles will be the first coach to guide the Roadrunners in a new on-campus stadium, scheduled to be ready for the start of the 2023 season.

“I am happy to announce I have accepted the position of head varsity football coach at Saddleback High School,” Nobles said in a text to OC Sports Zone Wednesday. “This is going to be an exciting time at Saddleback High School and its football program. They are building a brand new stadium and athletic facilities and the progress Coach Campbell made with these amazing student-athletes, I will be building on what Coach Campbell put forth.”

Nobles said during the last four years at Dana Hills he “made amazing friendships with the players, the parents, the administration, the assistant coaches and Coach Tony Henney will forever last a lifetime in my heart. I learned a lot from Coach Henney and it was Coach Henney giving me the tools and the knowledge to once again follow my dreams to once again be a head coach. My friendship with Coach Henney, Coach (Ryan) McHale and the other assistant coaches will never be forgotten and the players will always hold a spot in my heart.”

Saddleback Athletic Director Rob Thompson said that Nobles, who will be a walk-on coach, was one of five candidates considered.

Nobles was head coach at Northwood in 2019 leading the Timberwolves to an 8-3 record. He had been an assistant coach at Laguna Beach before that.

“It was a long process but I’m happy with the choice, he’s going to be around awhile,” Thompson said. “I really wanted an on-campus coach but he’s retired and this is the next best thing, because he’s on campus all day long working on football stuff and helping the kids. He has a lot of experience and he has some good references from (Coach John) Shanahan at Laguna Beach and some other guys. We’re excited to have him.

“He has a lot of energy. He was telling me he shows up around 8 and leaves around 8. He knows he has a tough job ahead of him, whatever traction we had we lost it when Glenn left so he knows it’s going to take him a couple years to get this thing going.”

Nobles is expected to meet with the Saddleback players Tuesday to discuss goals for the program, Thompson said. He will be in charge of forming his staff at Saddleback.

“I am looking forward to an amazing time at Saddleback High School and bringing them back to be a very competitive program,” Nobles said. “I also want to thank Rob Thompson, athletic director at Saddleback, for giving me this opportunity to lead this program and start competing to win a league title and CIF championship.”

Campbell, the former coach, resigned after two seasons. He led the Roadrunners to a 5-15 record.

For best view, click on the photo:

Coach Nobles gets ready to call a play in 2019.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com