New University football coach, 32-year-old Chris Hernandez wants Trojans to be ‘up tempo’ and exciting to watch

University’s new football coach Chris Hernandez said he is excited about the challenge.

University’s new head football coach Chris Hernandez reminded the Trojans Thursday, one day after being named to replace former coach Scott Meyer, that life can be unexpected at times.

“Not many of them knew that Coach Meyer was going to be leaving (to become Lakewood’s head coach) after the last game of the season and that they would need a new coach,” Hernandez said.

“And I told them, I had just finished up my season and was planning for next season and getting in the weight room with the guys. So, I didn’t think I would be here either. So we’re both in the same boat. Life is about handling the circumstances. Either you let it define you or you be the one who defines the circumstances.

“I told them at the end of the day I chose them. They didn’t choose me. So all I ask is that they allow me to coach them and coach them hard and mentor them and lead them. It’s all built on love, trust and respect, joy and investment.”

The 32-year-old Hernandez, who was most recently an assistant coach at Santiago Corona, makes it clear he is excited about his first head coaching job. The announcement was made Wednesday by Athletic Director Tom Shrake.

“It’s absolutely a blessing; it’s a dream come true,” he said. “And for me, as someone who didn’t play four years in college and stopped after one year (because of an injury), it really is a dream come true to be at a place like this in a community where they care about the kids and they care about academics and football is important too.”

Hernandez, who will be 33 in March, believes being able to communicate with young athletes was one of his strengths.

“The ability to connect with the kids is really important for them (the University administration) and it is for me,” said Hernandez, who earned his Bachelor of Science Degree at Long Beach State.

Hernandez, who lives with his wife Brandy and their two children, Emmett (6) and Wyatt (3) in Laguna Niguel, believes he will have more time with his family because he won’t be spending as much time on the freeway. Instead of a daily drive to Corona, he will be driving 15 minutes each way, he estimates.

“It is going to be life changing for my family, just the time I get back,” said Hernandez, a Diamond Bar High graduate who has been an assistant coach for 11 years. This past season, he was assistant coach on the varsity and head freshman coach at Santiago.

Hernandez was also the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Corona in 2015 and 2016. Hernandez was also the offensive coordinator at Diamond Bar from 2011 to 2012 and co-offensive coordinator and assistant coach in 2013.

Hernandez said he is excited about leading the Trojans in the Pacific Coast League.

“I look at the PCL, especially now that Corona del Mar is out, it’s an amazing, competitive league for our talent in the city,” he said. “That’s a unique thing that not every Orange County school has. Not every Orange County school gets to say, ‘win league and you’re also the city champs.’ That’s what we’re going to see over the next few years is all the parity with CdM out.

“Even if CdM was in, it wouldn’t be daunting because I’m coming from the Big Eight which has Corona Centennial, Norco and Santiago. When I was at Santiago Corona, we were able to get to the playoffs, but it was just a battle. Centennial has such a command of the area. Everybody knows they’re fighting for second place. So it’s nice to come down here where everybody is in the same boat and everybody has the same talent level.”

During his meeting with the University players, Hernandez made it clear that he wants his team to compete for a CIF playoff berth, but there are other goals.

“I told them my purpose is to lead young men to be victorious in all aspects of life,” he said. “We want to develop skills to be victorious in everything going forward.

“One of the things I talked about is falling in love with the weight room and falling in love with practice. I want them to work hard.”

Hernandez said he wants to make University football exciting.

“I definitely want to go no-huddle, an up-tempo,” he said. “That’s kind of the way of the game is now and it’s entertaining for fans. Because you waste about 15 seconds while you’re watching kids huddle. You get more plays in. I told the kids we’re going to be fun to watch, we’re going to play with passion, play hard, play fast, play smart and we’re going to be exciting. I want us to be a fun team to watch and I want it to be good football.”

“I want kids to react and play to their maximum potential and not think so much.”

Hernandez met Thursday with Meyer, the former coach, and said he was encouraged about the prospects for next season.

“I have a good offensive line coming back,” Hernandez said. “We will probably have to go both ways but he said there is a good corp group of guys. The senior class is going to be a good group and he said the freshman group is going to be good. He said he felt it was going to be a good year if he were to come back.”

Hernandez said he plans on meeting with each player and their parents.

“I want to find out who they are and why they play football and then I want to know what’s going really well here and some things that need improvement,” Hernandez said.

“We’re going to have fun. We’re going to work hard in the weight room, we’re going to work hard at practice but we’re going to enjoy every minute. We get to play football. No one has to play football, we get to.”

Hernandez said while preparing University football for next season, he’s going to finish out the school year teaching at Santiago and then hopes to teach at Uni in the fall.

“One of the things I tell my seniors is I want to see them graduate and I want to see them be successful and achieve and pass my class,” he said. “I just didn’t feel comfortable leaving Santiago like that because they’ve been so good to me so I wanted to stay and see things through and make sure the kids knew I got to see the seniors graduate and get to see them finish.”

Hernandez said winning is important, but it’s not his only concern.

“I believe winning is a by-procuct of what the mission statement is which is leading young men to be victorious in all aspects,” he said. “My biggest thing is if we take care of the culture and we do the right things by the kids, I think the wins will come. Winning is a part of it, but at the end of the day, when our kids leave, I want them to be better men and by focusing on that, the wins will be part of it.”

He also plans to talk to each of the University assistant coaches and determine which ones will be the proper fit for next season.

“There are definitely some coaches I’m going to bring back and some are in it for the right reason,” he said. “I’m going to talk to every single one of them and see what their goals are and see if there is a fit.”

Hernandez also seemed to provide some stability for the University program, which will have its third coach in three years. The Trojans were 3-7 overall last year and 2-3 in the Pacific Coast League.

He was asked during his job interview “why University,” Hernandez said.

“I ultimately want to be at a place where I feel comfortable sending my sons. That’s what I see with Uni. I’ve already had that conversation with my wife where we’re driving in together and I get to have that time with my boys as they’re in high school. That’s the hope.”

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

“