Saddleback football coach wants to help team get ‘back on track’ in second stint

Coach Rob Thompson and his assistants talk to the Roadrunners Tuesday after practice. (Photo courtesy Saddleback football).

Saddleback High School football players are preparing to compete in the new Zeta League under Rob Thompson, who returns for his second stint as Roadrunners head coach.

Thompson, who has been the athletic director, decided to take over for Paige Nobles, who stepped down after one season. The Roadrunners, who had many experienced players starting the season, finished 0-9 overall and 0-5 in the Orange Coast League and had to forfeit one game due to a depleted roster.

The program has had four head coaches in the past seven years.

“I came out of coaching retirement to get this team back on track and that’s exactly what I plan to do, Thompson said.

Thompson coached at Saddleback from 2011 to 2016. The last winning season for Saddleback was in 2015 with Thompson as the coach, which was also the last time the Roadrunners went to the CIF playoffs. Saddleback was 6-5 that season. Saddleback had a 6-5 record under Thompson in 2014 and went to the CIF playoffs that year as well.

Saddleback will be in the Zeta League along with Godinez, Savanna, Magnolia and Century this season, part of major re-leaguing for most Orange County squads. There are five teams in the league.

“It should be very competitive, which makes it fun to prepare for each week’s opponent,” Thompson said. “This year I hired a completely new coaching staff, and the kids have bought into our expectations and goals. Our goals are, of course, a league championship and hopefully a deep playoff run.”

Among the Saddleback players to watch are linebacker Joseph Torres, quarterback Andrew Alvarez and “our offensive line, which we believe will be the key to our success this season because four of them are returning from last year: guards Ralph Vargas and Jeremiah Pedroza, tackles Pablo Sanchez and Adrian Escobar and sophomore Ryan Azpetia,” Thompson said.

“Our running backs are solid as well with returners junior Fabian Bravo, junior Favian Soria and newcomer sophomore Chris Romero. We do have a handful of transfers as well and I’m hoping to get them eligible to play sometime this season as that will shore up our team.”

Saddleback will be playing its home games on campus for the second season. The Roadrunners played their first game in the new stadium, which was funded by Santa Ana Unified School District, last September.

Thompson is continuing as athletic director.

2024 SCHEDULE

Friday, Aug. 23, at Tri City Christian

Friday, Aug. 30, (H) vs. Morningside

Friday, Sept. 6, at La Sierra

Friday, Sept. 13, (H) vs. Rancho Alamitos

Friday, Sept. 20, (H) vs. Maranatha (homecoming)

Friday, Sept. 27, at Beverly Hills

League

Friday, Oct. 4, at Godinez (Santa Ana Valley)

Friday, Oct. 11, (H) vs. Savanna

Friday, Oct. 25, at Century

Friday, Nov. 1, (H) vs. Magnolia

(Another in a series of summer football previews).

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