Tom Ricci leaves Savanna to become head football coach at Irvine High

Tom Ricci meets with the Irvine Vaqueros players today after being named new coach (Photo courtesy Irvine football).

Former Irvine assistant coach Tom Ricci, who has been head football coach at Savanna for the last two years, was named Wednesday as Irvine’s head varsity football coach, according to Irvine assistant principal Bob King, who is charge of athletics.

“It’s a jump that I always wanted but never thought I would have the opportunity to take,” said Ricci, a 1988 Irvine graduate.”I assumed that Erik would finish his career out there and I would finish my career out at Savanna. When the job opened up it just floored me and I said, ‘I’ve got to go for it. It’s my dream job.’

“We all have our dream jobs and you never think they would actually open or we would have the opportunity to get it, so I was just blown away that I was even considered for it, let alone got it.”

About 14 to 15 candidates were interviewed for the job, King said. Ricci replaces Terry who resigned after nine seasons.

“He is a former Vaquero so he knew the program well,” King said. “Not only did he graduate from here, but he’s been a coach here a couple of times. He’s worked under both (Terry) Henigan and (Erik) Terry and he’s doing it for the right reasons, because he loves football and he loves Irvine High.

“He has a very strong vision because of that passion.”

Ricci led Savanna to a 9-3 overall record last season. The Rebels were 4-1 in the Orange League, in second place behind Katella. He had a 15-8 record in two seasons.

“Savanna was great, it was a great opportunity,” Ricci said. “The administration there supported me and they wanted to win. And the kids were starving for it, so it was a great place to start out. I never thought I would leave it. It was bittersweet today talking to the kids (at Savanna). I told them ‘you want to come back to Savanna and hopefully coach at your alma mater some day. I got that opportunity and I got to take it.’ The kids understood. It was sad, but I think they understood.”

Ricci was introduced to the Irvine football team on Wednesday afternoon.

“We asked all of them to meet and we introduced him,” King said. “We wanted him to be the first to know we made a decision.”

Ricci said he has some goals for the Irvine program.

“I just want us to continue to improve,” he said. “I want to make an impact in the PCL and continue to do damage in the division. The goal is to continue to get better every day, every year. I want to bring the white wings (on the helmets). To me, that was traditional Irvine with the white wings on the green helmet.”

Ricci played at Irvine from 1984 to 1988 under Coach Henigan and was a strong safety. He has also coached at Villa Park, Ocean View, Foothill, Bellflower and Katella and two stints at Irvine as an assistant totalling five years.

He and his wife, Shannon, have four children.

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