Column: Mater Dei football coach Frank McManus is high energy and in high demand
Everyone wanted a piece of new Mater Dei football coach Frank McManus.
The new man in charge of the country's No. 1 high school football team was in high demand leading up to the Monarchs' season opening 28-14 victory over Corona Centennial Friday night.
Multiple media members — including the TV talent that broadcast the game — tried to get a hold of McManus weeks and days prior, but were unsuccessful. Myself included.
St. John Bosco coach Jason Negro, who's coming off a national championship season, was easy to get a hold of last week. Harvard-Westlake boys basketball coach David Rebibo helms the best program in California — he's always good for a text back. Even former CIF Southern Section commissioner Rob Wigod was attainable via personal cell phone.
But that's not how it works at Mater Dei, evidently.
"Our protocol at Mater Dei is to work through our communications department," McManus said.
To further prove McManus' demand, he and Zabien Brown were on Sports Central with longtime, legendary sports anchor Jim Hill Saturday afternoon.
When the game was over, I had a chance to finally meet McManus. He was beyond polite, had a friendly smile, and gave me all the time I needed for an in-person interview.
I asked if the week leading up to his coaching debut was overwhelming.
"No. Not at all," said McManus before going on to explain what it takes to operate his new program in the same breath.
"We're really a day-at-a-time organization and there's a lot of different moving parts. It doesn't get done just by myself. ...we all are working tirelessly to make sure that everything's in place while working through the transition," he continued.
"It's a huge, huge operation with a lot of moving parts and it takes a whole team, it takes a whole team to make that happen, not only just on the field, but off the field."
Despite what was likely a hectic first week on the job, McManus showed great energy. Watching him skip around, high-five his players and get loud in the huddles was fun to watch.
McManus' approach felt Pete Carroll-like.
After the game, McManus had multiple gold chain necklaces around his neck. Defensive back Jeilani Davis came to McManus to collect one. It's a Friday night ritual, and an example of the casualness McManus has with his players.
"The defensive backs give me their necklaces before the games, and I wear them during the game while I coach, then they comeback after to retrieve them," McManus said. "It's fun."
It's one way McManus is putting his stamp on the program that was run by former coach Bruce Rollinson for 34 years. McManus also stressed a difference in philosophy when it comes to practice.
"We're trying to incorporate more situational football and make things more efficient," McManus said. "
It's the dawn of a new era at Mater Dei.
But I wonder what to call it: the post-Bruce Rollinson era or the Frank McManus era?
And, yes, there is a difference.
Time will tell.
