Full Transcript for Under the Headset: A Conversation with Shasta Head Football Coach Aaron Richards

do. 00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:14.280 That's awesome, coach. 00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:18.520 I know I've had a chance to watch your team play a couple times this year. 00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:24.200 I've talked about it on our podcast, but the physicality in which your guys play with is really impressive. 00:03:24.360 --> 00:03:28.520 And is that something you inspire your team to play like? 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:33.960 Yeah, I would love to pretend that it's all me, but it's a special group of boys that we have. 00:03:34.120 --> 00:03:36.840 Obviously, last season we had a tremendous amount of injuries. 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:39.560 We had 11 starters out by the time we got to league. 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:43.479 And the big thing this year was the boys just they wanted to work hard in the offseason. 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:47.960 They put their heads down and they did a great job in our weight training program here. 00:03:48.120 --> 00:03:53.560 Coach Fitzgerald, my offensive coordinator, is our strength conditioning guy, and he's done an incredible job with them. 00:03:53.800 --> 00:04:00.759 The 40 times have dropped, the the numbers in the weight room have gone up, and that's just been nice to see how that's translated on the field. 00:04:00.920 --> 00:04:04.759 Just really excited where where we're going, and it's just it's been fun. 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:06.200 That's awesome, Coach. 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:10.920 I know you guys are obviously off to a great start, 5-0 this year. 00:04:11.159 --> 00:04:16.039 And you had that big win against Oreland a couple weeks ago, a statement game, I think. 00:04:16.200 --> 00:04:25.480 And what do you feel like the turning point was in the locker room as far as like the offseason goes, just to set the tone for the start of this season? 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:29.399 Yeah, I think more importantly, I think it was the last in game for us. 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:31.720 I think we all circled that game on our calendar. 00:04:31.960 --> 00:04:33.560 That was a tough game for us. 00:04:33.720 --> 00:04:39.879 We have a group of seniors that have only ever won two games in their entire high school career before this year. 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:48.759 And I think in our coaching staff and just in general, we all said it's got to be all in and we've got to make sure that's the game that we have to win. 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:55.000 They were so focused in the locker room before that game, and we didn't play particularly well in all three phases. 00:04:55.080 --> 00:05:02.840 It's the first game in high school football, but they made championship plays, and I'll say that they just they did things in the right manner at the right time. 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:07.480 They executed in a two-minute drill, they executed in a four-minute setting defensively. 00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:09.319 We got stops, we got turnovers. 00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:22.439 They did things that we knew looking at film, like obviously coaches aren't

happy after 100% happy after any game, but there were some things that we pointed to that says, hey, we're physical, we we tackle in space, we tackle the defending inside run. 00:05:22.600 --> 00:05:26.120 And so we were very, you're just proud of how they played in that game. 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:28.759 And then obviously moving into our schedule. 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:33.080 The Orland game is always one that coach does such a good job with them down there. 00:05:33.240 --> 00:05:38.039 And you can tell every time, but it's just something new, they're always building, and it's a great program for the North State. 00:05:38.200 --> 00:05:44.519 We play Orland, and it's about physically getting ready for the Chicos and the PVs of our league. 00:05:44.679 --> 00:05:45.399 Can we stand up? 00:05:45.480 --> 00:05:46.600 That's an early test for us. 00:05:46.679 --> 00:05:48.679 Can we stand up offensively? 00:05:48.840 --> 00:05:51.879 We're moving the line of scrimmage, all five of those guys. 00:05:52.039 --> 00:05:54.759 We had to replace just a tremendous offensive line last year. 00:05:54.840 --> 00:06:00.039 I know it sounds funny from a two-and-eight team, but all of those guys were great offensive linemen. 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:02.759 The problem is we didn't have any backs to put behind them all season. 00:06:02.919 --> 00:06:07.159 So we replaced a lot of the guys, and we had a plan. 00:06:07.240 --> 00:06:10.840 We had two tackles now that you can play JV kids out as juniors. 00:06:10.919 --> 00:06:15.240 There's two tackles that played the entire season and got better and got reps instead of standing on a sideline. 00:06:15.320 --> 00:06:17.399 And now they're making a big impact for us. 00:06:17.560 --> 00:06:20.840 Our center played varsity football last year, and one of our guards did. 00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:36.279 It's been nice watching these boys take the coaching and beyond that, just both fronts, having the ability to let others make plays and be unselfish and just come to work and do all the the dirty things that you need to do to run good on offense and defense. 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:37.560 It's fun, right? 00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:41.720 I know watching your line play, I'm like, man, these guys get after it. 00:06:41.799 --> 00:06:43.720 And they've been fun to watch this year. 00:06:44.039 --> 00:06:46.360 How about as far as the offseason goes? 00:06:46.600 --> 00:06:49.399 Do you guys participate in a lot of seven-on-sevens? 00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:52.360 Are you going into any camps or anything like that? 00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:56.440 Shafta High School, big believers in multiple sport athletes. 00:06:56.519 --> 00:06:59.720 I try and help our baseball team, our basketball team, our wrestling team. 00:06:59.879 --> 00:07:01.879 We do some things in the offseason with them. 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:06.279 We always say that the weight training isn't super important for us. 00:07:06.440 --> 00:07:08.120 The speed training is

super important. 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:12.519 But as far as the going out of town and doing seven-on-sevens, we're not doing that. 00:07:12.679 --> 00:07:18.919 We start in May here with our spring football practice and carry that over into the summertime. 00:07:19.159 --> 00:07:22.039 And the boys, I think it's good that they get away a little bit. 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:27.080 And then when it's our time to go, we're really committed and try and have the best summer we can. 00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:33.240 I tell them all the time you can't win a championship in the summertime, but you definitely can lose one if you don't show up. 00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:38.039 They committed to the weight room and and the program and just really to each other. 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:39.159 So it's been fun. 00:07:39.480 --> 00:07:45.639 Yeah, I think that's something that's very visible with your teams, just the fitness level and the athleticism. 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:48.360 And you don't get that from just running routes. 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:49.639 You get that in the weight room. 00:07:49.720 --> 00:07:52.200 So it's definitely apparent with your teams. 00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:56.440 And speaking of that, coach, we got to talk about Devin Ortega. 00:07:56.679 --> 00:08:01.960 But I like I said, I've seen your team play a couple times this season, but man, that kid is so impressive. 00:08:02.200 --> 00:08:03.879 I know he's not the biggest guy. 00:08:03.960 --> 00:08:15.000 He's what 5'9, 175 or something like that, but such a physical runner and fast, athletic, but it feels like he likes contact. 00:08:15.080 --> 00:08:16.759 Is he looking for it out there? 00:08:17.320 --> 00:08:24.039 Yeah, it's irritating at times because you have a lane or a cut, and I tell him, Hey, Devin, you don't we don't get points if you run somebody over. 00:08:24.200 --> 00:08:26.120 I'd like you to go score as much as you can. 00:08:26.200 --> 00:08:27.799 And he's done a better job this year. 00:08:27.960 --> 00:08:33.080 Obviously, as a sophomore, he ran for 200 plus a couple times before he got injured. 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:36.039 He was having a great river bowl and got an ankle injury. 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:37.320 He's a special back. 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:46.519 I was blessed to be able to help coach Bailey Solzer and Cade Lambert and Josh Aguilar at West Valley, and those three backs are kind of the ones that I compare everybody to. 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:49.560 Obviously, Ryder May here a couple years ago. 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:52.200 But what Devin does is he makes everybody right. 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:55.159 And it's the same thing with Braden Taylor on the defensive side. 00:08:55.399 --> 00:09:05.159 We give credit to those guys up front that have been taking the coaching and using the technique and doing all the dirty work so that Braden Taylor and Devin Ortega's name can be called over the loudspeaker. 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:11.879 What Devin does offensively, and obviously he's a focal point for what we do, and everybody knows that by now, he just makes everybody right. 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:23.720 Whether it's in the pass protection game, whether it's in the run game, when I bring those other backs up, what he does best, he finds a soft shoulder, and he's the best B-year-own blocker back that I've seen. 00:09:23.960 --> 00:09:27.399 Some plays aren't designed to be home run executed plays. 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:29.560 Some of them are for four or five or ten yards. 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:32.840 So he turns zero into five better than anybody I've ever seen. 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:34.840 And he's a good backman. 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:37.480 And I'm thankful that I get to coach the kid. 00:09:37.639 --> 00:09:41.560 Just a great leader, four point all plus kid, just a good back. 00:09:42.039 --> 00:09:50.440 Yeah, we have him as our number one rusher in the section and our section leaderboard, over a thousand yards, 13 touchdowns through five games. 00:09:50.680 --> 00:09:53.000 So quite the start for Mr. 00:09:53.240 --> 00:09:53.960 Ortega. 00:09:54.040 --> 00:09:58.040 And you mentioned Braden Taylor, and that was going to be my next question. 00:09:58.280 --> 00:10:05.800 And he elevates the team around him, but can you talk a little bit about his leadership on the field on the defensive side? 00:10:06.200 --> 00:10:06.680 Sure. 00:10:06.920 --> 00:10:10.759 Braden, he came in this season just wanting to earn a spot. 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:12.120 He had a rough junior year. 00:10:12.200 --> 00:10:14.440 He had some injuries and different things that that happened. 00:10:14.600 --> 00:10:19.879 Another kid where he was playing JV football last year, and we gave him an opportunity to go down there and play and get better. 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:21.399 He's just taking coaching. 00:10:21.480 --> 00:10:30.440 The thing that sticks out to me the most, and DT down at Los Molinas would always say some of the defense and special teams guys, they got to be black licorice guys. 00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:32.600 They got to be a little bit different than your normal cat. 00:10:32.680 --> 00:10:32.920 Right. 00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:38.360 And uh we made a, I think we had a turnover or we did something in Wairika, and I'm a little upset. 00:10:38.440 --> 00:10:42.840 And I look around, and our defense is hooting and hollering that they just go, we just get to go play. 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:44.759 They get the opportunity to play. 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:46.840 And so it kind of made me pause. 00:10:46.920 --> 00:10:48.680 And that's just the attitude that he has. 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:52.120 You know, he's getting better in practice, but he wants to be coached. 00:10:52.280 --> 00:10:55.560 And there's no question, physicality-wise, he's a good tackler. 00:10:55.960 --> 00:11:00.680 He makes those every good offense, puts guys in positions to make one-on-one tackles. 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:03.160 And

so far the season he's done a good job. 00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:04.600 So I'm pretty impressed. 00:11:04.920 --> 00:11:11.399 Obviously, we got a long way to go to do anything special, but the season, we always talk about three phases of our season. 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:14.440 You have your preseason and then league and then playoffs. 00:11:14.680 --> 00:11:17.879 And we don't get any points for how many games we've won already. 00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:19.399 It's just where we're about to go. 00:11:19.720 --> 00:11:20.280 Right. 00:11:20.680 --> 00:11:22.280 Yeah, we talk about that. 00:11:22.440 --> 00:11:25.160 The EAL has been exceptional league. 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:30.680 You know, that pretty much sets the standard for playoffs and sets the seeding. 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:36.440 It really is a huge leverage point to continue a strong start into league play. 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:40.840 We're excited to see how you guys roll in and take care of business in league two. 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:47.320 I really feel like the play in Shasta County is really strong right now. 00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:51.399 And those division two teams in Shasta County are all really tough. 00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:53.240 And these are teams that you play. 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:56.040 And just what does it say about the level of football? 00:11:56.200 --> 00:12:02.120 I know a lot of these guys play youth and just the football that's happening right now in Shasta County. 00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:06.920 Yeah, I think I'm gonna give a quick shout out to the Red Bluff kids going out and playing a great game. 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:11.000 I know they're disappointed they didn't win, but they represented our section very well. 00:12:11.160 --> 00:12:16.120 Good on those coaches and managing 50 kids and traveling and all that stuff is normally a college thing. 00:12:16.280 --> 00:12:18.360 Good on them for doing that and having a good showing. 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:23.240 Make no mistake, our league and our section always is gonna go through the Chico schools. 00:12:23.399 --> 00:12:30.680 I do think that the Enterprise and Foothill are both good programs right now that are not only winning a lot, but doing it the right way. 00:12:30.920 --> 00:12:39.480 As far as the youth and that kind of concern, every Saturday and Sunday, you got a thousand people, two thousand people at each one of these venues, and kids are out and active. 00:12:39.639 --> 00:12:43.320 And the post-COVID swing has happened and I've seen it. 00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:47.960 The numbers are up a little bit for us, and I'm sure it's the same way around the county. 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:50.600 And I think we're going in the right direction. 00:12:50.680 --> 00:12:54.200 And I'm saying this as a as a in general, everybody in our county. 00:12:54.440 --> 00:13:05.480 But I think there's a lot of people that want their kids to be out and active, and it's just I think it's just really good on all these programs, continuing to build and continuing to pour into these kids. 00:13:05.800 --> 00:13:13.960 No, that's what we're seeing is kids getting back engaged in football, and the stands are filling up again on Friday nights, which is awesome. 00:13:14.120 --> 00:13:15.080 That's what we want to see. 00:13:15.320 --> 00:13:16.680 Couple more questions, coach. 00:13:16.840 --> 00:13:19.399 I know heading into league play. 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:36.920 One thing that always becomes a factor, and maybe a little less so as far as like the mud and that kind of stuff goes, but because most of you guys are playing on turf fields, but how do you prepare your team for the weather coming up here in late October and November? 00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:37.879 Sure. 00:13:38.040 --> 00:13:41.320 The biggest thing is you have to be able to run the ball in November to win the section title. 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:45.320 And it doesn't matter what division two, division three, that's always been apparent. 00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:50.200 I've never seen a team that can't run the football win, win up here with the weather and whatever else. 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:58.040 But I think just making sure more than anything else, how do you get your team to be healthy on a Friday night and play fast? 00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:00.920 There's all sorts of methodologies and stuff behind it. 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:06.519 And I think the U Prep and Dustin Fordberry, I've picked his brain about a few things about how he does it. 00:14:06.680 --> 00:14:13.240 Chris Combs at Enterprise does it a little bit differently, and everybody has their way that they try and get a team healthy and ready to go on Friday night. 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.200 And with me and this group, we're a really young group. 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:24.280 We only have we have no returning varsity starters on defense that from that last year's team, and again just a few, a few varsity starters on offense. 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:29.960 I think that more than anything is just making sure we're healthy and ready to play physical football on Friday. 00:14:30.280 --> 00:14:37.320 So there's again, there's plenty of different methodologies behind that, and we've changed a little bit in how we do it. 00:14:37.560 --> 00:14:40.759 And again, it's been a it's been a pretty great start so far. 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:42.040 That's awesome, coach. 00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:43.160 Thanks for sharing that. 00:14:43.399 --> 00:14:45.399 I have another one that I wanted to ask you. 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:52.360 You you mentioned when I went to set this interview up with you, you mentioned that you spend a lot of time at the school over the weekend. 00:14:52.440 --> 00:15:00.200 And can you kind of walk us through what that looks like and your meetings and what you're doing to prepare your team for the upcoming game? 00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:06.680 Yeah, I've always told the boys that football is obviously a sacrifice and we have to do

that with our personal life to be great. 00:15:06.840 --> 00:15:11.639 On Sundays, we meet every every Sunday as a coaching staff to get these guys ready. 00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:15.399 Me and the defense coordinator are normally here pretty late. 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:23.800 I get here about seven o'clock in the morning and leave about four just because I don't get the process and all everything that we need to do for the week done. 00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:25.320 I'm just a nervous wreck. 00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:28.120 I'm just kind of I'm not a nice, fun guy to be around. 00:15:28.280 --> 00:15:31.879 And more than anything, we meet, we go over personnel. 00:15:32.040 --> 00:15:33.960 And last year it was an injury report. 00:15:34.040 --> 00:15:41.560 It seemed like that's what we did the first hour of who was gonna play here and what's gonna do we have a JV guy that can replace it this year. 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:44.200 Obviously, we're really healthy and I think we're incredibly lucky to be. 00:15:44.519 --> 00:15:54.280 And Sundays are really just all three phases making sure that our plan is solid, making sure that by Monday at our first lunch meeting that we can present and get stuff rolling. 00:15:54.360 --> 00:16:01.560 And by Monday at practice, the guys know the direction we're going and making sure that we're hitting the field running at 345 on Monday. 00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:05.080 It's the college way that some of those guys have taught me how to do it. 00:16:05.399 --> 00:16:09.399 Um, and when it's done well, it's pretty fun to be around. 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:19.560 I know that a lot of a lot of programs out there doing something similar where they meet on the weekends, and I know the the typical fan doesn't see that. 00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:29.160 They might see or know that practice happens after school, but maybe they don't really understand the time and effort that's put in by the coaches. 00:16:29.320 --> 00:16:33.240 So I want to thank you for that, coach, because it really does pay off. 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:35.480 The work you're doing, it doesn't go unnoticed. 00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:38.360 No, thanks for taking the time and helping those athletes. 00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:42.040 When I talked to Coach Ward, I kind of regretted that I didn't ask him this. 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:46.040 And but I wanted to ask you just to close this. 00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:55.160 I know that for you as a head coach, it's a huge responsibility and it's a lot of work on your end, but I know that it takes a village. 00:16:55.320 --> 00:17:08.359 So are there any players on your team, community members, coaches, ad administration teachers, anybody you want to give a shout out to just for supporting your kids and the Shasta High football program? 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:10.279 How much time do you have? 00:17:10.440 --> 00:17:13.079 You know, I it's the village. 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:16.599 And I I think the one guy I want to shout out is my defense coordinator, Jim Shooting. 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:18.599 He won a section title at Foothill. 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:26.599 He coached at Shasta College, he's coached at various high schools all in the county, and our boys have really been playing for him this this season. 00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:32.039 It's fun to see he's got his two sons out here coaching with him, so that's been really special for them. 00:17:32.279 --> 00:17:38.200 What's really nice is coming back into the program that we have a rule where you have to be four years removed to come back and coach. 00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:47.559 And so we've got five coaches right now on staff that basically were here either my first year or Coach Shuty's first year, and they're coming back and they want to give back. 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:48.680 So that's fun. 00:17:48.839 --> 00:17:51.960 Obviously, our team moms are incredible. 00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:59.879 They run our nonprofit and they just want what's best for the boys, and they've worked countless hours to make it a fun season for them. 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:09.480 The amount of stuff that goes into just running a good high school football program, not a great one, it's just countless hours of people that don't play a single down on Fridays. 00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:17.799 So our administration team here has always been super supportive and always wants to help us win and just be successful. 00:18:17.879 --> 00:18:23.159 And the biggest thing is that the program, doing football right, wins are a byproduct of that. 00:18:23.319 --> 00:18:31.559 And running a successful program is making your community better because using athletics as a vehicle to help them get to college, to be great community members. 00:18:31.879 --> 00:18:34.279 99% of these kids aren't going to play college football. 00:18:34.519 --> 00:18:39.399 Giving them a good experience, helping them develop as a person, that's what we're trying to be all about. 00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:42.279 And winning is the byproduct of doing it correctly. 00:18:43.079 --> 00:18:44.199 That's great, coach. 00:18:44.359 --> 00:18:49.639 I appreciate your time and thank you for taking a few minutes to share. 00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:53.959 I know you are very passionate about coaching and also passionate about your program. 00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:56.599 And you guys have done a great job to start this season. 00:18:56.679 --> 00:19:00.519 Uh, I'm really looking forward to uh watching you guys in league play. 00:19:00.919 --> 00:19:01.399 Thanks, man. 00:19:01.639 --> 00:19:02.039 Appreciate it. 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:02.839 All right.