Head of the class

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Bishop Gorman High School’s first-year coach, Tony Sanchez, doesn’t hide his expectations.

He expects the players on his team to be accountable and they will have to earn their positions on the field. Naturally, he expects the Gaels to compete for the state title — not just this year, but every year.

So, when one of the top performers on Gorman’s star-studded roster was late for practice Tuesday, Sanchez didn’t back down from his claim that no jobs were safe. He told the athlete — a three-year starter who is committed to a Pac-10 school — to never be late again or he’d be off the team.

Seconds later he looked over as the 70-plus players who make up the Gaels varsity and junior varsity teams were going through stretching drills and noticed a player simply going through the motions. It was another one of Gorman’s eight Division I prospects, and the coach went right back to his mantra. “You keep that up and you won’t play for us,” he barked.

Gorman went 26-2 over the past two years, going undefeated in winning the state title in 2007 and advancing to the Sunset Regional championship game last year before losing to eventual state runner-up Palo Verde.

Despite the success, something was missing. Enter Sanchez.

The athletes believe the high-energy, no-nonsense coach is a perfect fit for the program. Gorman has four players committed to Pac-10 schools and four others with offers from major Division I programs.

Still, that doesn’t mean they will all be starting on Aug. 28 when Gorman opens its season against Dixie High in St. George, Utah. It seems impossible that an athlete good enough to earn a scholarship from a top 25 college program wouldn’t be a shoo-in to start on his high school team.

Then again, this isn’t the Gorman football program of the past two years.

“Coach let us know that there are consequences for our actions,” said senior Xavier Grimble, the nation’s No. 1-ranked tight end according to Rivals.com who has committed to Southern California. “I wish he could have been my coach for all four years. He brings a discipline we were missing.”

Sanchez, who came from Cal High in San Ramon, Calif., has earned the respect of his players.

And, he proudly says, they are also earning his respect. For as tough as Sanchez has been on his team, he has often turned into a cheerleader while implementing his pro-style offense.

“I have always believed you have to hold people accountable and they have to learn to hold one another accountable,” Sanchez said. “Giving your best effort at practice is not going to be an option.”