No one was sure when
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) head coach Bruce Rollinson was going to step away from coaching. Most knew it would be soon, and the high school football world got its answer Thursday evening when the program's football account tweeted a message from Rollinson.
"I have recently decided that this year will be my last year as head coach of Mater Dei football. After playing at Mater Dei more than 50 years ago, 47 years coaching at Mater Dei and 34 years as the head coach, making this decision at this time with the entire starting lineup returning next year, should make it easier for the next coach and Mater Dei to continue our winning tradition."
Rollinson is in his 34th year as head coach and has gone 339-86-2 leading Mater Dei to three CIF Open Division state titles (2017, 2018, 2021). They have finished ranked in the
MaxPreps Top 25 every year since 2016, excluding 2020 when football was moved to the spring and not included in the national rankings.
Rollinson has coached some of Southern California's top talent during his tenure including
Bryce Young, Matt Leinart,
JT Daniels,
Amon-Ra St. Brown,
Matt Barkley, Matt Grootegoed,
Bru McCoy,
Tommy Brown,
Elias Ricks,
Mase Funa,
Raleek Brown,
Khaled Holmes,
Domani Jackson,
C.J. Williams,
David Bailey and
Elijah Brown.
Rollinson will go down as one of the best high school football coaches in state history.
He has Mater Dei in position to repeat as MaxPreps National Champs and if the Monarchs can navigate the CIF Southern Section Division 1 bracket and win the Open Division state title. It would be the third time since 2017 they would finish ranked No. 1.
Bruce Rollinson is carried off the field following last year's CIF Open Division state championship game. (Photo: Louis Lopez)