University Prep (Redding) head football coach Darren Trueblood, who also spent 13 years at
Enterprise (Redding), died Wednesday in a Houston hospital after a short battle with lung cancer. He was 54.
Trueblood coached at Enterprise for 21 years, the last 13 (2003-15) as head coach, guiding the Hornets to 105 wins and four Northern Section titles, including three in a row from 2012-14 and four in six years. He won 119 games with the Hornets and the past two seasons at U-Prep.
U-Prep principal Shelle Peterson said in a statement Thursday morning, "His family was by his side throughout this difficult time; they are deeply mourning the loss of a beloved husband, father and brother.
"Darren Trueblood's brilliant north state legacy exceeds his notable accomplishments as a high school coach and history teacher. He was a man of rare integrity, a family man who epitomized the true meaning and value of 'We Not Me.' His character was stellar and he set the bar his for the positive influence educators and coaches can have on young people and families."
He was named MaxPreps Coach of the Year in California in 2013 after
leading the Hornets to a 13-1 record and state bowl game berth — the
first time a Northern Section team won either a NorCal or state playoff
game. He was twice named Northern Section Coach of the Year, as voted on
by North State media, once in 2009 and again in 2013.
A Red Bluff native, Trueblood was an assistant for Clay Erro at
Enterprise before taking over the reins of the program in 2003. He
taught U.S. history at Enterprise more than two decades before resigning
as football coach in 2016 and transferring to U-Prep, where the Chico
State alumnus taught AP U.S. history.
He took over the help of the Panthers’ program in 2018, guiding the
program to an 8-3 finish last year following a 6-5 season one year
earlier. His .683 winning percentage is tied for 12th on the all-time
section list.
Darren Trueblood died Wednesday after a short battle with cancer. The 54-year-old coached at U-Prep and Enterprise, where he won four Northern Section titles, including this one in 2009.
File photo by Anthony Brunsman
