Tuttle steps down after three years with Glendale High football

When asked if there was a characteristic that best defined his tenure at Glendale High School, head football coach John Tuttle responded with one word – “competitive.”

Tuttle’s coaching stint was much like his answer, short, but impactful.

The 37-year-old coach confirmed that he had stepped down from Glendale on Friday afternoon after a three-year run that saw his squad dominate the city rivalry series with Hoover, battle league opponents tougher than had been done before and also grab some upsets along the way.

Tuttle said he planned to remain on campus as a physical education instructor and did not have another football coaching job lined up.

“It’s something I had thought about for the last couple of weeks,” Tuttle said. “I made the decision and knew for sure last night. It was really tough.”

Tuttle cited a lack of time as the main reason for his departure.

“Football requires a huge commitment and I just couldn’t give it anymore,” Tuttle said. “Balancing a personal life with a family life, I just didn’t have the time to commit to my team anymore.”

Tuttle had been an assistant at Glendale for two years before taking over for Alan Eberhart in December of 2011.

The former San Marino High standout posted a 10-20 record (6-15 in league) in three seasons, a relatively successful record when compared with the 4-26 mark the Nitros turned in the previous three years.

Aside from the team’s record, there were also a different feel in regards to Glendale football.

“Coach Tuttle proved he wasn’t just another coach here satisfied if we went 0-10,” said Nitros running back Daniel Jung, an All-Area selection. “We showed in a lot games that we could compete with other teams. We could compete with Crescenta Valley and Hoover. People just couldn’t overlook us.”

Among the hallmark victories, perhaps the biggest came in Tuttle’s first season when his squad overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat school district rival Crescenta Valley, 20-17, on Oct. 19, 2012.

“He did a great job and he kept his guys in games all the time,” Crescenta Valley Coach Paul Schilling said. “Even if Glendale had lesser talent, they just battled. After that loss, we made some changes.”

Because of the loss, the Falcons turned to an untested sophomore quarterback named Brian Gadsby, who won the last two games of the 2012 season and finished with a career record of 24-2 and led the Falcons to a CIF Southern Section Southeast Division title this fall.

“I guess I should thank John,” Schilling quipped.

The win was the first for the Nitros over the Falcons since 2003 and Glendale’s first triumph over any team outside of Hoover since 2008.

Perhaps Tuttle’s best year was 2012, when the Nitros went 4-6 and only suffered two losses of 21 or more points.

That season, Glendale also hammered Hoover, 49-6, after upsetting host Pasadena, 23-20, in the second-to-last week of the season.

In terms of historic wins, Glendale’s biggest may have come this past Oct. 3, when the visiting Nitros topped Arcadia, 28-14, in Pacific League play to register their first victory versus the Apaches since 1991.

As for the rivalry with Hoover, there was no competition as Tuttle was 3-0 versus the Tornadoes while his teams won via a combined margin of 106-19.

“I think beating CV was the biggest of those wins, but it was more than just wins,” said Glendale senior running back/linebacker Ricky Herrera, who was grateful for the help Tuttle provided after Herrera tore his ACL his sophomore year. “Just improving our record and having other teams respect us was great.

“Coach Tuttle taught us a lot about football, but also about life off the field.”

Tuttle informed his players of his decision Friday in a team meeting he described as “emotional.”

“It was tough to tell them goodbye and to thank the players for everything they had given us,” Tuttle said. “I just told them that I could no longer give them the time they needed from me to be successful.”

Glendale Athletic Director Pat Lancaster said the decision took him by surprise, but he was thankful for Tuttle’s contributions.

“He did a nice job at Glendale and was a good fit for us,” Lancaster said. “Beating Hoover, Arcadia, Pasadena and CV was great, but even better was that he had the program on the upswing. It’s sad to see him go and the boys will be disappointed.”

Lancaster said the position would be made available both in district and listed on the CIF Southern Section website.