Mission Viejo Expected to Offer Spalding Football Job

Marty Spalding is expected to be offered the head football coaching position at Mission Viejo High School, a source at the school said Monday.

Spalding is expected to meet today with Mission Viejo Principal Robert Metz. The decision is not official until the Saddleback Valley Unified School District’s board of education approves it at a May 12 meeting. The job has been vacant since Mike Rush resigned under pressure March 5.

Metz was unavailable for comment, but Chuck Drinkworth, a Mission Viejo assistant who interviewed for the position, said he was told by a selection committee member Monday night that Spalding would be offered the job.

Spalding, 46, has been a Laguna Hills assistant coach for the past two seasons. He was an assistant at El Toro for 12 seasons under Bob Johnson.

The Chargers won three Southern Section championships during that time.

When Johnson resigned after the 1990 season, Spalding was a finalist for that job. Spalding left for Laguna Hills when Mike Milner was hired. Spalding coached the Hawks’ offensive and defensive linemen the last two seasons.

Laguna Hills won the Southern Section Division VII championship in 1991 on the strength of its power running game. Tailback David Webber gained 2,048 yards that season, including 278 yards in a 35-28 victory over Trabuco Hills in the title game.

There has been speculation that Spalding and Johnson will be reunited at Mission Viejo. Johnson showed interest in the head job, but withdrew his name two weeks ago. Many think Spalding will hire Johnson as an assistant.

Spalding, a former head coach at Canyon Country Canyon, was among nine applicants interviewed late last week. Others interviewed were former Mater Dei Coach Chuck Gallo, former Mission Viejo Coach Bill Crow and former Rancho Alamitos Coach Mark Miller.

Spalding inherits a program that was among the elite in Orange County in the 1980s. The Diablos won the Central Conference championship in 1981 and reached the Division III semifinals in 1988 and 1989 and the Division II semifinals in 1990. The Diablos were 7-4 in 1991 and 5-6 last season.