Holdren tabbed as new Burroughs football coach
Rand Holdren knows what it’s like to compete in football in a tight-knit community.
“I’m from Santa Barbara and I think where I come from the community is a lot like it is in Burbank,” said Holdren, who was a quarterback at San Marcos and Bishop Diego highs before playing at Southern Methodist University. “They are both close-knit communities and there are a lot of good people who care about what happens in their community.”
Holdren, 38, will become immersed in the fabric of the city of Burbank after he was named the new head football coach at Burroughs High, the school announced Monday.
Holdren takes over for Mike Reily, who stepped down in January. In his two seasons with the Indians. During the 2017 season, Burroughs was 4-5 and 3-4 in league for fifth.
The Indians did not make the CIF Southern Section playoffs the past two seasons.
“This is just a great opportunity for me and I am just so excited about the chance to be able to take over a program that has so much tradition,” he said. “I know I come in an as outsider and I appreciate the administration giving me this opportunity.
“I decided about 12 years ago to get into coaching high school football and that has been my passion ever since. I started playing football at 7 and this has been my love. I have been able to learn from some some great coaches over the years and I’m hoping to bring all that I’ve learned to this situation.”
In high school, Holdren reportedly broke a dozne school records as a senior quarterback at Bishop Diego in 1996. He initially walked on at SMU and earned a scholarship with the Mustangs.
Holdren was an assistant football coach at Harvard-Westlake as well as at Alemany.
“This has been a three-year process for me and to finally see it come to fruition is pretty amazing,” he said. “To be able to be at a place where they embrace someone to come in and run a great program like this is just so huge.”
Holdren has also worked as an actor and is the founder of Underground Football in Los Angeles, which teaches football fundamentals and includes former NFL players.
“We are excited about Rand Holdren as our new coach. We really feel the players at Burroughs will be excited to play for someone as passionate about football and life as coach Holdren,” said Robyn Anders, Burroughs assistant principal of activities and athletics. “Coach Holdren’s football experiences demonstrate a history of making the game exciting for everyone involved, as well as building athletes into competitors at any level of the game, whether it be in Pop Warner or the NFL.”
Holdren, who said he is currently working on getting his teaching credential, plans on holding a meet-and-greet with Burroughs football players and family members Wednesday in the school’s cafeteria.
“I feel this is the right place for me right now,” Holdren said. “I just can’t wait to get started.”
Twitter: @jefftsports
