Blair football turns to former Eagle Johnny Lopez

For the third time in his career, current Marshall Fundamental instructor Johnny Lopez will attach the title of head coach to his resume.

The Rosemead High alumnus and one-time coach at Marshall confirmed he accepted the head coaching job at Blair as of Friday afternoon.

“I’ve been out of coaching for a year and I thought it was time to come back,” said Lopez, 51, a current instructor at Marshall in the LEARNs after-school program. “Blair is close to me and they needed help, so it was a good fit.”

Lopez replaces Gary Parks, whose teams won five games during his four-year tenure and have finished last in the Rio Hondo League the previous three seasons.

Two immediate hurdles that stand in Lopez’ way are time and player participation.

Blair’s first regular season game is scheduled for Aug. 24 at Muir versus Hoover.

“My immediate goal is to get us ready for Hoover. That’s all I can really think about right now,” said Lopez, who has already held three practices. “I have to get these guys ready to play and to be physically conditioned. I’m not going to put anyone out there who’s not ready.”

As for numbers, there was some speculation Blair would not have enough players to field a team this year. The assumption was one Lopez didn’t understand.

“I’m not really sure where that came from. We have players who are at different camps and doing different things,” Lopez said. “I got the job Friday and the players are trickling in. How does anyone know how many players there are when guys are still coming in?”

Lopez’ history in the San Gabriel Valley runs deep as he was an inaugural assistant coach under Lew Stueck when La Salle played its first varsity season in 1991 and spent 13 years with the Lancers.

Lopez also was an assistant at La Cañada High and East Los Angeles College.

The coaching gig is the first in football for Lopez since he assisted former Marshall Coach Rickey Pickens in 2009.

“The last couple of years I’ve coached girls’ basketball and boys’ basketball with the city’s parks and recreation program,” Lopez said. “I’m a football coach who has been coaching basketball the last couple of years, but I’ve always been behind the scenes with the Marshall program.”

Lopez coached the 2005 season and through the first four games of 2006 at Marshall and compiled a 2-11 record before resigning.

Two years later, Lopez gained national attention when he was physically assaulted by an Eagle Rock player at practice in 2008, his lone season as head coach at the one-time Los Angeles City Section power.

“I’m not going to say much about that situation other than it was extremely difficult because the former head coach [Jerry Chou] lost his job and still wanted to coach,” said Lopez, who was speared in the back by a helmet of one of his players.

“I received little support, but I didn’t quit because I gave the principal my word I was going to finish out the season and I did.”

In his first few days at his new job, Lopez said he’s been pleasantly surprised by parental support.

“There’s been a good response here,” Lopez said. “Now, we have to get ready for football.”