Marijon Ancich

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Marijon Ancich is the winningest high school football coach in California history with a record of 344-123-4.

Contents 1 College Years 2 Football Coaching Career 3 The Man 4 The Glory Years 5 Tustin High

[edit] College Years

Ancich attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and was a four-year letterman in football and a two-year letterman in track. In football, he played fullback, linebacker, and defensive back, and was a two-time All-CCAA selection.

[edit] Football Coaching Career

Ancich, a 1955 San Pedro High graduate, started as an assistant at St. Paul in 1959, becoming head coach two years later.

In his long career, Ancich's teams won 344 games, three CIF titles in 1968, 1972, and 1981, two California State titles and 19 league championships.

More than 220 Ancich-coached players have played college football and several in the NFL, while nearly 100 of his players have coached high school, collegiate and the NFL, 35 becoming head coaches.

Many of Ancich's former players and assistants have coached in the Southland, including Dick Bruich of Fontana Kaiser HS, Robert Oviedo of Hacienda Heights Wilson HS, Pat Degnan of Quartz Hill HS, Dusan Ancich (son) of California HS and Cerritos HS, Tim Lins of Moorpark HS and former Cal State Northridge and Temescal Canyon coach Bob Burt. A "Family Tree" in the St. Paul program lists 116 coaches who either played or coached for Ancich.

[edit] The Man

Coach Ancich is known for his unflagging work ethic - beyond coaching for over 45 years, he just retired from his other job. He was a longshoreman for 49 years, a career that was a product of his Slavic heritage and the community of San Pedro. His coaches were told that their free time was between midnight and 6:00 am and that any normal human did not need more than a few hours of sleep each night. His nickname of "Red-Eye" is a testament to this practice coupled with hours of watching film. Players often referred to him as just "The Eye" because he seemed to know what any given player was doing on any given play. He always gives credit to the parents, players, and fellow coaches for his accomplishments - he demanded a great deal of everyone and had the charisma to make everyone believe in what they were trying to do.

In late 2000, Ancich summed up his objective for every player: "To give the young man the opportunity to develop his courage, his loyalty, his poise, the proper weighing of values and the proper control of his emotions in adversity, and in accomplishment."

[edit] The Glory Years

After St. Paul capped a perfect 1981 season with a 30-9 victory over Colton in the AAAAA final, he accepted a job as offensive coordinator at Northern Arizona. But he soon grew weary of the college game and returned to Southern California after one year, helping out at Cerritos College for a season before becoming the coach at Tustin High School in 1984. He returned to St. Paul in 1993, turning down an offer to coach with the Houston Oilers. He stepped down after the 2005 season having set the California State Record for career victories at 344. He is currently the defensive coordinator at Cerritos Junior College (reuniting with JC legend and close friend Frank Mazzotta).

[edit] Tustin High

Tustin was 3-17 in the two seasons before his arrival. Under Ancich, the Tillers won four league titles and reached the playoffs seven times. They reached the CIF championship game for two consecutive seasons (1990 and 1991). The two year combined record was 25-3. Tustin did not win in either year. In 1990, Aaron Gutridge had his jersey retired (#50) after being named the CIF defensive player of the year.