Patu on board: New Capital Christian coach is father of area’s top QB recruit
The news was continuously grim at Capital Christian High School last month.
Nearly a dozen school staffers and coaches were laid off as the coronavirus pandemic cast an ominous shadow amid declining enrollment and the shuttering of schools.
One of those released off was football coach Casey Taylor despite three championship seasons as a high-profile program. One who remained was athletic director Aaron Garcia.
He told Capital Christian Head of Schools Tim Wong that if the program continued to lose players via transfer amid a time of uncertainty, the Cougars might have to consider dropping the sport for a season to regroup.
Unless a coach of profound impact could step in.
Capital Christian thinks that coach is Saul Patu.
He was hired last week by Wong and Garcia as the school’s new director of advancement and football coach. Patu comes in from the Pacific Northwest, with a strong resume and reputation, a bear of a man with a kind heart with an emphasis on growth, development and education. He was an assistant coach last season at Division III Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and has previous high school coaching experience in Seattle, where he played prep ball.
If the Patu name sounds familiar, this may be why: He was a four-year starter at defensive end and linebacker from 1997-2000 at Oregon, where he set program tackle-for-loss records. It is where he met his wife, the former Alana Burns, a Ducks softball star with Sacramento roots.
One of their three sons is Ari Patu, the Folsom quarterback who recently committed to Stanford on a scholarship package.
”I’m excited,” Patu said of his Capital Christian challenges. “Football is the best mentorship group for young males that I’ve ever been a part of. To me, the X’s and O’s are the easiest part. Nothing is new under the sun in football. At the end of the day, the field is still the same size, 22 guys playing. Coaching is really a calling about developing young men, and they flock to compete and play the sport. What better way to impact young lives than to coach football?”
Patu commuted from Portland last season to Folsom to watch Ari play, and, when the schedules allowed, their oldest son, Orin, a linebacker at Cal. Ari Patu is entrenched at quarterback at Folsom, where the Patu family has lived for more than a year.
Besides, Capital Christian has its own quarterback star in the making in Anthony Garcia. He is the son of Aaron Garcia, the Capital athletic director who was The Bee’s Player of the Year in 1987 while setting state passing records at Grant before playing at Washington State and Sacramento State.
Aaron Garcia set myriad passing marks in the Arena Football League, passing for a remarkable 62,159 yards and 1,336 touchdowns — yes, 1,336. Imagine that. A former star quarterback is now raving about a defender.
“Saul Patu is almost too good to be true,” Garcia said with a laugh. “Great guy. He’s a good coach. He’s been involved in nonprofit, which is where we also need help. He’s done all of that. Losing Casey Taylor was a huge loss. We’re still good friends. It’s a blessing to get Saul here.
“Capital still has a lot to offer, a place to go if you want a Christian, spiritual education and experience.”
Garcia and Patu have known each other since their professional playing days. Patu used to chase after Garcia in arena games. Garcia insists he never touched him. Patu isn’t so sure.
”In football, film does not lie! Let the film fill in the blanks,” Patu said with a laugh, adding, “I’m looking forward to working with Aaron. I can catch him for sure now.”
Patu will coach his youngest son at Capital as Kayo will be an incoming freshman this fall.
“I tell people that my wife Alana is the best athlete in our house and our youngest son is the next best, followed by our daughter Saniyah (a basketball player at Valdosta State),” Patu said. “It’s been a joy.”
This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 10:29 AM.