Wave of coaching absences hits Sacramento high school football programs
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Five Sacramento-area high school football coaches missed games last week.
- Four coaches were placed on administrative leave after separate conduct issues.
- One coach, Matt Costa, resigned to care for his terminally ill father.
Early in Saturday night’s Holy Bowl clash between Christian Brothers and Jesuit at Hughes Stadium, attended by more than 12,000 people, the student rooting section decked in Christian Brothers blue started a chant.
“We want Larry.”
They chanted for Larry Morla, the Falcons’ head football coach and a popular figure on the Oak Park campus as a physical education teacher and co-coach of the track and field program. An alumnus of the school, Morla was not on the Christian Brothers sideline with a headset, nor was he even in the stadium on the campus of Sacramento City College.
Morla was away from football and with family, having been placed on administrative leave by Christian Brothers, the result of his halftime behavior of a game from the previous week, a home loss to Nevada Union of Grass Valley on Sept. 5. Morla vented his frustrations of a sluggish first half, resulting in his destroying a television monitor, a source with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak told The Sacramento Bee.
Morla coached the second half of that contest, spoke to his young team about growth after the 52-20 setback and has not been with the team since. He told The Bee on Monday via text, “It’s up in the air right now.”
Christian Brothers dipped to 0-4 after falling to Jesuit 28-7 in the Holy Bowl. The Falcons were coached by assistant Jon Scriven.
Morla was one of five Sacramento-area high school football coaches who did not coach their teams last week — four of them were placed on administrative leave. One returns this week and two remain on leave. The fifth, Matt Costa of Del Campo, stepped aside less than a month into the season to tend to his ailing father, dismissing rumors that he had been terminated by the school.
Taken together, it was a stunning, sudden number of coaches without their teams. Outside of the Costa situation, it is reflective of the pressures of leading a high school team with the expectations of fielding competitive rosters, to produce a winner, to satisfy administrators, parents and alumni, and how schools have low tolerance when it comes to antics and behavior that cross the line.
Another absences was Reggie Harris. The firebrand coach was in May placed on administrative leave at Inderkum High in the Natomas Unified School District following a heated verbal exchange with a student in a physical education class. Harris did not return to P.E. teaching at the school, nor was he retained as the Inderkum football coach, replaced by interim coach Justin Reber.
Coaches are on yearly, at-will contracts, meaning they can be cut loose as a coach. Coaches who are placed on leave for incidents as a teacher are subject to school investigations, suspensions or termination.
Antelope coach returns, Rocklin and Sheldon coaches sit
In another case, Antelope High football coach Juwan Hurd missed the first three games of the season while on administrative leave. Assistant coach Tony Fletcher led the Titans during Hurd’s absence.
A longtime coach at Antelope, Hurd returned to his sideline role on Monday, Antelope athletic director Cory Clonce said. Hurd will be on the sideline as the Titans seek their first victory of the season, facing the visiting McClatchy Lions in a Metro League opener.
The Roseville Joint Union High School District did not give a reason for his leave. Typical of all schools, when coaches are placed on leave, principals and athletic directors cannot comment publicly, insisting an employee placed on leave is a personnel matter. Players and parents generally do not comment publicly for fear of retribution.
Meanwhile, Rocklin coach Jason Adams was recently placed on administrative leave for a heated verbal exchange with a student in a physical education class he was teaching, several sources who were not authorized to speak about the incident told The Bee. Rocklin did not play last week because of a bye week in the schedule. Adams will not coach in Friday’s Sierra Foothill League opener in Placer County when The Bee-ranked No. 2 Thunder host the top-ranked Folsom Bulldogs.
Sundeep Dosanjh, a spokesperson for the Rocklin Unified School District, said in a statement, “Rocklin High School is looking forward to cheering on its players during their game against Folsom High School. The school’s interim varsity football coach, Tim Kenney, is in charge while Jason Adams is on leave. Rocklin Unified does not comment on confidential personnel matters.”
In the Elk Grove Unified School District, Sheldon Huskies first-year coach Troy Burton was placed on administrative leave last week after he issued a heated verbal reprimand with players at a practice, sources told The Bee. Sheldon athletic director Jason Bumbaca coached the Huskies in last Friday’s 58-14 loss to Sierra of Manteca, which dropped the team to 0-4.
Sheldon hosts rival Pleasant Grove on Friday night in a Delta League opener. Elk Grove district officials wrote in a statement to The Bee, “The Sheldon High School varsity football coach is on a leave of absence at this time. As personnel matters are confidential, we are limited in what we can share. The athletic director, Jason Bumbaca, will lead the varsity team until further notice, and the remaining coaching staff will continue to support the team.
“We remain committed to providing a positive experience for all student-athletes. Our coaching staff and school administration will work together to ensure continuity and stability for the team.”
Del Campo coach steps down
In contrast to the disciplinary cases, Costa, of Del Campo of Fair Oaks, said he painfully stepped away from what he had called a dream job. He was not placed on leave, and he dismissed any speculation that he had been terminated as coach by the school.
Costa stepped down on Sept. 9 with the Cougars off to a 2-1 start following playoff appearances in 2021 and 2024. He said he made the decision to care for his ailing father, handing the program to acting head coach Jeff Remington, an on-campus staff member.
Costa said the Cougars are in “good hands” with Remington.
“I found out my dad has terminal cancer and I want to spend as much time as I can with him,” Costa said.
Costa added on social media in debunking “a lot of rumors that I was fired at Del Campo.” He wrote in part, “This was not ideal, nor how I wanted to end my season, or possibly even my career. Although the timing sucks, this was the right decision for me and my family. I have one dad.”
Del Campo last Friday lost to Bella Vista in a rivalry game, 34-20. The Cougars play at Antioch High on Friday in a nonleague game before kicking off the Foothill Valley League schedule.
This story was originally published September 16, 2025 at 11:36 AM.