For Riverside Prep, the next rebuild isn’t about wins. It’s about finally building something that lasts.
For years, Riverside Prep has become accustomed to introductions.
New coaches. New systems. New philosophies.
By the time players have learned one playbook, another one often follows.
Since Greg Bailey guided the Silver Knights during the program’s first three seasons from 2010-12, no head coach has lasted longer than two years. Steve Randall coached the team in 2022 and 2023. Justin Randall took over in 2024. Bradley Kistner led the program last fall.
Now Damion Wright becomes the latest coach asked to do something no one else has managed in more than a decade and create stability.
The task isn’t just rebuilding a football team.
It’s rebuilding belief.
“I didn’t really want to start my head coaching career this early,” Wright admitted. “But because I already knew the players, knew the community and had already been here for a year, it just felt like the right fit.
“It’s a smaller school where you can actually develop kids. You’re not just getting super athletic players. Coaching is about teaching, and that’s the part I’m passionate about.”
That passion for development is exactly what attracted Riverside Prep administrators after Wright spent last season as the Silver Knights’ quarterbacks coach under Kistner.
The Fontana native arrives with an uncommon résumé.
As a quarterback at Jurupa Hills, Wright accounted for more than 3,500 yards of offense while leading the Spartans to a CIF-Southern Section championship as a junior. After transferring to Salesian for his senior season, he went on to play at Boise State after being recruited as a three-star safety before finishing his playing career at Azusa Pacific. Coaching stops at the University of La Verne and St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy followed, including serving as defensive coordinator on a St. Pius team that beat Serrano for the CIF-SS Division 10 championship in 2024.
But Wright isn’t interested in talking about where he’s been. He’s focused on what Riverside Prep can become.
His program mantra is simple. Do the work.
“It’s about showing up every day and not cutting corners,” Wright said. “Put your boots on. Do the work. Watch more film. Stay later if you need to. Learn your assignments.”
That message has already resonated inside the locker room.
“Coach Wright has been doing a good job bringing the juice and keeping the team in check,” junior lineman Ian Garcia said. “He’s getting the culture right.”
Culture has become the top priority because Riverside Prep has shown it can compete.
The Silver Knights finished 3-7 last season, but their record didn’t tell the whole story.
Two Cottonwood League losses came by a combined eight points, falling 36-31 to Trinity Classical Academy and 36-33 to Silver Valley. Riverside Prep also ended the season with a dominant 45-3 victory over Temecula Prep.
Those narrow defeats have become motivation throughout the offseason.
“We’re ready to go,” Garcia said. “We’re setting our sights on getting into the playoffs and seeing what we can do. Ready to prove everyone wrong.”
How so?
“Just by winning,” he replied
Leading that charge is junior quarterback Daniel Gutierrez.One of the few constants amid the coaching carousel.
Last season he completed 76 of 147 passes for 865 yards and six touchdowns while adding four rushing touchdowns. Even as a freshman, he flashed his potential by throwing for 637 yards and seven scores.
Now, with a second straight season working alongside Wright, the relationship has evolved beyond coach and quarterback.
“We developed a special relationship last year,” Wright said. “Now I’m not just his quarterback coach, I’m his head coach.”
That familiarity allows Wright to place even more responsibility on Gutierrez’s shoulders.
As the season progresses, he expects his quarterback to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage, manage formations and become an extension of the coaching staff.
“I think he’s going to be special,” Wright said. “We’re going to have him manipulate the system more. The offense isn’t completely different, but we’ve added some things, and I think we’re going to let him run a little bit more in certain packages.”
Gutierrez won’t have to do it alone. Senior receiver Zander Peyton believes months of offseason work have strengthened their chemistry.
“We’ve been putting in lots of hours,” Peyton said. “Pure dedication. We’ve been extremely locked in. I think he’s going to deliver what we need. He’s going to help us in tough situations and be a real leader.”
Wright expects his offense to look different from it did a year ago.
After graduating an entire offensive line, the Silver Knights will lean on quick throws, pre-snap motion and multiple formations while bringing along an inexperienced group in the trenches.
Instead of relying on one featured running back, Wright plans to rotate four backs depending on the situation.
Sophomore Nate Lucero figures to be one of those options after spending the offseason adding strength and improving his speed through sprint work and footwork drills.
“I’m really excited,” Lucero said. “This is my opportunity to show what I can do.”
Like Garcia, Lucero believes Riverside Prep’s biggest strength extends beyond the playbook.
“I think that’s one of the better parts about our team,” he said. “How close we are.”
That closeness may ultimately determine whether Riverside Prep can take the next step.
The Silver Knights don’t necessarily need a miracle turnaround.
After all, they were only a handful of plays away from being a playoff contender a year ago.
What they need is consistency.
Consistency in leadership. Consistency in expectations. Consistency in believing that the next coach isn’t just another coach passing through.
If Wright succeeds in establishing that foundation, the wins may eventually follow. For a program that has spent much of the past decade starting over, that might be the biggest victory of all.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Another new head coach aims to end Riverside Prep’s revolving door
Reporting by Jose Quintero, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jose Quintero, Victorville Daily Press | USA TODAY Network
