DEL NORTE TABS EX-PACKER BARNETT AS ITS NEW COACH
Nick Barnett played 11 years in the NFL, had 1,043 tackles, was an All-Pro selection in 2007 and has a ring from Super Bowl XLV, when his Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Wednesday, the former linebacker was named head football coach at Del Norte High School. Barnett is the eighth high school football coach in San Diego with NFL experience, joining a list that includes former Chargers Eric Weddle and Nick Novak and ex-Ram Shane Walton, among others.
“I can’t wait to get started,” said Barnett.
Barnett coached the linebackers at La Costa Canyon last season and made a major impression on Mavericks head coach Sean Sovacool.
“Nick was a huge shot in the arm for our program,” Sovacool said. “I don’t want to see him go. He’s going to be hard to replace. He’s a really cool guy, but beyond that, he’s a good football coach.
“And he has NFL on his résumé.”
Barnett, 41, played at A.B. Miller High in Fontana and at Oregon State. He was a first-round pick of the Packers in 2003. Barnett spent eight seasons in Green Bay, two in Buffalo and one in Washington.
“I loved my time at LCC,” Barnett said. “I worked with the kids on and off the field.
Trained the linebackers. I coached Pop Warner and had a lot of the kids there. So LCC was a great transition for me.”
Del Norte was 7-5 each of the last two seasons under Leigh Cole, who is now the offensive coordinator at Scripps Ranch.
The Nighthawks are set up for success with a number of top-flight players returning.
“I’ve watched a lot of film, and we have a lot of weapons coming back,” Barnett said. “These players are very capable of doing things they’ve been told they can’t do.”
Del Norte Athletic Director Amanda Waters-Nelson said the Nighthawks went through an intensive search and interview process.
The selection committee was most impressed with Barnett’s core values, building a winning culture and the commitment to the school’s principles.
“We’re already behind, so we need to get after it,” said Barnett, who plans to meet his players today. “I have a great athletic director, great administrative and community support. Now it’s up to me to put a staff together. And I guarantee, I’ll bring intensity and passion to the program.”