COACH IS ALREADY GONE AT EASTLAKE
A few weeks after accepting the job as head football coach at Eastlake High, Drew Westling has resigned.
“Stepped down at Eastlake. Couldn’t get on the same page with admin on staff,” Westling said in a text.
Eastlake Athletic Director Mario Ramirez didn’t comment on Westling’s departure.
Ramirez said the job must be posted in the Sweetwater district and he hopes to have a new coach by April 29.
A source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said school officials were demanding Westling hire a certain coach as defensive coordinator when Westling already had his basic staff assembled.
The source said Westling’s staff had been communicating with and coaching the team online through the HUDL website.
Westling, 32, led Hilltop to three straight Metro South Bay League championships and a 9-2 record last season before taking the Eastlake job. He had a 28-18 record in four seasons with the Lancers.
Westling replaced John Mcfadden, who resigned at the end of the 2019 season after going 131-50-4 in 16 seasons at Eastlake with a pair of San Diego Section championships. Mcfadden was placed on leave in September in a personnel matter.
Eastlake finished last season 5-6, winning the Metro Mesa League championship under interim coach Paco Silva.
The Titans started four sophomores on the varsity and the JV team was 7-2.
A quarterback, Westling graduated from Aliso Niguel High, where he played for his father, Kurt, earning league MVP honors.
He started his college career at Tulsa, transferred to Southwestern College and finished at San Diego State.
john.maffei@sduniontribune.com