When Josh Riddell was hired as McKay High School’s football coach – his first head coaching position – he knew the first person he wanted to hire for the coaching staff wasn’t available.
That’s because his father, Duane Riddell, accepted the head coaching position at Perrydale a month ago.
When the high school football season starts this fall, there will be two Riddell’s walking sidelines of football fields in the Mid-Valley.
“It’s going to be a crazy time,” Duane Riddell said. “It will be a lot of fun. And we’ll all lie to each other about it on Saturday mornings.”
Duane has a 122-80 record in 20 years as a head coach, including a 31-24 record as coach at McKay from 2000-04; this is Josh’s first head coaching job.
“It’s funny because I’ve had quite a few talks with him, before I interviewed for the job,” Josh Riddell said. “I wanted him on my coaching staff.”
Josh Riddell replaces Brett Rhodes, who was 4-24 in three years as coach including 1-8 last season.
Josh Riddell graduated from McKay in 2004 where he was an all-state defensive back.
He played quarterback for two years at Foothill Junior College in Los Angeles, one injury-shortened season at Mississippi State and two years at Western Oregon.
Josh Riddell spent one year as an assistant coach at McNary, two years as an assistant coach under Duane Riddell at Gervais and the past three years at West Salem.
Josh Riddell said he plans to use multi-receiver, pistol offensive sets as opposed to the wing-T offense it ran the past few years.
“I’m going to be the quarterback coach and call the offense,” said Josh Riddell, who will work on staff at McKay in an undetermined role. “I’ve been around some great minds, offensive minds, and I’ve been able to pick their brains a lot.”
He has existing relationships with many of the coaches who have been, and will remain, on the coaching staff at McKay.
Greg LaFountaine was his baseball coach while playing at McKay, Darnell Hall was in the same graduating class at McKay and he played at Western Oregon with Bryan Huber.
LaFountaine was the defensive coordinator when Duane Riddell was the head coach at McKay.
“Josh isn’t afraid to ask questions,” Duane Riddell said. “He coached for a couple of guys I think are great coaches in the West Salem coaches. He’s had some pretty experiences.”
Since Josh Riddell wasn’t hired until school was out, one of the biggest tasks he’s had is finding players at the school. He said there will be a player meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday followed by a workout.
While Josh Riddell has a rebuilding job to do at McKay, Duane Riddell is taking over an established program.
Perrydale was 10-1 last season, losing to Dufur in the state semifinals. Duane Riddell takes over for Chris Gubud, who resigned to spend time watching his two children play college sports this fall.
“With excellent coaches and really good kids,” said Duane Riddell, who coached Central to a state championship in 1983. “There’s not a lot of players.
“There’s very few players, but the ones we have are very good kids. I’m learning a lot from my coaches and the kids and so it’s been a fun experience for me.”
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6701 or Twitter.com/bpoehler
Duane Riddell has been hired as Perrydale’s head football coach.
Josh Riddel, shown playing for Western Oregon, has been hired as McKay’s football coach.