What new Salpointe football head coach Pat Ryden told his players

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Pat Ryden takes out a key he's given to unlock the gate entering Salpointe Football's Ed Doherty Stadium.

"I've never had to unlock the gate before," said Ryden.

Ryden has been given the keys to the Lancers program, as he's been promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach following the resignation of Eric Rogers.

"It wasn't anything that I was planning for," said Ryden. "It was an opportunity that came up, here, at the end of the season."

If anyone is qualified to take over Salpointe, it's Ryden. He has extensive experience coaching under Jim Monaco at Pima College, as a head coach at Rincon High School, and various other high school assistant coaching jobs.

"You learn something everywhere you are at. I've been blessed by coaching with a lot of great coaches."

Ryden was an assistant under Mica Mountian head coach Pat Nugent when they were at Canyon del Oro. He also coached current Dorados head coach Dustin Peace when he was a player at Flowing Wells. Now, Ryden is colleagues and competitors with both, even though Salpointe plays a Class 6A schedule.

"When I met with the Salpointe players, I told them it was an honor to be their head coach. The foundation at Salpointe was built a long time ago. I told them that isn't a rebuild. It's a reset and to try and improve the program."

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