Brent Browner said a one-man show wouldn’t work. That it takes a village.
That they all bring something different to the table.
The coach at Bishop Gorman consistently gives his staff credit for helping make the Gaels all they can be and are, a nationally-recognized program annually which plays another massive game when St. John Bosco visits Friday night.
The country’s top two prep football teams getting after it.
Bishop Gorman players are elite.
So, too, does it appear is its coaching staff.
“We’ve got a bunch of head coaches on my staff, so it helps daily when preparing for either a game like this or even for a team we haven’t seen before,” Browner said. “There are always wrinkles in every game, so having the staff we do helps a lot.
“It’s a real blessing to have these guys. A lot of teams might have just one or two who really know what they’re doing, but we have a lot of them. ”
Bit of everything
It begins with his coordinators, Craig Canfield on the offensive side and Michael Cosgrove, who doubles as the team’s strength and conditioning coach, on defense.
Browner said Canfield has been at the school 18 years and annually receives interest for head coaching jobs. But he stays at Bishop Gorman. Stays with a team that in any given year can claim a national championship.
“One of the biggest things that makes us so successful is the staff we have is top-notch,” Browner said. “That’s another component to it. To have guys who are not only good at what they do, but are here to do it for the right reason for the kids. … (Coaches) have been here a long time.”
He has a mix of veterans and youth, from former head coaches to former NFL players to alumni who have returned to the school in order to be members of the staff. He has a little bit of everything.
Cosgrove’s take: That one of the most important factors about the staff is its selfless nature. That everyone has a role and follows it. That you have a natural hierarchy and then those who support it. That you always learn by doing what’s best for the program.
“I think when you get around a group like with the players, where coaches hold themselves to a certain standard, it elevates everybody,” Cosgrove said. “It’s not just a few guys with ideas. It’s a room full of them and you roll that way.
“Being around a program where people want the same thing and have the same goals — you can translate that to any profession or job — you have coaches trying to provide the best atmosphere and experience for your players, whatever it takes. You need a lot of like-minded people putting in the work. You have a lot of people on the same mission, and that’s sometimes hard to find in high school football.”
Mano a mano
So now comes the preparation for St. John Bosco, for the next big game on Bishop Gorman’s schedule, for the next opportunity to plant its flag as the nation’s best side.
It won’t be easy, but Browner said this year’s team isn’t unlike those Bishop Gorman rosters of the past. That it is times like this his players wait for, compete for, spend all year long lifting and improving and dedicating themselves to one pursuit.
To be crowned the very best at season’s end.
“You know, our guys have experience playing in big games,” Browner said. “They get it. They play these types of games year after year after year. It helps when you play in those games and know what it’s all about. It’s exciting and all that stuff, but it’s not like something they’ve never done.
“We’re always going to go against tough competition. That’s O.K. As long as you do your job and execute. Hey, mano a mano. You’re going to win some and lose some. That’s OK. As long as you do exactly what you’re supposed to do, we can live with that.”
And he can certainly live with the coaching staff his team features annually.
A one-man show wouldn’t work. It takes a village to be this good.
Contact Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X.
