Monte Vista did not need to look far to find its next football head coach.
The Danville public school announced it promoted offensive coordinator Joe Wingert into the role in a social media post on Tuesday afternoon.
“It feels so great to have this opportunity, and to be able to put my own stamp on it,” Wingert told the Bay Area News Group on Tuesday. “I was so excited (when I got the news) that i went on a five mile walk and then worked out immediately after, just because I had so much energy flowing through my veins.”
Wingert succeeds Johnny Millard, who stepped down in January after three seasons in charge of the Mustangs. Wingert had been on Monte Vista’s coaching staff since Millard arrived in 2022.
He named longtime Monte Vista coach Craig Bergman, who Wingert both played for as a student and later coached under as an assistant, as a mentor. Wingert, an 18-year coaching veteran, plans to apply those lessons to a program that has suffered through three consecutive losing seasons.
“We might be a little bit smaller than last year, but we’re going to have great competitive attitude and go out there and fight, and execute what is being taught,” Wingert said. “That’s the tradition of Mustang football and how I learned it. When we won NCS in 2016, our guards and center were all under 200 pounds.”
Wingert aims to build a program that can consistently compete – and win – against Monte Vista’s biggest rival. The Mustangs have lost five consecutive games against crosstown San Ramon Valley.
He said that a renewed focus on offseason fitness and a dedication to strength and conditioning is a top priority as he hopes to build a up a team that can physically compete with the top dogs in the North Coast Section.
“You look up and it’s De La Salle, Pittsburg and San Ramon that run the NCS, and we have got to start executing that stuff to be able to compete with those guys,” Wingert said.
Monte Vista, which reached the North Coast Section playoffs, scored an average of 29 points per game with Wingert calling the plays, the most being a 41-point explosion against Granada in the season opener.
The Mustangs also scored 36 against NCS Open Division playoff team California and 28 apiece on NCS Division II winner Amador Valley and runner-up Bishop O’Dowd.
The Mustangs took full advantage of having three Division I commits on the offensive side of the ball in Washington running back Julian McMahan, Fresno State quarterback Brayden Turner and Arizona tight end Kellan Ford.
McMahan rushed for 1,436 yards and 20 touchdowns, Ford caught nine touchdowns in just seven games and Turner threw for 14 touchdowns and sported a passer rating of 107.7.
“Incredible coach, friend, father and overall man,” Millard wrote on social media. “He is so passionate about the success of Monte Vista Football and the kids on and off the field. Has been a consistent pillar and backbone throughout the years for the program.”