Coach Mahaffey Dismissed; Max Miller Hired as Head Football Coach

Ryan Burns, Sports Editor

Max Miller, who has coached at Folsom and Cordova high schools, has been named new head coach of the varsity football program, following the dismissal of Christian Mahaffey in the midst of a player controversy.

The day after a heated meeting Monday between parents, players, and coaches, Principal Brian Ginter decided to fire coach Mahaffey as he could no longer perform his head coaching duties without all of these players.

Mahaffey admitted to the Sacramento Bee that he would be unable to coach with the reinstated players on the roster, causing Ginter to let him go.

“I couldn’t coach a group of kids who bullied their way back on the football team,” Mahaffey told the Bee.

The decision was between players and coaches, and Ginter chose players, except for the one-game suspensions all 12 senior who quit will have to serve during the game against Cordova this Friday. The suspensions are for insubordination.

The team will be in full beginning next week when players will prepare for another league game against Whitney High School, the game that Guillermo will have to miss for his baseball showcase.

With the loss of head coach Mahaffey, Rio Americano was quick to hire the interim head coach: Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame coach Max Miller.

Miller’s first coaching job in high school football was at Rio Americano, but now his grandson, junior John Miller, is a key player on the team.

Miller is one of the winningest coaches in Sacramento football history.

The last season that Miller coached high school was in 2010 for Folsom High School, where he led the Bulldogs to a state championship.

The expectations will be nowhere near that high for Max Miller at Rio, but the student body definitely hopes for improvement in the team.

THIS STORY WILL BE UPDATED TODAY WITH AN INTERVIEWS WITH PLAYERS AND COACH MILLER.