Former Mater Dei football coach Frank McManus leaves Cardinal Newman after one season

The 49-year-old coach plans to stay away from coaching while moving back to Southern California; Assistant Kenny McMillan named new head coach for Cardinals

Then Mater Dei head football coach Frank McManus in his final game for the Monarchs was a triumphant one, 35-0 over Serra for the CIF Open Division championship at Saddleback College. McManus was let to go four months later, spent a season as an assistant at Mission Viejo, before landing as head coach at Cardinal Newman in Santa Rosa. Two days short of his one-year anniversary, McManus was replaced Tuesday by assistant Kenny McMillan. | Photo by Joe Bergman

The one-year journey to Northern California is over for Frank McManus.

The 16-year assistant for national power Mater Dei, who in his one season as head coach led the Monarchs to a mythical national crown, resigned his post as head coach at Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa, it was announced on Tuesday, two days shy of his one-year anniversary. 

McManus, who was abruptly and surprisingly let go from his Mater Dei job in April of 2024 for unspecified reasons, told SBLive’s Tarek Fattal via text that he is returning to Southern California to work, at least temporarily, outside of coaching.  He has a job lined up in the apparel manufacturing business.

• NEW PATH | Former Mater Dei coach lands at Newman

In 2023, McManus replaced legendary coach Bruce Rollinson as head coach and led the Monarchs (13-1) not only to a state Open Division title, but a mythical national crown as well. That all seems like ancient news now.

“The plan is to take some time away from football,” McManus wrote Fattal. “Never know what God has in store for you.” 

Cardinal Newman, which went 11-2 last season, losing in the North Coast Section Division 1 title game to Pittsburg, announced the promotion of assistant coach Kenny McMillan as the program’s new head coach. 

“We appreciate the commitment Coach Frank showed to our student-athletes and the growth of our football program during his time with us,” Cardinal Newman athletic director Monica Mertle said in a release. “His contribution has helped set the stage for this next chapter.” 

That chapter puts McMillan, a Serra-San Mateo graduate and lengthy assistant at another Southern California/Trinity League power, defending state champion Santa Margarita from 2017 to 2024, in charge.

He’ll be joined by Sean Embree, who was named associate head coach and offensive coordinator. Embree was a player on the Colorado’s 1990 national championship team and he served in multiple offensive coaching roles in the NFL, according to the release. He was also the associate head coach and offensive coordinator at Santa Margarita during the same time as McMillan. 

“The combination of coach McMillan’s leadership and coach Embree’s professional-level expertise prides our student-athletes with an unparalleled foundation for success,” Mertle said. 

Said McMillan: “I am truly blessed and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the next head coach at Cardinal Newman. “This program has been built on a  strong foundation over many years, and I’m excited to honor that legacy while working with our players, coaches and community to take it to the next level.”

This story was first reported by Gus Morris of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat