Monte Vista football head coach stepping down after three seasons

Johnny Millard helped create some stability within the Mustangs program, but after three years at the helm, Monte Vista will be on the hunt for yet another head football coach.

Jan 11, 2014; Charleston, SC, USA; Johnny Millard linebacker from Cal Poly participates in the Medal of Honor bowl held at Johnson Hagood Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

It appears that once again, the Monte Vista Mustangs will be in the market for a new head football coach. After three seasons in charge at the school, head coach Johnny Millard revealed on his X account that he was stepping down as the head coach effective immediately. This comes after a season in which he led the Mustangs to their first playoff appearance of his tenure.

Thank you for everything Monte Vista, the experience and opportunity to coach in this program has been truly a blessing. I’m beyond thankful of the relationships, memories made, and amazing individuals that surrounded the program. I will greatly miss the daily interactions with… pic.twitter.com/LpGnua9MtM

— Johnny Millard (@millard_johnny) January 8, 2025

Millard, who took over after former NFL running back C.J. Anderson left the head coaching job behind for a gig at Rice after only season, faced an uphill battle when he first took over the job. While the Mustangs finished 7-3 in the season before Millard, roster turnover combined with a whole new coaching staff forced the program to go into full rebuild mode, finishing a mere 2-8 in Millard's first season in 2022.

But with experience around high level football and having a staff that included some former NFL alumni, with his father and 1989 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Keith Millard on staff, Millard was able to build a winning culture at Monte Vista, helping the Mustangs improve to 4-6 in his second year and 5-5 last year, securing the program's first (and only) playoff berth of his tenure. However, after a 31-28 overtime loss to Bishop O'Dowd in the first round of the California North Coast, the Mustangs saw their promising season come to an end.

Millard's time in charge at Monte Vista was known for putting extreme emphasis on player development, having helped star running back Julian McMahan develop into one of the best running backs in California which led to him earning a lot of Division I offers. McMahan, who committed to Washington over schools such as Cal, Oregon State, UCLA, Washington State, among others, put together a historic senior year where he carried the ball 245 times for 1,436 yards and 20 touchdowns.

A former football star himself, Millard shined as a linebacker at Foothill High School where as a senior, he logged 116 tackles and was a key part of a dominant defense that helped the Falcons finish 9-3 overall and reach the North Coast Section Division I semifinal. A first team All-East Bay Athletic League selection, Millard ultimately chose to play college football at Cal Poly, where a strong career there led to him earning a camp contract with the then-St. Louis Rams. Unable to make an NFL roster, Millard turned to coaching, where a long and successful tenure as an assistant coach at Foothill led to him getting the Monte Vista job.

It may have been a shorter stint, but Millard's impact and legacy left behind at Monte Vista is a memorable one and even though he may not be there anymore, the culture that he instilled and the impact that he left behind will set the tone for the future of the historic Bay Area powerhouse.