Hueneme hires alum, former offensive coordinator Alex Morfin as head football coach
Hueneme High football is pivoting back to its roots.
The Vikings announced the hire of Hueneme High graduate and former offensive coordinator Alex Morfin as its head football coach Friday morning.
Morfin has been an assistant coach at Rio Mesa since 2018, most recently serving as offensive coordinator for the Spartans.
“It’s a bit surreal,” Morfin said. “It’s a different experience coming back home where I started.”
Morfin succeeds Jake Goossen-Brown as head coach. Goossen-Brown was hired at Newhall-Hart in December after guiding the Vikings to a 1-9 record in his only season as head coach.
“We believe that Alex is the man for the job,” said Hueneme principal Brenda Bravo. “We’re ready for his leadership. We had a really great pool of applicants. Alex stood out because of his commitment to the community.”
Morfin’s immediate charge is to strengthen the Vikings’ relationship with local youth programs.
He was the previous president of El Rio Junior Spartans youth football. Hueneme is eager to build its connections with the Oxnard Panthers youth football and cheer.
“First and foremost, we need to build the connection back in the community,” Morfin said, “especially the youth program that we have in our backyard.”
Morfin was a receiver and safety for Hueneme under head coach Larry Miller. He was an assistant coach with the Vikings from 2011 to 2017.
He admitted to “keeping an eye” on the Vikings’ recent run to the 2022 section semifinals with interest.
“It’s always good to see your school do well,” said Morfin. “Once a Viking always a Viking. When I get a chance to steer the ship, that’s always exciting.”
Morfin inherits a roster that will return Lance Olivares at quarterback and multiple offensive weapons.
“I know they were sophomore-heavy last year,” Morfin said.
Morfin plans to call plays offensively. He has hired James Mckeag, a 2006 Hueneme graduate, as assistant head coach and JV head coach and Keith Epps to coach the secondary. He’s in the process of recruiting a defensive coordinator.
Morfin thanked Rio Mesa head coach Jim Bittner for “propelling my career in the right direction.”
“It was an unbelievable experience learning from Jimmy,” Morfin said. “There was not a day over the past six years that I didn’t learn something from him. I’m a part of his tree now. I’m proud to be part of that tree.”
Morfin currently works at Rio Mesa as a campus supervisor and paraeducator. The plan is for him to shift to Hueneme’s campus soon.
“We’re hopeful to move him over in the next week or so,” Bravo said. “It’s important for him to be around our students. Building a deeper relationship with our kids is important.”
Joe Curley covers high school, collegiate and professional football for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Hueneme hires alum, former coordinator Morfin as head football coach
