Legendary Mater Dei head coach Bruce Rollinson announces retirement

Legendary Mater Dei head coach Bruce Rollinson is retiring at season's end, he announced on Thursday.

Rollinson turned Mater Dei into perhaps the No. 1 high school football program in the nation, a name brand of a program to the point where those attuned to the sport don't have to be informed of its Santa Ana, Calif., location. The school has produced three Heisman Trophy winners, two of them developed by Coach Rollo: USC's Matt Leinart and current Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. 

Mater Dei has earned six mythical high school national championships under Rollinson's leadership, and is in positioned to win a seventh this season. The Monarchs are ranked No. 1 in the MaxPreps Top 25 as they head into the CIF Southern Section playoffs. The program has won 27 games in a row 

"I have recently decided that this will be my last year as head coach of Mater Dei football," Rollinson said. "After playing at Mater Dei more than 50 years ago, 47 years of coaching at Mater Dei and 34 years as the head coach, making this decision at this time with the entire starting line-up returning next year should make it easier for the next head coach and Mater Dei to continue with our winning tradition."

Last month, Rollinson indicated he'd return for a 35th season on the sideline. 

“I’m pretty confident in telling you that I will be back for the 2023 season,” Rollinson told the Orange County Register. “I feel good, barring any health setbacks. It’s a good group of kids. We’re really young. … and it’s not being selfish coming back, because I have so much young talent coming back but I like where I’m at now, trying to develop these kids and mold them into young men.

“And I’m close with a lot of these young players, and want to see them get better and better.”

Heading into his final playoff run, Rollinson carries a 344-86-3 record. Mater Dei was named a national champion by at least one selector in four of the past five seasons.

The school has dealt with a hazing controversy that arose last season, but Mater Dei president told the Register he'd welcome the 73-year-old Rollinson back for the '23 campaign.