Manitou Springs football names Cory Archuleta football coach
MANITOU SPRINGS — The Manitou Springs Mustangs are going with a familiar face as their new football coach.
Cory Archuleta, who currently serves as the head baseball coach and spent time as a football assistant, accepted the position Friday afternoon. The move was confirmed to CHSAANow by athletic director John McGee.
The job came open after the season when McGee made the decision to relieve Monte Gutowski of the position. After a few months of searching, it turned out that McGee’s guy was already under the roof.
Bringing in Archuleta also means that former two-time state champion coach George Rykovich will also rejoin the staff. Both Archuleta and Rykovich served as assistants under Dan Gieck when the Mustangs made a run to the Class 2A semifinals in 2013.
Archuleta hopes that getting some of that staff back on board will bring the Mustangs back to the level of success they had reached in the years under Rykovich and Gieck.
“It’s my job as a coach to bring the tradition of Manitou football back to the forefront,” Archuleta said. “I also want make sure the kids enjoy the experience of playing high school football.”
His staff is also expected to include one of his baseball assistants, Brandon DeMatto. DeMatto served as the head coach of the Manitou Middle School team.
Archuleta said he plans to incorporate elements of the single wing offense that Manitou is known for running. He says it will be a part of the Mustangs’ game plan going forward.
Follow all of this offseason’s coaching movement in our coaching changes tracker.
