JC football: Branstetter named Fresno City offensive coordinator

Vince Branstetter helped lead Clovis North High to two section titles and a runner-up finish as offensive coordinator from 2011-13. A year later, success followed in the same role at Edison.

Branstetter will get another chance to extend that run at Fresno City College, where longtime head coach Tony Caviglia has promoted him to be the Rams’ offensive coordinator for 2016. Last year, Branstetter was the quarterbacks coach with Caviglia continuing to handle the play-calling.

“It was good to come in and get a year of junior college experience under my belt,” said Branstetter, who also will coach tight ends. “As the season went on I felt pretty comfortable with what my role was. I felt comfortable during the season with what junior college football has to offer, and I’ve always felt in my mind I could do it, and now I got an opportunity to prove that.”

Branstetter will be the Rams’ third offensive coordinator since Caviglia took over in 1999. The others were Fred Biletnikoff Jr. and Scott Stark, before Caviglia assumed those duties after the 2008 season.

“He is a talented coach who is a great teacher of the game,” said Caviglia, who also named Mark Hetherington to take over QBs after a season as interim coach at Central High. “Offensively, (Branstetter) has been successful as a coordinator in the high school ranks, and working as our quarterback coach last year gave him a real good taste of JC football. He is prepared and ready to put our players in the best possible position to be successful.”

Branstetter, who helped Clovis North to a 33-8 record and Edison go 12-2, plans to keep operating a pro-style offense that Caviglia has favored. “What we’re going to do will remain the same,” he said.

“I think as a play-caller you have your own little flavor of how you want to call plays,” Branstetter said. “But as far as what you’re going to see on offense, you’ll see pretty much the same stuff and I’m not going to come in and make wholesale changes. At the end of the day we’ll look similar, hopefully we’ll be a little bit more up-tempo.”

Branstetter played for legendary Fresno State coach Jim Sweeney as a freshman tight end out of Western-Anaheim in 1996 before spending three more seasons under Pat Hill.

Caviglia said “it is going to be tough to give up play-calling duties after almost a decade,” but he feels comfortable with Branstetter.

“It took a special coach like Vince to allow me to make the change,” Caviglia said. “I’m excited to be a head coach again, and I’m looking forward to being freed up to be more involved in the other parts of the team.”

Whited retiring at Reedley — Reedley coach Randy Whited will retire effective May 20 after taking over the Tigers football program in 2009.

Whited initially replaced Michael White as interim coach after a 19-year run as the top assistant.

In that first season in charge, Whited guided the Tigers to a 6-5 record, a share of the Valley Conference title and a spot in the Northern California championship.

“Twenty-six years has flown by,” said White, who went 24-47. “I have had the opportunity to work for and with great administrators, coaches, and players that have made my time at Reedley College personally and professionally rewarding.

“It definitely was never about the wins and losses but about the opportunity to provide direction and change young men’s lives. That is what I am most proud of and it’s been a great run.”

This story was originally published February 11, 2016 at 7:07 PM with the headline "JC football: Branstetter named Fresno City offensive coordinator."