Central High football coach has been here before. He wants another section title
Kyle Biggs knows a thing or two about playing in the Central Section championships.
You can count them up, at least six title appearances since taking over as the Central High football coach in 2016.
It’s been nothing but magic for Biggs leading the Grizzlies to three section championships, though he’ll admit he would’ve liked to have won every section title including last year against Clovis North.
The Grizzlies got their revenge over the Broncos last week to advance to Friday’s 7 p.m. Division I-AA championship game against top-seed Clovis East.
“We’re just going to go out there and play,” Bigg said. “Just tell them to believe in themselves. That’s it. Just believe we can get the job done and let’s go win it. That’s our mindset.”
Biggs also led the Grizzlies to the 2019 state championship in Division 1-AA against Sierra Canyon. The Grizzlies won 34-19 to finish with a 15-0 record.
In 11 years, Biggs has a 107-26 career record (two years at Fowler and nine at Central).
Biggs is known for his hard-style coaching where he motivates his players to play their best.
Even at the quarterback position where he played while at Clovis High before playing at Fresno City College.
After Trent Tompkins graduated from Central, Biggs had to find the next big thing to step in.
He wasn’t expecting another Tompkins. But his coaching skills helped paved the way for other quarterbacks such as David Marquez, who took over the starting job and led the Grizzlies to wins and a spot in the section title game.
This year?
Biggs had to rely on sophomore Jelani Dippel.
The coach wasn’t sure what he was going to get out of Dippel, but he said Dippel “exceeded our expectations.”
Biggs didn’t expect to get playmaking abilities out of Dippel. Instead: “I expected him to just kind of be a guy who could make the reads and make the throws.”
Wrong.
Dippel has done more and then some.
He has thrown for 2,853 yards and 36 touchdowns, but also used his feet, running for 294 yards and three touchdowns.
“He’s a dynamic playmaker. He can get out of the pocket. He can extend plays. He can get us some of the right protections and right play calls,” Biggs said.
What’s helping Dippel is a running game led by junior Brandon Smith, who has rushed for 1,493 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Biggs said Smith is one of the players who will listen to him.
“I asked him to go play right guard and he’ll go play right guard” Biggs said. “He’s just a football player all around.”
It’s hard to ignore what Central’s defense has done in the playoffs.
The Grizzlies made it hard on Liberty-Bakersfield after allowing just 14 points.
But against Clovis North, Central allowed 10 points in the first half.
In the second half? None.
Biggs know his defense has its work cut out.
“They played tremendously and we feel like if we play our best game that we have a chance to win the football game,” Biggs said.
“That’s all we want to do is just play our best.”
Central roster
0 Rj Jefferson So. WR 6’0” 150 lbs
1 Ej Morgan Jr. ATH 6’0” 150 lbs
2 Brandon Smith Jr. ATH 6’0” 190 lbs
3 Daylon Scott Sr. WR 5’10” 150 lbs
4 Zeb White Jr. WR 6’3” 175 lbs
5 Marcus Nolen Sr. OLB 6’3” 210 lbs
6 Jontae Della So. ATH 6’0” 160 lbs
7 Marcus Watkins Sr. WR, DB 5’9” 160 lbs
8 Juan Ochoa Jr. ILB 5’11” 205 lbs
9 Aidan Chavez Sr. ILB 5’11” 220 lbs
10 Jelani Dippel So. QB 5’11” 150 lbs
11 Gerald Perry jr Sr. S, WR 6’2” 175 lbs
12 Jeffrey Amosa So. LB, RB 5’10” 200 lbs
13 Nate Rodriguez Jr. WR 5’8” 170 lbs
15 Xavior Jones So. ATH 5’10” 156 lbs
16 Kvion Harris Fr. QB 5’11” 140 lbs
18 Bayon Harris So. ATH 6’2” 177 lbs
19 Jareal Albert So. RB, DB 5’9” 150 lbs
20 Lonzo Jenkins So. OLB 6’0” 188 lbs
21 Chris Perry Jr. S 6’0” 153 lbs
22 William Nutt Jr. Fr. 5’10” 190 lbs
23 Jamarkus Carter Jr. RB 5’9” 180 lbs
24 Dallas Romo Jr. DB, WR 5’8” 160 lbs
25 Daniel Pasillas Sr. K 5’8” 150 lbs
26 Kevin Cooks Fr. WR 5’11” -
27 Titus Thomas Fr. WR 6’2” 175 lbs
28 Darius Smith Fr. RB 5’7” -
29 Josiah Perry Fr. DB 5’10” -
30 Jamar Smith So. DB 5’8” 128 lbs
31 Elijah Curiel Sr. DB 5’9” 150 lbs
32 Joseph Barragan-Zeno Jr. ILB 5’6” 190 lbs
33 Izzy Griffin Jr. DB, RB 5’7” 160 lbs
35 Eddie Moreau Sr. LB 6’0” -
36 Jamier Medley Fr. - -
40 D’ez Hewitt Fr. DB 6’0” -
41 Larayon Brown Fr. - -
51 Andres Arguello Jr. DE, G 5’11” 260 lbs
52 Julian Amosa So. DL 5’11” 240 lbs
54 John Kyle Jr. DL, OL 5’10” 195 lbs
55 Jeremy Mendoza So. - -
56 Jesse Wright Sr. OL, DL 6’2” 245 lbs
57 Anthony Torres Sr. OL 6’0” 220 lbs
59 Andrew Guerrero Sr. OL 5’10” 235 lbs
63 Edwin Davis Fr. DL 5’10” -
64 Diallo Mccoy So. DL 6’0” 185 lbs
65 Jamison Ruiz Jr. OL 5’9” 215 lbs
68 Adrian Castanon Jr. DL 5’10” -
70 Mike Lopez Fr. OL 6’2” -
71 Malakhi Huddleston So. DL 6’0” 220 lbs
72 Amir Hollins So. OL 6’1” -
74 Noah Sims Sr. OL 5’9” 265 lbs
75 Hector Perez Jr. DL 5’10” 220 lbs
76 Dereck Castro Fr. 5’7” 190 lbs
78 Jontay Fudge So. OL 6’4” 310 lbs
80 Kahlil Williams So. DL 6’2” 198 lbs
85 Jose Aguilar Sr. DL 6’2” 235 lbs
90 Roman Morales Jr. DL 5’2” 164 lbs
99 Caleb Bohanna So. DL 6’0” -
This story was originally published November 21, 2024 at 12:39 PM.
