High school football coach fired after humiliating rival with ill-timed onside kick

A high school football coach in Oregon has been fired after running up the score against his team's rival last weekend.

Sometimes, you just out-kick your coverage. Or, you know, something like that.

Zach Loboy, the head coach at Marist Catholic High School, was let go by the school after his team destroyed rival Cottage Grove, 63-0, last Friday. The school confirmed the firing in an email, saying they "determined that a change in leadership was necessary to reflect our school’s mission and values."

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Those "values" apparently included NOT performing an onside kick while up 57-0 in the first half.

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Unfortunately, Loboy didn't get that message in time:

High school football game called at halftime

Whoaaaaaaaa Nellie! That onside kick rivals Sean Payton's infamous onside kick in the 2009 Super Bowl. Stunning. Nobody saw it coming, which is fair given A) it was the second quarter, and B) the score was 57-0.

According to boots on the ground, the game was halted at halftime and never resumed. Cottage Grove AD Garrett Bridgens told The Register-Guard that the decision was made "in the best interest of our kids, our fans — the entire situation — to do what was best for everyone."

Marist's Jackson Skinner and James Harvey walk off the field as No. 2 Marist Catholic Spartans take on No. 1 Henley in the OSAA Class 4A state title game at Caldera High School in Bend on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)

A couple things ...

1. These two teams are, very clearly, on two very different playing fields in terms of talent. They're rivals, but this isn't a real rivalry game at the moment. Last season, Cottage Grove went 1-8. Over the last three games, the Lions have been outscored 105-0. Not great!
2. As always, this feels like a situation where there's more meat on the bone. You usually don't fire a coach because he ran up the score in one game.
3. Go back and watch the clip and pay attention to the two sidelines. One team has a bounty of backups on their side. The other is basically empty. That should show you where the two programs are at the moment.

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Anyway, this is certainly a first for me. I've covered high school football for a long time. It was my main job in a previous life. Here at OutKick, I've spent all fall highlighting viral moments from Friday nights around the country.

Marist's Kaden Erlenbush hauls in a pass as No. 2 Marist Catholic takes on No. 1 Henley in the OSAA Class 4A state title game at Caldera High School in Bend, Ore., on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)

I can safely say that I've never seen a situation like this.

"Our priority is to support our players, maintain a positive team environment, and help the team finish the season strong," the school added in the email, which was obtained by KVAL in Oregon. "We recognize that a coaching change in the middle of a season can be difficult for players and families. We appreciate your understanding, support, and prayers as we navigate this transition."