Costa Mesa head football coach Jimmy Nolan watches the action during a game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
By Lou Ponsi | Correspondent / Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
COSTA MESA — Football coach Jimmy Nolan had been away from his Costa Mesa team since his wife and three children were involved in a car accident in September that killed his youngest daughter Micki and seriously injured his wife Taran.
His wife, who sustained a spinal injury in the head-on collision, has been undergoing rehabilitation at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach.
When Teran and the couple’s children encouraged Nolan to return to the football field recently, the coach decided the time was right to do just that.
Costa Mesa head football coach Jimmy Nolan with his two daughters, Paisley and Daisy before a game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Costa Mesa head football coach Jimmy Nolan and his son, Jimmy and two daughters, Paisley, center and Daisy spend some time together on the sidelines before a football game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Costa Mesa head football coach Jimmy Nolan talks to his players before a game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Costa Mesa head football coach Jimmy Nolan talks to the referees during a game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Costa Mesa head football coach Jimmy Nolan watches the action during a game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Katella’s Orlando Valdez, 28, celebrates an interception against Costa Mesa in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Costa Mesa’s Joe Paxson is hit by Katella’s Donnovan Arrington in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Katella’s Gabriel Dawson runs for a touchdown against Costa Mesa in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Costa Mesa head football coach Jimmy Nolan talks to his players before a game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Costa Mesa head football coach Jimmy Nolan and his two daughters, Paisley, top and Daisy say hello to their mother who is in the hospital recuperating from an auto accident before a game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Costa Mesa QB Nicholas Burton throws during a game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
A banner hangs above the press box for Costa Mesa head football coach Jimmy Nolan during a game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Katella’s Aaron Ruiz runs for a touchdown against Costa Mesa in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Costa Mesa’s Kobe Lemari runs against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Katella QB Daunte Bell throws against Costa Mesa in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Costa Mesa head football coach Jimmy Nolan with his trademark bowtie and shoes talks to his wife who is in the hospital recuperating from an auto accident before a game against Katella in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Katella’s Donnovan Arrington, 5, celebrates a touchdown after the first kick off in the game against Costa Mesa in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Katella’s Donnovan Arrington runs in a for touchdown after the first kick off in the game against Costa Mesa in a nonleague football game at Costa Mesa High Friday, March 19, 2021.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Nolan returned to sidelines Friday for the Mustangs’ home game against Katella and looked on as the Knights defeated the Mustangs 37-0.
Nolan was coaching his team for the first time since the 2019 season.
“It made me feel really good,” said Nolan, when asked how he felt coaching again. “I felt privileged.”
Nolan said when he reached out to his assistant coaches to make sure they were OK with him returning, there wasn’t even a question.
They told Nolan it was his team and they wanted him on the sidelines
“I felt like if I could be in a different state of mind for a couple of hours a day, it might help me,” Nolan said. “At the same time, it felt like it might be a little bit selfish. But when my wife wanted me to do it and when my kids wanted me to do it, that is what made me think, OK let’s do it.
“Any time I can put my mind in a healthier place, it’s good for me, because I go to really dark places.”
The game didn’t unfold the way Nolan was hoping it might.
The tone was set right away when Donovan Arrington returned opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to give Katella (1-0) a 6-0 lead.
Arrington also had an interception in the first quarter which thwarted a Mustangs scoring drive.
A 67-yard touchdown pass from Duante Bell to Aaron Ruiz later in the first quarter put the Knights ahead 12-0.
And it just kept getting worse from there for the Mustangs (0-2).
Katella got two points for a safety in the second quarter when the Mustangs misplayed a punt from their own end zone.
The Knights were ahead 30-0 early in the fourth quarter when Raymon Perez scooped up a fumble and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown. The contest was played with a running clock the rest of the way.
