In a move that has shocked the Nevada prep football landscape, longtime Reed football coach Ernie Howren has resigned and will take over at Bishop Manogue.
Bishop Manogue put out a release announcing the hire on Tuesday morning. Howren later confirmed his decision to the Sparks Tribune over text. He will begin transitioning to his new role immediately.
“After 16 years at Reed High School, I am thankful for the relationships and friendships I have built and will certainly miss the players and the fellow coaches,” Howren said in the release. “However, I am thrilled to join the Miner family and am excited for what is to come.”
Howren will take over for Thomas Peregrin, who resigned in the offseason.
His name was rumored to be in the hat following Peregrin’s decision, but then again, what school wouldn’t want the best football coach in Northern Nevada, and arguably in the state? Howren went 146-54 in 16 seasons at Reed. He led the Raiders to five straight regional titles, before Damonte Ranch snapped the streak in November with a 49-45 comeback victory over the Raiders.
Howren turned the Raiders into a dynasty in Northern Nevada with the worst facilities in the region. The football field was deemed a hazard by the NIAA before a six-figure upgrade in 2014. One year later, the NIAA ripped Reed of the ability to host state semifinal games after the Raiders’ home field was a liability in a state semifinal against Bishop Gorman – a 41-13 Gaels’ victory.
At Bishop Manogue, Howren will use one of the nicer facilities in the region and play on a FieldTurf surface – a benefit for his spread offense.
Howren inherits a Miners program that has gone 14-33 over the last five years and has not put together a winning season since 2011, when it went 6-5.