He may not be the man in charge anymore, but he's still getting plenty of respect around the state.
Tigers offensive coordinator Chris Coppa has been selected to coach in the Colorado High School Coaches Association all-state game.
"I think honor in this first of all comes from (head coach) Tom (O'Rourke) thinking enough of the job that I did as an assistant coach to nominate me," Coppa said in his Cañon City High School classroom on Thursday. "Then for the league coaches to vote for me to be the league representative for that (is an honor)."
Also selected to represent their teams were Tigers senior Austin Douglas and Florence Huskies senior Cody Friend. Douglas was nominated for his role as an inside linebacker, and Friend was one reason the Huskies' offensive line was so strong.
The game will be played in Alamosa on June 14. Players and coaches spend four days practicing at the Adams State College campus before the Friday game. The game is for seniors only and teams are chosen by the state's coaches who belong to CHSCA.
O'Rourke said Coppa and Douglas are great representatives of Cañon City's program.
"Coach Coppa has a vast amount of knowledge as far as the offensive coordinator goes," O'Rourke said. "He has a good grasp of how to take advantage by formation and moving people around and making the right call. He could take that to the college level and be successful with that."
Douglas averaged 12.4 tackles per game and finished with 136 total. Only one Class 4A player had more total tackles than he did, and only three players averaged more than Douglas.
"A lot of the coaches at the league meeting that nominated him and voted for him knew when they were game planning they definitely had to game plan for him and get him taken care of if they wanted to move the ball," O'Rourke said. "They were overwhelmingly thinking that he was deserving."
Huskies coach Mark Buderus said he thought Friend would get a ticket to the game. Buderus called Friend a good leader who was one of the few Huskies who played both ways.
"He has punch when he hits people and good feet and strong," Buderus said. "He doesn't miss very much. He's very consistent."
Buderus said he was surprised only one Husky was selected. He said Tait Hoffarth was also one of the final nominees, but he didn't get the votes.
Last year, Cañon City's Matt Schwindt and Florence's Tyler Faoro and Austin Serfoss played in the all-state football game in Alamosa. The previous year, O'Rourke went when he was the Tigers' defensive coordinator and was accompanied by Cañon City's Jimmy Jaramillo and Florence's John Alexander.
This will be Coppa's second time coaching at the game. He coached in it about five years ago, he said.
Sports Editor Brandon Hopper can be reached at 276-7644 or facebook.com/CCDRsports.