​​​​​ MV COUGARS FOOTBALL 

Mt. View Football Coaching Team 2017

​BRIAN CRUM - HEAD COACH/ OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Brian begins his sixth year as the Head Coach (30-21) of the Cougars after serving the previous four as the Quarterback coach and Passing Game Coordinator at MVHS and 21 years of coaching overall. He has had the pleasure of coaching numerous excellent QB’s including the 2011 State Offensive Player of the Year in Jacob Hollister and All IMC Players Toby Webb, Conor Nehl, and Mike Irwin.  He is a graduate of Modoc High School in Alturas, CA where he was a three- sport athlete participating in Football, Basketball, and Track. While at Modoc HS, Crum was a two-time All-League Defensive Back and three-time All-League performer in track. He then graduated from Pepperdine University with both his Bachelor and Masters degrees.  Crum was both an assistant coach, and then Co-Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Oak Park High School in Southern California for 12 years where he helped lead the Eagles to three Sectional Championship game appearances and a 56-20 record during his last six years at the school. In addition to his coaching duties, Crum is also a social studies teacher at Mountain View High School where he teaches AP and standard United States History as well as Strength and Conditioning classes. He and his wife Vanessa have three children, Emma age 16, Connor age 11, and Hailey age 10.
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NEIL ELSHIRE- DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Neil is entering his third stint as a coach at Mountain View and his second as Defensive Coordinator. He has a total of 19 years of high school coaching experience, seven of those at Mt. View. He began his football career at South Albany High School where he starred on the football field and the basketball court. In 1976, he was selected to the Oregon All-State team in both sports. After graduation he attended the University of Oregon where he played football for the Ducks and earned his BS degree in Political Science. In 1979 Elshire was named to the All Pac-10 team as a defensive end. After graduation he was signed by the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings where he played six seasons as a Defensive End. Neil started for the Vikings in 63 regular season games and had 19 career sacks. During the 1983 season, he finished second on the team with 9 ½ sacks. He still has a share of the team record for blocked kicks in a game with two. Since retiring from the NFL following the 1986 season, Elshire has been trading lumber and commodities. He is married to his wife Hayley. They have five children - Molly 33, Erik 30, Elise 27, Adrienne 25 and Tatum 17.

MIKE HUFF –LINEBACKER COACH

Coach Huff returns for his 13th season at Mountain View, after coaching five years at Crook County High School.  A 2000 graduate of Crook County, Huff received his Bachelor’s degree from Oregon State in 2005 and Masters degree from Eastern Oregon University in 2006.  After two years teaching at St. Francis, Huff joined the Mountain View staff in 2008 where he teaches Social Studies. After coaching the Varsity Defensive Backs and acting as the Head JV Coach, Huff took over the Varsity Linebacker duties in 2009. He then spent 3 years as the Varsity Defensive Coordinator before returning to Linebackers this year.. He married his wife Katie in 2007, and together they have two daughters, Kennedy 6, and 3 year old Kassidy.   

WAYNE PURCELL - WIDE RECEIVER COACH

Wayne is entering his 19th season overall with Mountain View High School. He has been fortunate to have great receivers including all state selections and all league winners the past six years. Purcell played college football at Palomar College in San Marcos, California where he was a two-time honorable mention all league Receiver. Palomar led the nation in passing during his tenure. He received his bachelor’s degree in business economics from the University of San Diego. He has 22 years of coaching experience at the high school level and over 80% of the varsity teams he has coached have reached the state playoffs, including 7 quarterfinals, 4 state semifinal teams and a state championship. When he’s not coaching football, Purcell is the General Manager and Managing Partner of River’s Edge Golf Course in Bend. He has been married to his wife Cheri for more than 25 years.

TAYLOR VALLERGA - RUNNING BACKS COACH

Taylor is a graduate of Mountain View High School (class of 1987), and is now a teacher and coach himself at MVHS. Vallerga received his undergraduate degree in psychology from Oregon State University in 1992. After spending four years in Portland, he moved back to Bend and in 1996 and joined the football coaching staff at MVHS. That same year, Vallerga went back to school to obtain his teaching degree, finishing his credential in 1998. The next year, he began teaching at Mountain View and is currently teaching psychology, A.P psychology and US history. Vallerga’s high school playing career at MVHS featured two years as a varsity letterman, while being selected as an All-IMC punter, defensive back and third team All-State punter, as a junior. His senior year, he was chosen as an All-IMC punter, receiver and defensive back, and was also selected to play in the 1987 Shrine All-Star game. During Vallerga’s coaching career at MVHS, he has had the honor of working with many of the men who were there to coach for him in high school (his mentors), including his father Paul Vallerga, Paul Smith and former MVHS head coach John Nehl. He has coached defensive backs, receivers and punters, and is currently coaching running backs.

PAUL VALLERGA - DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH

After ten years of coaching football and track in Bakersfield California, Paul Vallerga moved his family to Bend Oregon in 1979 to join the coaching staff of a brand new high school. As a football coach who would help launch the first year of varsity sports, and its introduction into the Intermountain Conference (IMC), Vallerga has been there from the beginning of Mountain View High School football! In 1980, he also joined the teaching staff at MVHS, retiring in 2004 after 25 years. Since retiring from teaching however, Vallerga has continued to coach varsity football, and holds the distinction of coaching in every MVHS varsity football game in its history. Vallerga’s high school playing career began at Napa HS in Napa CA, where he earned all-league honors in football, basketball, and was a three-time league high jump champion. He won the National Football Foundation Scholar-athlete award, and was voted unanimously into the Napa High School Hall of Fame. Vallerga attended college at the University of California at Santa Barbara where he earned six letters in football and track, and was voted MVP of the football team in 1966 and 1967. He was also named first team Little All-American defensive back in 1967, and was selected for the Coaches All-American game in 1968. After graduating from UCSB, he signed with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, but an injury ended his playing career. He was later elected into the UC Santa Barbara Hall of Fame. Paul has been married to Lois for the past 20 years.

CASEY EDGERLY - DEFENSIVE BACKS

Casey joined the Mt. View staff in 2009 after coaching at Crook County High School in 2008. In addition to coaching the defensive backs at Mt. View,. Casey graduated in 1999 from Crook County. He was a three sport athlete and eight time Letterman. Casey was part of a Oregon all star team which traveled to Australia. After high school, he received a certification from the American council of exercise science. Casey is married to his wife Sheena.

BRAD SOTO – JV HEAD COACH/OFFENSIVE-DEFENSIVE LINE COACH

Brad is a graduate of McNary High School in Keizer, OR. After graduating from High School, he attended Willamette University where he earned a bachelors’ degree in Economics. In 1994, Soto joined the staff at Sprague High School where he coached football for nine years. Brad was also the head softball coach and his team won the state championship in 2003. In addition, he was named the Oregon State Coach of the year. In the summer of 2003, Soto moved to Central Oregon where he accepted a teaching position at Mountain View High School and also became an assistant coach for the Cougar football team. Brad coached offensive line for several years and helped the Cougars become one of the best running teams in the state. Four years ago Brad made the switch to defense where he now is the Head JV Coach and the coaches both the offensive and defensive lines. Soto currently lives in Bend and teaches math at Mt. View High School.  When not coaching or teaching, you can find him on the waters of Central Oregon catching trout.

JUSTIN NESBITT- OFFENSIVE LINE

Coach Nesbitt is at MV staff for the third straight year after spending the previous two years at Ridgeview HS. Justin will be coaching both the Offensive for the Cougars in 2017. Coach Nesbitt received his Bachelor's degree from University of Oregon in 2003, Master's degree from Willamette University in 2011, and brings with him over 20 years of experience coaching football including Mountain View, Ridgeview, Churchill HS, and Willamette University. Outside of football, Coach Nesbitt spends his time working as a self employed contractor. Married to his wife Shanna, they both enjoy living in Bend, being Cougars for life, and Oregon Football.

LUCAS TAROLI –QUARTERBACKS

Lucas is entering his sixth year as a football coach and 11th year teaching at MVHS.  Taroli currently teaches Law, Criminal Justice, and US History. Taroli first came to MVHS during the 1998 football season as a senior playing quarterback, tight end, linebacker and punter.  During his senior season at MVHS, Taroli earned All-IMC and All State honors as a punter.  He then moved on and spent five seasons with the Western Oregon Wolves breaking most major punting records and earned All American honors as a punter during his senior season.  In 2004, Taroli graduated with his BS in Education and began his teaching career at La Pine High School.  During his two years at LPHS, Taroli coached both football and boys golf.  In 2007, Taroli transferred to MVHS to teach social studies and become the boys head golf coach and will be entering his eighth season with the team.  During his time away from high school football, Taroli has earned his Masters in Educational Leadership and his administration credential through the University of Oregon.  Taroli will be assisting with all levels of quarterbacks and punters. He is  married to his wife Joanna.               

MARK SCHULZ - FRESHMEN HEAD COACH/DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Mark enters his 12th year as the head freshman football coach at Mountain View High School where he is entering his 20th year on the Cougars coaching staff. He is a graduate of Tigard High School where he starred in football and track. He later attended Oregon State University where he played football for the Beavers, and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Exercise Physiology. He then went on to receive his teaching credential from Eastern Oregon University, and returned to Oregon State University to complete his Masters Degree in Education. Schulz has been a teacher MVHS for 15 years, where he teaches PE and Health. He and his wife Kathryn have three sons: Luke (17and a senior at MV), Titus (15 and a Sophomore) and Job (13). 

BRANT MELLOR - FRESHMAN OFFENSIVE LINE COACH & OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Brant graduated from Canby High School as a three sport lettermen: Football, Basketball and Baseball.  At Canby, Brant played tight end and was a starting pitcher on the baseball team.  He continued on to Western Oregon University to play baseball and earn his undergraduate teaching degree.  He then earned his Master’s Degree in Geographic Education at the University of Oregon and taught and coached baseball at Churchill High School in Eugene, Oregon before moving to Central Oregon.  At Redmond High School he coached freshman football for two years and then was the offensive coordinator and line coach for the J.V. team for an additional two years and coached the J.V. basketball team for five years.  Brant has been teaching and coaching for 20 years and has helped coach teams that have reached the state playoffs in Football, Basketball and Baseball.  In addition to coaching Football at Mountain View he teaches AP Human Geography and AP European history.  His wife, Wendy is an Equine surgeon at Bend Equine Center, and have a son, Finn (7) and 3 year old daughter, Aven.

TANNER COOK- JV OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Tanner is a graduate of Redmond High School, and is currently enrolled at COCC and Eastern Oregon University working on a bachelors’ degree in Physical Education and Sport. After graduating in 2010 he immediately began his coaching career at La Pine High School where he coached offensive line, defensive line, and outside linebackers for 3 seasons. In 2013 Tanner became the Head football coach at Pilot Butte Middle School where he spent 2 seasons coaching the class of 2019 through their 7th and 8th grade years. Tanner assists Mountain View staff this year as the JV Offensive Coordinator and Linebacker Coach.  When not in school, coaching football, watching football, reading about football, or talking about football, Tanner enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his wife Ashley. 

CHRIS JOHNSON (CJ)- FROSH ASSISTANT COACH
CJ was born in Annapolis Maryland in 1989 moved to Bend in 1994 with his family. He played running back and linebacker at Mt. View and graduated in 2007. Chris coached on the freshman staff from 2008 – 2011 and is now happy to be back as a part of the staff for the 2nd year. He is attending school with the goal of graduating with an MBA, and enjoys spending time at Mt. Bachelor and on his mountain bike.

MATT COLLINS– FROSH ASSISTANT COACH
Matt joins that the MVHS football staff after coaching sprinters at Mountain View for the past four years. Matt was born and raised just outside Boston, Massachusetts where he graduated from Acton-Boxboro Regional High School (State Super Bowl Champs ’95) in 1996. Although a multi-sport athlete throughout high school, Matt focused on track hos senior year and was the 300-meter hurdle state champion and continued hurdling through college at Westfield State University. After a second-place finish at the NCAA championships, Matt Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education in 2000. Matt taught and coached in Weymouth, MA until moving to Bend in 2009. Matt specializes in speed mechanics on the track and the football field, making the Cougars a more dynamic team that others have a hard time catching. Matt teaches Mathematics at MVHS and lives in Bend with his wife, Hillary and their two children, Awbrey (7) and Avery (4).