Football Coaches

David Machuca

Head Coach

In December 2021, David Machuca was named head coach of the Chaminade Eagles football program. Coach Machuca is in his second stint here at Chaminade. From 2009-2011 he served under the leadership of Coach Croson as the varsity receivers coach. During that time, Coach Machuca helped to lead the Eagles to two consecutive semifinal finishes.

He returned in 2017 to help guide Chaminade to an undefeated Mission League Championship. He earned the responsibilities of the associate head coach and offensive coordinator in 2018 under Coach Croson. In 2019, the Eagles finished their season as the Runners-Up in the CIF Division 2 championship game.

During his time away, Coach Machuca served as a head coach, assistant head coach, and offensive coordinator. From 2013-15 he served as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Glendale Community College, where he helped to lead the Vaqueros to a 9 -2 record and a 2014 Patriotic Bowl appearance. Coach Machuca, with Chaminade alumni Isaiah Bernard ‘13 (U of Hawaii), Tru Jarvis ‘11, and Cory Watkins ‘14 helped to rewrite many of Glendale College’s offensive records, including “Passing Yards in a Game” (496). In 2014, Glendale finished first or third in each of the rushing statistics for the State of California. Most recently, he was the offensive coordinator at Village Christian.

Coach Machuca has also had the honor of being a keynote speaker at the Glazier Football Clinic and with USA Football. He was also selected as an assistant coach for the Daily News all-star football game.

Coach Machuca proudly served his country in the United States Coast Guard, earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from CSUN, and then his master’s degree in health and physical education from Emporia State University. He has been coaching since the early 2000s and is more excited than ever for the future of Eagles football! Coach Machuca also works as an admissions assistant for the high school. Coach Machuca has three children, Shane, Dylan, and Reagan, with his amazing wife, Kristin.

Jerome Riley

Associate Head Coach

Jerome Riley coached for Ed Croson at Birmingham High School and came with him to Chaminade in 2009. Riley has guided some of the best receivers in the San Fernando Valley: Michael Wilson ‘18 (Stanford), Dymond Lee ‘16 (UCLA), Brayden Lenius ‘14 (Washington), Jordan Chin ‘16 (Washington), Donovan Lee (Colorado), Elijah Dunston ‘13 (Colorado), and Devon Flournoy (USC). Riley attended Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, where he played football and basketball and competed in track. As a senior, Riley was named an All-Conference wide receiver and MVP of the team’s receiving corps.

Riley went on to play for the Washington State Cougars as a wide receiver in 2002. He earned several team awards while catching passes in 10 of 12 games. His best games included six receptions for 158 yards and two scores at Arizona State, six receptions for 65 yards against Purdue in the Sun Bowl, and five receptions for 45 yards at Washington. Riley helped make Cougar history when he caught three passes and a touchdown for 124 yards against California - the first time three WSU receivers each had over 100 receiving yards in the same game. Riley also played in the Rose Bowl vs. Oklahoma. Riley had nine receptions for 139 yards and one touchdown. Riley played professional football for the Tennessee Titans (NFL) and Los Angeles Avengers (AFL). The main reason Coach Riley enjoys coaching is to impart his experience and knowledge of the game to young players in the hopes that they can one day have the same or better opportunities in life and football that he had.

Brigham Harwell

Varsity Defensive Coordinator

Coach Harwell returns for his second stint at Chaminade as a high school football coach. He brings a great deal of experience to our program. Before arriving at Chaminade, Harwell won 3 CIF Football Division VI titles and was named to the EA Sports All-American and Parade All-American Teams in high school. Harwell was also the Los Angeles Times “Glen Davis Award Winner,” which is given to the best player in Southern California. He later attended UCLA on a full athletic scholarship. During his four years playing for the Bruins, Harwell was voted team captain, All-Pac-10, and team MVP in 2008. Harwell graduated from UCLA in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in history. Harwell signed as a free agent with the Washington Redskins (NFL) in the Spring of 2009. Harwell played in the United Football League (UFL) with the New York Sentinels. Harwell served as the defensive line coach at Tustin High School and defensive coordinator at Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary High School, Bishop Alemany High School, and Chaminade (2018). During the off-season, Harwell serves as head offensive and defensive line trainer at Compete Forever. Harwell is blessed to be an Eagle and looks forward to an exciting 2023 Football season at Chaminade.

Alberto Cid

Varsity Offensive Line

Alberto Cid is from West Covina, CA, and played at West Covina High school under Mike Maggiore from 2005-2009. He is a two-time All-League offensive tackle and defensive end and a two-time All-CIF offensive tackle. He went on to redshirt at Mt. San Antonio College in 2009 and transferred to Citrus College under Ron Ponciano in 2010, where he earned All-State and a full ride to UCLA from 2011-2013.

Cid began coaching as an assistant offensive line coach at West Covina High School in 2014. Then went on to become the head offensive line coach at Citrus College 2015-16, where four of five starters earned scholarships. In 2019 was hired as the offensive line coach at El Camino Real High School, where he helped lead them to the school’s first Division 1 Final. In 2020 was hired as Chaminade’s varsity offensive line coach. Coach Cid lives in Woodland Hills with his wife, Samira, and daughter Bahar.

Aire Justin

Varsity Defensive Pass Game Coordinator

Coach Aire Justin begins his first season with the Eagles as the pass game coordinator. Coach Aire played on a full scholarship and graduated from Washington State University. He brings passion and results through his enthusiasm with each player he coaches. Understanding the goal is not about him but about being who he wishes he had as a young man pursuing his dreams.

With the skills learned from his father, Tyrone Justin (49ers), two uncles, Sydney Justin (LA Rams), Kerry Justin (Seahawks), and cousin Airabin Justin (Ravens), Aire earned opportunities to play in the NFL, CFL, UFL, and AFL. The knowledge gained over the years and the love of the game strengthened the passion for Aire to teach “The Lost Art” of how to play defensive back. But more importantly, it creates an opportunity to develop character and behavioral traits such as integrity, accountability, communication, and respect.

Aire spent the last 11 years developing defensive backs from the youth to the professional level. He started his coaching career with Culver City High School, then on to Crespi, and most recently as the defensive coordinator for Calabasas High School. Aire worked with NFL players Ben St. Juste, Commanders, Terrell Smith, Bears, Myles Bryant, Patriots, Trumaine Johnson, Jets, John Johnson, Rams, Troy Hill, Rams, Jordan Fuller, Rams, 2019 2nd round pick Greedy Williams CB, Browns and Winston Rose, Cincinnati Bengals; along with multiple division 1 future NFL prospects through his business Aire Athletics LLC.

Reggie Carter

Varsity Linebackers

Reggie Carterʼs coaching career began in 2010 at Windward High School. Carter had a tremendous career at UCLA, while with the Bruins as a redshirt freshman, he was the defensive winner of the Charles Pike Memorial Award for an outstanding scout team player. He was named Freshman All-American by Rivals.com, collegefootballnews.com, and the Sporting News selected him to the All-Pac-10 Freshman team. In 2008, he was named Second Team All-Pac-10, and in 2009 he earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors. In 2008 and 2009, he was the defensive winner of UCLA’s N.N. Sugarman Award for best leadership. Other accolades include the 2009 preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award and the Lott Trophy; both presented to the nation’s top defensive player.

Coach Carter brings tremendous knowledge and experience to the linebacker position as he has coached at Los Angeles High School, Bishop Alemany, and Agoura High School over the past ten years.

Matt Gentle

Varsity Running Backs

After graduating from Kennedy High School in Granada Hills in 2008 and spending two years at Moorpark College, Matt earned a scholarship to the University of Wyoming. He later attended Simon Fraser University, the only university outside of the US that’s part of the NCAA. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in film, Gentle returned to the San Fernando Valley and became the head coach of Cleveland High School in Reseda, leading the Cavaliers to the Los Angeles City Section Division 2 Championship in 2017..

Eddie Beltran
Varsity Team Analysis

Ernie Gutierrez

JV Offensive Line Coach

Ernie Gutierrez has been coaching at Chaminade since 2009-2012, 2013-2016, 2017-present was on staff 2013 California State Football Champs as assistant varsity O-line coach. Gutierrez started his career in football while attending Burbank High School. He was a two-year varsity football player and graduated in 1999. He continued playing while attending Glendale Community College and soon realized his passion for the sport. In 2000, he began his coaching career on familiar territory, the Burbank High School football field. Gutierrez started by coaching the freshman team and moved up to JV after one year. His determination quickly got him promoted to JV offensive coordinator in 2002, and by 2007, he was the varsity O-line and D-line coach. Gutierrez took his love for the sport to Monroe High School in 2008 as the JV offensive coordinator and varsity O-line and D-line coach. Gutierrez has a beautiful 19-year-old daughter named Savannah and an 11-year-old son named Jaxson. Gutierrez has coached with Head Coach David Machuca since 2008 at Monroe High School, Bellarmine Jefferson High School, and Village Christian.

Zachary Vincent

Freshman Offensive Coordinator

Zachary Vincent is in his sixth year coaching at the high school level and his first year at Chaminade College Preparatory. Vincent began his high school coaching career in 2017 at Heritage Christian as their quarterback coach. Within his two years at the school, the team accomplished their first league championship and undefeated regular season. His quarterbacks earned first-team honors in back-to-back seasons. In 2019 he was hired as the quarterback’s coach, assistant junior varsity head coach, and offensive coordinator at El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills. In his first season, the team reached the Division 1 city championship game, their first appearance since 2009. In 2021, he helped the team win their first city championship in 24 years. His starting quarterback broke every season passing record in school history and was named City Section Division 2 player of the year. Coach Vincent also helped the junior varsity team achieve an 8-game win streak winning their league championship and outscoring their league opponents 192-28. His greatest accomplishment from the 2021 season was that all three of his senior quarterbacks accepted scholarship offers to play at the next level. “A High Tide Raises All Ships.”

DJ Ayala

JV Head Coach

Douglas Ayala attended Granada Hills Charter High School, where he played on the football team as a quarterback and wide receiver from 2013-2015. After high school, he attended California State University of Northridge, and in 2020, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering

Ayala is now entering his seventh year of coaching and his fourth year coaching at Chaminade. In 2016, when he first started his coaching career at Granada, he coached the JV quarterbacks and was the assistant offensive coordinator, and in that same season, the team earned a record of 9-1 and became league champs. In 2017, Ayala became Granada’s JV offensive coordinator. In 2018, he became Taft Charter High School’s JV assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. In 2019, Coach Ayala joined the Chaminade coaching staff as the freshman’s quarterback coach and is now serving as the JV offensive coordinator and working towards helping the JV team become league champs once again.

Adam Popoca
JV Offensive Line

Adam Popoca attended Bishop Alemany High School in 2016. During his freshman year, he played football as a linebacker. From 2017 to 2019, he attended Arleta High School and played football as a safety and linebacker. After graduating, Adam attended Newberry School of Beauty, where he earned a barbering license. He was then a professional barber for three years at Freshkutz Barbershop. Adam is entering his first year of coaching football at Chaminade and is currently enrolled at Los Angeles Valley College.