At least 19 schools in the San Diego Section changed football coaches this season and probably that many reasons could be offered for this arguably massive turnover.
In no particular order, a few possible explanations::
— Pressure to win
— Long hours and low stipend pay
— Player eligibility
— Transfer headaches
— Meddling administrators
— Meddling parents
— Medical liability
There are other factors, not the least of which is the continued growth of soccer, which is contested at the same time on the school calendar and has grown in popularity while football has been battling an image problem.
Many parents think the game is too dangerous.
But 98 schools submitted schedules and practice got  underway this week in anticipation of the first weekend of games Aug. 26-27.
My preseason Top 10, based on no  knowledge, other than I’ve heard Cathedral “is loaded”, Helix is Helix (speed, depth), that Rancho Bernardo deserves cred after winning a state championship (III-A) in 2015, and so on.
Keep an eye also on Mater Dei, which won the state V-AA division last season, and returns C.J. Verdell, who scored 204 points  and recently announced he’s going to join former Imperial great Royce Freeman at Oregon.
| Rank | School | 2015 | Key Nonleague | 2015 |
| 1. | Cathedral | 7-5 | Modesto Central Catholic @Mission Viejo | 16-0 |
| 2. | Helix | 11-2 | Concord Clayton Valley @Mission Viejo | 13-2 |
| 3. | Rancho Bernardo | 13-2 | El Camino | 7-6 |
| 4. | St. Augustine | 10-3 | @L.A. Loyola | 9-3 |
| 5. | Mission Hills | 11-1 | Rancho Bernardo | 13-2 |
| 6. | Madison | 8-3 | @Murrieta Vista Murrieta | 12-2 |
| 7. | Bonita Vista | 12-3 | @Helix | 13-2 |
| 8. | Mater Dei | 14-1 | @L.A. Hawkins | 8-1-1 |
| 9. | Eastlake | 5-6 | Lake Forest El Toro | 5-6 |
| 10. | La Costa Canyon | 7-4 | Whittier La Serna | 11-3 |
Of the 19 coaching switches, 3 resulted only in change of address. Â Jerry Ralph moved from Hoover to El Camino, Tim White from Julian to Borrego Springs, and Kyle Williams from Fallbrook to Westview.
| School | New | Previous | 2015 |
| Borrego Springs | Tim White | Andy Macuga | 4-5 |
| Calexico | John Tyree | Sean Johnson | 0-10 |
| C.C. San Diego | Dr. David Riley | Gene Rheam | 9-2 |
| Eastlake | Dean Tropp | Lee Price | 5-6 |
| El Camino | Jerry Ralph | John Roberts | 7-6 |
| Escondido | Jud Bordman | Steve Bridges | 1-10 |
| Fallbrook | Bob Burt | Kyle Williams | 7-5 |
| Foothills Christian | Joe Mackey | Ron Lyyjoki | 5-4 |
| Francis Parker | Darius Pickett | D.J. Walcott | 2-8 |
| Helix | Robbie Owens | Troy Starr | 11-2 |
| Hilltop | Clay Westling | Cody Roelof | 5-6 |
| Hoover | Jimmy Morgans | Jerry Ralph | 2-8 |
| Julian | Scott Munson | Tim White | 2-8 |
| La Jolla | Matt Morrison | Jason Carter | 3-8 |
| Montgomery | Sanjevi Sabbiah | Ted Jarumayan | 2-8 |
| Rancho Buena Vista | Joe Meyer | Paul Gomes | 1-9 |
| Serra | Dru Smith | Sergio Diaz | 1-9 |
| Vista | Dave Bottom | Dan Williams | 4-7 |
| Westview | Kyle Williams | Mike Woodward | 8-4 |
