Orris in thick of search

CORONA DEL MAR — Depending on the day, Paul Orris’ answer as to when he’s retiring varies.

In his 38th year at Corona del Mar High, he said he has one year left. Talking to him on Wednesday afternoon, he jokingly said “tomorrow” seems more likely.

The reason behind the humorous response makes sense. His demanding schedule as athletic director these days give him a rush as well as stress.

“Last night I woke up at 3 in the morning,” he said. “Once I wake up, the news starts turning. There are constant fires that need to be addressed every day.”

On Wednesday it was the Sea Kings’ vacant football coaching job. The opening has created a new start after Dick Freeman said he was fired after 12-plus seasons. Along the way it’s also rankled some involved with the program.

There are several issues, the key ones deal with those being considered and those involved in the hiring process. The interviewing process began with four of the nine candidates getting a chance Wednesday to vie for the biggest job Orris said he’s had to fill since he took over as athletic director more than a year ago.

“This is the first one that I had this much contact and control,” said Orris, adding that he’s sought the advice of Jerry Jelnick, the athletic director he replaced after Jelnick stepped down after 15 years. “It’s huge. Just because of how important the football coach is to the school climate and community.”

Now it’s up to Orris, 60, the former successful boys’ basketball coach with two CIF Southern Section titles, to find the ideal candidate to turn football into a championship contender. The program lags behind in success compared to the boys’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ volleyball, girls’ cross country and track and field, boys’ and girls’ water polo, and girls’ tennis programs, all of which have won recent section championships.

Orris said he will have help determining which of the nine candidates, each with teaching credentials, will lead a program coming off a 4-5 season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2003, and going 18 years since it last claimed a section crown.

A decision won’t be made this month and Orris said it could take until March because of staffing issues as the school currently doesn’t have a teaching opening.

Orris said the interviewing panel consists of CdM Middle School Principal Guy Olguin, who’s filling in for Principal Fal Asrani as she’s out of town for two weeks due to personal reasons, administrator David Peterson, teacher/baseball coach John Emme, a classified employee, a retired athletic director/former football coach, and a student. Orris said a student wasn’t going to be a part of the procedure at first, but he wanted someone to represent the study body.

As for parents or members of the football booster club, Orris said none will participate. But he added that boosters had some input on possible candidates, some of which are up for consideration, and questions that will be asked to each during their 45-minute interview. Orris said one of the candidates is from Colorado with no ties to Orange County.

“We just felt that because of things that have happened in the past it was better to handle it this way. There were some issues with a previous [hire], prior to me taking over as AD,” said Orris, not wanting to name the coach. “When you interview, everything that’s said and discussed, there’s a privacy thing, and all that information is supposed to stay within the walls of the interview. That’s to protect the people that are interviewing and the people that are being interviewed.

“Pressures again can be placed on both parties that are really unfair and can sway opinion and decisions. That was part of the process that unfortunately the last time around things were divulged that just shouldn’t have been divulged.”

Even before the first day of interviewing began, Orris quickly discredited information about those who had applied, or were being considered. He said Rob Johnson, a former NFL and USC quarterback, and his brother Bret, both assistants under their father Bob at Mission Viejo, a three-time section champ since 1999, never applied.

“Being recommended and then showing interest are two different things,” Orris said. “There is a coach that talked to me that will remain nameless that has coached for 25 years, but you have to remember that we have some issues if he’s got 25 years as a teacher in a district, this [Newport-Mesa Unified School] district will only give them 13 [years tenure]. So there [are] financial considerations, and this particular person would’ve been a great candidate, great fit.”

Some players’ parents also have their idea of the perfect coach and they believe he doesn’t have to be an on-campus teacher. They’ve voiced their opinions to Orris and Asrani in person and through e-mail.

Allen Swigert, whose son is Alex, a potential starting running back next year as a junior, said he believes school officials should consider Aaron Craver, a former NFL fullback with the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints, because of his extensive football background.

Swigert knows of Craver because Alex runs for Craver’s Light Speed organization, which is based in Irvine. Craver had coached at Centennial of Compton the last four years, turning a non-existent program his first year into a playoff-bound team last year, a remarkable feat for a school Craver said hadn’t won more than 10 games in a 20-year period before he arrived.

“He’s like the kind of guy they’d make a movie like, ‘Coach Carter’ for,” Swigert said.

Craver, who went 13-27 at Centennial, was introduced to Orris last month by Bill Sumner, a legendary running coach who’s a walk-on in charge of the CdM cross country and track and field teams. Other sports with walk-on coaches this season at CdM include boys’ soccer, girls’ water polo, boys’ and girls’ tennis, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, and boys’ and girls’ volleyball.

“I was very impressed, but he does not have a teaching credential. He was one of those that was excluded in the paper screening process, set aside because of that criterion of a teaching credential,” said Orris of Craver, who added that CdM has all the resources to be a powerhouse. “[Football] sets the tempo. It affects a lot of kids, not only just from football players, but cheerleaders, a variety [of people] across the board. Historically, you would probably look at, not to slight other sports, but football, basketball and baseball are what you kind of look at as the prime-time sports. Fair or unfair, that’s the way it is. If you are [the] tennis coach, you might be disgruntled about that, but that’s the nature of the beast.

“Also, football and basketball are the two sports that bring in the most money for the school, volleyball to some extent, but those are the only sports that we charge admission to, so that has something to do with it as well. The impact that it has on the school.”

Orris never envisioned himself in this position when he assumed his new role. But he said “the school had a need. They twisted my arm a little. I don’t regret doing it.”

Once Freeman and Orris parted ways in December, he said it strained their 25-year relationship. Was Freeman, who was 67-69-2, scrutinized too much by parents and fans?

“I think unfairly some,” Orris said.

Now it looks as Orris is in the hot seat. He knows he has a daunting task of finding the right guy to resurrect the football program before he retires.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com. DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.