Narbonne High School’s football program is heading toward an uncertain offseason after the resignation of coach Malcolm Manuel on Thursday.
Manuel was the coach for four seasons, helping rebuild the Gauchos after the exodus of players after the program was banned from the 2019 and 2020 playoffs. The rebuild culminated in a City Section Open Division championship this season.
But there were off-the-field issues. Four Marine League coaches decided to forfeit games rather than play Narbonne, alleging rule violations. Then the City Section declared seven players ineligible right before the playoffs began and made the Gauchos ineligible for next year’s playoffs.
Manuel said everything has taken a toll on him, leading to his decision to step down as football coach but continue as a teacher at the school. His successor could face a similar challenge to what he inherited in 2021, with a depleted roster.
“It was a lot that went down this year,” Manuel said. “I had multiple conversations with my family.”
As for the future of the program, Manuel said, “It will have to be addressed and fixed moving forward. The uncertainty of what’s next for the program is not only weighing on me but parents and kids.”
