Former coordinator Grout is Puyallup football’s new coach
Brian Grout has had his eye on the Puyallup High School football job for some time. A long time.
“When I was in high school (at Puyallup), I just had this vision that I would be the head coach of Puyallup High School someday,” he said. “The community just meant that much to me. I felt like I could give back, pour in. I felt like I could have a big impact.”
That vision has become reality. The school announced Tuesday that Grout, who has served as an assistant coach for the Vikings for the past four years, will take over for Gary Jeffers, who announced his retirement earlier this spring.
Grout, 36, played on the offensive line for the Vikings and graduated from Puyallup in 2003, before playing one year of college football at Western Montana. He then transferred to Central Washington, where he graduated.
Puyallup athletic director Kelly Susee drove to Ballou Junior High School, where Grout works, to officially extend the job offer last Friday.
“He didn’t even have to get the words out of his mouth,” Grout said, laughing.
Grout, who served as the team’s offensive coordinator the past two seasons, bleeds purple and gold. This is his dream job.
“I’m a middle class, grew up in Puyallup kid,” he said. “My dad went to Puyallup. I’m the first person to graduate from college in my family. I feel like I can really identify with kids from Puyallup. It takes a different kind of grit to be successful. I knew I could develop into a coach that would have an impact on and off the field.”
His first call was to his wife, his second to his parents. Then Grout called each of his assistant coaches on the Puyallup staff, asking them to stay on board. Spencer Boyes will return as the team’s defensive coordinator, while Brian McKechnie, who served as the team’s receivers coach and special teams coordinator previously, will take over as offensive coordinator. Grout said the entire varsity coaching staff remains intact, as of now.
“We really wanted to keep our staff together,” he said. “Our staff is special. They really model the love we want our kids to have. We wanted to keep it together.”
Jeffers said he was happy to see an internal candidate chosen as his replacement.
“I’m super excited for him to get the opportunity,” Jeffers said. “I felt in this transition, the most important piece was being able to maintain continuity. By picking a candidate in our program, it gives us the best shot at being consistent for our kids. You’re already getting into summer football. Having the comfort and familiarity of doing stuff you’ve already been doing will be helpful.”
Jeffers also said that it’d be hard to imagine someone more passionate about the Puyallup community, and that he believes Grout understands the pressures that come with one of the state’s top jobs.
“He’s definitely ingrained (in Puyallup),” Jeffers said. “I think he’ll do a great job. As our offensive coordinator, he’s always done a great job working through the offense. As a motivator, he’s passionate about football — specifically, about Puyallup football.”
Puyallup has gone to the state tournament three consecutive seasons (there was no state tournament in 2020 because of the pandemic). Grout said he doesn’t foresee sweeping changes; he hopes to build on what Jeffers already had rolling.
“That’s one of my strengths, taking things that work and modifying it just a little bit to make it my own,” Grout said. “Gary has an incredible program that he set up. It’s taking what he has set up and putting my own flavor, my passion and style. … On the field, from the big scope, I don’t think it’ll look different to the media and to the community.”
Puyallup has won a single state title, in 1987. Grout thinks the school could expand its trophy case.
“I think (the program) has some bones to be a dynasty,” he said. “That’s my goal, to make it a perennial powerhouse. But that’s second to the goal to make good young men and have an impact on them, like it did on me to want to come back and pour into this community. Football is just that avenue. … I’m passionate about how impactful sports are.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 12:34 PM.
