It wasn't long ago that Tigard was a perennial power in 6A football, boasting eight seasons of double-digit wins between 2011 and 2019.
Since 2020, though, the Tigers have slipped. They are 20-36 overall during that span, including 1-8 last season, their worst record since 2008.
This year presents another opportunity to correct course. For first-time head coach Will Whitley – Tigard's fourth coach since the highly successful run of Craig Ruecker (2009-18) – that means trying to reconnect with that winning tradition.
“It's not ancient history,” said Whitley, who last year joined Tigard's staff as the passing game coordinator and receivers coach. “We've just got to get it back there.”
Whitley said the COVID shutdown threw a wrench into the program's dynamic. Tigard not only lost its momentum, but suffered a shortage of top-notch players, partially due to transfers to neighboring schools.
Given the strengths of their personnel, Whitley believes the Tigers need to take a different approach than in recent seasons.
“Tigard has been trying to be the Tigard that they've been in the past 20 years,” Whitley said. “And we don't have those kids anymore. We're not the biggest team in the state. We don't have O-linemen that are averaging 6-4, 270, that they traditionally had.
“That's why it's important to make sure that we get our skill players the ball. I feel like we have some of the best skill players in the state, across the board.”
Whitley grew up in Memphis, Tenn., and played receiver in college at Tennessee Martin (2013-15). He moved from California to Oregon in 2022 with his wife, Lauren, a West Linn graduate. He assisted at Southridge and Mountainside before landing at Tigard.
“I'm enjoying Oregon. It's a lot different than the south,” he said. “That's kind of what I'm trying to bring, that southern taste of football. … It's toughness, physicality , work ethic, love for the game. Tigard is a great place. The community is very strong, but we need to get it back to where it was previously.”
Whitley will serve as the offensive coordinator. Instead of Tigard's traditional I-formation, run-first offense, he plans to spread the field and give his best athletes a chance to shine.
“We're going to be a fast-paced team,” Whitley said. “We're going to utilize our players. We're going to get our play-makers the ball.”
The offense will revolve around 6-foot-4, 190-pound senior quarterback Aris Dimick, the starter the last two seasons. Whitley said that Dimick is drawing interest from colleges such as Montana, Weber State, Sacramento State and Portland State.
“We're putting the ball in his hands and we're going to see what he can do with that,” Whitley said. “He's going to be featured in the offense way more than he has been in the past. He's a very good athlete. He's tall, mobile, and he can sling the rock.”
Whitley believes his cast of skill players – including junior Taison Cepeda and senior Jackson Morris at running back and seniors Jaxon Lee and Arrelious Peterson and junior Caleb Watson at receiver – has the ability to stress defenses.
“We have multiple guys, you get them the ball, they're home-run hitters,” Whitley said.
After the tenure of Ruecker (92-30 in 10 seasons), Tigard turned to coaches John Kemper (21-14, 2019-22), Ken Feist (5-6, 2023) and Todd Crist (4-16, 2024-25).
The Tigers have been respectable on a statewide scale during that period – finishing as high as 13th (2022) and 11th (2023) in the 6A power rankings – but have struggled to compete in a Three Rivers League that is loaded with powerhouse teams. They are 1-14 in the league in the last three seasons.
Whitley said he embraces the challenge of competing in the Three Rivers.
“We're not scared of it,” he said. “This year we're coming into it with a dog mentality, that we want to put our foot in the door. We have something to say about that now.
“I definitely think we can make some noise this year. I think talent-wise, skill-player-wise, we're definitely one of the best in the state.”
jerryu@osaa.org
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