Retiring McClymonds football coach Michael Peters fishing for one more title

The father of NFL cornerback Marcus Peters isn't looking for any more fanfare, but instead leading his players to 'their next great adventure and to the straight and narrow.'

Michael Peters plans to hold a meeting soon with his longtime coaching comrades, defensive coordinator Curtis McAuley, Jason Walton (running backs) and Lale Taiese (defensive line). 

It won't be anywhere near a gridiron or chalkboard. 

"It's gonna be out fishing," said the 31-year coach at McClymonds, the last 11 as head coach. "We'll have a lot to talk about. A lot to celebrate." 

The 55-year-old, who is the father of NFL cornerback Marcus Peters, announced before the season this would be his last. His final game could be Saturday at 1 p.m., when his Warriors (8-2) travel to Marin Catholic-Kentfield (12-1) for a CIF Northern California 3-A regional. 

The winner of that game will play for the state final Dec. 9 against the victor between Mount Miguel and Mayfair. McClymonds, in the midst of a historic winning spell, will be going for the fifth state title. 

"I'm planning for us to be practicing next week as well," Peters said. 

McClymonds coach Michael Peters has won 121 games and four state titles in 11 seasons as head coach.  / Photo: Eric Taylor

Peters has been talked into coming back before, but not this time, he said. The overall strains from coaching has taken a toll physically. Plus, it's just time to spend more with family. 

He was still on the field well after practice Thursday night, answering questions about his decision to leave, when one of his assistants asked him about dinner. It was after 8 p.m.

“That’s sorta what I mean,” Peters said. “I won’t get to dinner until at least 9 or maybe later. That’s just the nature of the beast.”

The “beast” has been more than good to him, Peters said. Great, in fact.

He’s garnered numerous local and national coaching awards thanks to the Warriors’ massive winning ways — 121 victories and 15 defeats over 11 seasons with four state, six regional and 11 league championships. They've won all those games by an average score of 42-10. Not bad for a school with an enrollment of roughly 250.

Peters, a 1986 McClymonds graduate, takes great pride in his alma mater.  

Jaivian Thomas (21) is now a freshman at Cal after being named the Metro Player of the Year last season by the San Francisco Chronicle / Photo: Joe Bergman

“Everywhere I go people know about Mack football,” he said. “Not just around here. I’ve been down to Southern California and they recognized the black and orange too.”

But Peters isn’t into fame. With his son picking off passes as a veteran NFL cornerback, the family name is already all over football circles.

He’s never been into flash or showboating, rings or trophy celebrations. What he loves most about coaching kids — specifically kids from West Oakland — is getting them out and making good lives for themselves.

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“Maybe what we taught them helped them to be good citizens, get good jobs, get along with groups of people — lead even,” he said. “Hopefully we’ve led them to their next great adventure and to the straight and narrow.”

As rewarding as that is, and to watch his Warriors over-achieve on the field, the demands and pressures of running the program have taken a strain, he said. Besides the physical demands, he’s lost his mother and several coaching contemporaries and dear friends, including Delton Edwards, Phillip Cahuya and Dean Hodges.

Between game-planning, practice, checking on grades and answering calls from college coaches and reporters, days and meals run late into the night. It’s more demanding than it was when he was a McClymonds assistant coach from 1992 to 2012. He had to be talked into the head coaching position — he was aware of the headaches — but "I didn't want to leave those kids hanging. One year turned to the next and to the next."  

McClymonds coach Michael Peters is the father of NFL cornerback Marcus Peters / Photo: Eric Taylor

Peters said he’s got his own children and grandkids to consider. And mostly, his own health. 

“There’s a lot of stress with all this winning,” Peters said. “It never seems quite good enough.”

They’re going to have to be very good to knock off a Marin Catholic squad, led by Peters’ good friend and coach Mazi Moayed. The Wildcats have a similar resume as Mack, with a record of 88-14 since 2015. They’ve won three regional titles and took the state 4-AA title in 2021.

Marin Catholic is led by first-team All-Marin County Athletic League running back Charles Williams and defensive back Charles Williams, MCAL Lineman of the Year Mario Crocitto and Defensive Player of the Year Zach Taylor.

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McClymonds had had too much speed and size for the Wildcats in three previous meetings, all Warriors victories. This year’s squad is led by the speedy duo of Redmani Albert and Tajir Golden, who combined for seven touchdowns last week in a 56-0 win over Skyline for the Oakland Section title.

Peters said he gets no sense that the Warriors are trying to send him out with a state championship. “I hope they just do it for themselves,” he said. “It’s a great group of kids and coaches. I can’t imagine a better group to go out with.”

The next picture of these gents together after this season might be Michael Peters (in front) and his coaching pals at a fishing spot.  / Photo: Eric Taylor