New Jets coach Jeff Ulbrich was a fast learner, Northern California high school football star

Standout NFL linebacker learned the game at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, just south of San Jose

Oct 2, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

New New York Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich owes much of his football success to his days in high school at Live Oak in Morgan Hill, a town of 45,000 residents just south of San Jose and the Sillicon Valley.

Before Ulbrich arrived at the Live Oak, a four-year high school of about 1,100 students, he had never played a down of football. He graduated from the school in 1995.

"I have a ton of memories here," he told a 2006 Live Oak Hall of Fame audience when inducting two of his coaches. "I never played football before coming to Live Oak, Mark Cummings was my coach, all with Glenn Webb and Norm Dow. The winners have all my respect. I'm honored to do this."

Ulbrich was still in the NFL at the time of those inductions — he later would be voted into the same Live Oak Hall of Fame in 2013. He was starring just down the road for the San Francisco 49ers. He racked up 501 tackles during his NFL career from 2000-09 all with the 49ers, racking up 5.5 sacks and forcing six fumbles.

Undersized at 6-foot, but 240 pounds, he relied on his tenacity and smarts, which has elevated up the coaching ranks with the Seahawks, UCLA, Falcons and finally defensive coordinator with the Jets.

On Tuesday, after the firing of Jets' head coach Robert Saleh, Ulbrich was elevated to the top position.

He's always been a quick study and high achiever.

Even just learning the game, Ulbrich earned three varsity football letters at Live Oak and by his senior year he was first-team All-League and team MVP. He also picked up wrestling along the way and won a league title in a region known for its superb grapling.

Under-the-radar, he played one season and earned All-Conference and team MVP honors at Gavilan College in Gilroy, just South of Morgan Hill, then made his mark at the University of Hawaii, where he led the Western Athletic Conference in tackles his senior year with a school-record 169.

That caught the attention of the 49ers, who selected him in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft.

-- Mitch Stephens | mitch@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveca