The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.
Longtime College of San Mateo football coach Tim Tulloch was named the Bulldogs’ new head coach last Friday, taking over for recently retired head coach Larry Owens. Photo by Patrick Nguyen
Technically, Tim Tulloch has bore the title of College of San Mateoo football head coach for the past nine years, sharing the assistant head coach title since 2009.
In 2018, however, Tulloch will take over exclusively as Bulldogs head coach, it was announced last Friday. Entering his 22nd year of coaching, it will be the first time he has ever held a head coaching position outright.
Tulloch started his coaching career at CSM in 1997 as a defensive backs coach. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2009. Now, he is set to relinquish the defensive coordinator role as he takes over for the recently retired Bulldogs head coach Larry Owens.
“I’m excited,” Tulloch said. “This last week … it was a handful of sleepless nights just to make sure I’m making the right decision for my family, for the Bulldogs family and the future of the program.”
Last Friday, the Bulldogs football team was gathered on campus as CSM president Michael Claire announced Tulloch would be taking the reins. This came just one week after Tulloch interviewed at University of Oregon for a vacant linebackers coach position. Currently residing in Foster City, Tulloch said he had concerns about uprooting his family, a factor that weighed into his decision to stay at CSM.
“It would be a big move to move my family up there,” Tulloch said. “I did a lot of consult with Coach Owens, and my wife and my kids. I wanted to make sure I’m making the best decision.”
A native of Southern California, Tulloch moved to the Bay Area in 1993 as a transfer student to play football at Menlo College. He played community college ball at Palomar College-San Marcos from 1991-92.
It was during his transfer junior season at Menlo College he first set foot on the campus at CSM. Because Menlo College didn’t have a spring football program, he and a teammate trained at CSM in the offseason.
It was there he met CSM defensive backs coach Kenny Haren, who departed two years later to take a coaching position at Menlo-Atherton High School. The timing worked out perfectly with Tulloch’s graduation from Menlo College, and he took over as assistant defensive backs coach at CSM the following season, coaching the safeties while Terry Butler coaches the cornerbacks.
When current offensive coordinator Bret Pollack donned the head coach position from 2009-15, he remained intact as CSM’s offensive coordinator as well. He moved back to offensive coordinator and assistant head coach in 2016 when Owens returned to the role. Owens stepped down as head coach after 19 years in 2008.
Unlike Pollack as offensive coordinator, Tulloch said he will forego the defensive coordinator role.
“My role is going to change,” Tulloch said. “We’re going to hire a defensive coordinator. I’ll be involved with the defense. But I’ll be involved more than that as the head coach in all aspects of the program.”
Tulloch said he expects CSM will name a new defensive coordinator in the summer.
“I think we’ll have a really good candidate pool and some really good coaches who will want to apply,” Tulloch said. “So I’m looking forward to it.”
