As San Bernardino Valley College prepares to celebrate its centennial, school President Dr. Gilbert Contreras wanted to start the school’s second 100 years by making sure that football will once again be an important part of SBVC campus life.
Wednesday, Contreras announced the hiring of James Griffin as the school’s 26th head coach. Pending board approval, he will officially start Feb. 18.
“I am confident that Coach Griffin’s leadership, championship experience, and commitment to excellence will elevate SBVC Football and inspire our student-athletes to reach new heights,” Contreras said in a statement sent Wednesday.
Griffin comes to SBVC with years of coaching experience across Southern California after a playing career that included a record-setting two years at Pasadena City College – a career that earned him induction into the PCC Athletic Hall of Fame.
He previously has served as a member of the coaching staff at Fullerton College and national powerhouse Mater Dei High School. At Mater Dei, he served as the wide receivers coach, helping the Monarchs to a 38-2 record and two national championships during his tenure at the school.
At Fullerton, Griffin has served in the roles of Offensive Coordinator, Wide Receivers Coach and Pass Game Coordinator, and Recruiting Coordinator. He was part of the staff that led the Hornets to back-to-back California Community College Athletic Association state championships.
Griffin grew up in Tennesse, where he an All-State selection for three years, and was named the state football player of the year in 1999. He moved to California, and enrolled at Pasadena City College, where he set the school record with 17 sacks. In his sophomore year, he led the Lancers with 86 tackles as a linebacker.
He then transferred to Virginia Tech, where he was part of two bowl seasons – including a trip to the Sugar Bowl - with the Hokies. He earned his bachelor's of science degree from Virginia Tech, before earning his master’s degree in education from Northcentral University.
Griffin replaces Nate Turner, who took over the program in the summer of 2024.