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Nugent steps down as head coach of the Thunderbolts following their undefeated season and run to the Class 4A state championship in just the program’s third season as a varsity program.

“We appreciate everything he has done for the Vail School District and his overall impact across Southern Arizona,� Mica Mountain principal Nemer Hassey said in a released statement. “He is one of the best coaches in Arizona. We appreciate him so much and he will be missed. His contribution to our school district has been exceptional.�

After 27 seasons as a head coach at multiple levels, “I’ve given up so much of my life and missed so many great moments with my family, because I’m dedicated and put an awful lot of of time in,� Nugent told the Star on Tuesday.

Ending his coaching career with a state championship “is a dream come true,� he added.

“You always want to keep fighting and battling but to end up being a champion and 14-0 with a special group, it’s a special way,� Nugent said. “It’s always hard to leave but it’s a great opportunity to step away from the game.�

Pending approval from the Vail School District governing board, Mica Mountain assistant principal and former longtime Sabino head coach Jay Campos is expected to take over the program. Campos went 133-35 at Sabino and led the Sabercats to four state championship appearances.

“Jay is a tremendous coach,� Nugent said. “He’s been successful at the high school level. He’s got a great program and unbelievable situation at Mica Mountain because staying in (Class) 4A puts them in a really good situation for the next few years. I’m always here if he ever needs me but he’s going to do a tremendous job with how the program is growing right now.�

Nugent began his coaching career at Flowing Wells before taking over Canyon del Oro, where he coached the Dorados to a state championship appearance in 2007, but fell short. The Dorados totaled 548 points in 2007 and averaged 39 points per game; they scored 56 touchdowns and two field goals that season.

Nugent coached former CDO star running back Ka’Deem Carey as an underclassman, but the CDO coach went on to coach at Pima College. Nugent was 72-30 in nine seasons at CDO.

After Hassey retired as head coach of Cienega, Nugent took over the CHS football program. Between 2015-20, Nugent posted a 48-14 record at Cienega and led the Bobcats to back-to-back Class 5A state semifinal appearances with former Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Jamarye Joiner as his quarterback.

Nugent took a leap of faith on up-and-coming Mica Mountain, a new high school in the Vail School District on Valencia Road near Houghton Road, which just played its third varsity season.

Mica Mountain, which was built in 2020, went 14-0 this season and beat Arizona College Prep 42-13 for the Class 4A state championship at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. The Thunderbolts won the state title a season after losing to state champion CDO in the semifinals.

“When Nemer talked to me about going over there, I didn’t think it was possible that we would get to the level Cienega was at. ... It came fast and we had some kids that bought into the program and we got some great coaches,� Nugent said. “It was a process that we went through and it was an unbelievable situation.

“We were in the semifinals last year and it was like, ‘Wow, we have a chance to win this thing.’ We knew going into the year, it was a good possibility we could win a state title. The pressure was on us because that was our goal and we finished the deal.�

Upon winning the state championship, congratulatory text messages from former players poured in.

“I get emotional thinking about the text messages I’ve gotten in the last two weeks from kids. You try to have an influence on kids,� Nugent said while holding back tears. “They leave, they graduate and then you don’t see them, then you see their text messages. It’s unbelievable and pretty cool. There’s a lot of kids, a lot of coaches and great moments in my career. It’s a great ending.�

Between stops at Flowing Wells, CDO, Cienega and Mica Mountain, Nugent had a 172-66 career coaching record. Including the abbreviated inaugural season in 2021, Nugent went 34-9 at Mica Mountain. The Thunderbolts went a combined 25-2 in the last two seasons. Nugent never had a losing season as a high school football coach.

Nugent admitted, “it’s going to be weird� to not coach football in any capacity for the first time in 34 years. The 58-year-old Nugent “grew up in a football family� and learned from his father, John Nugent, “a legendary head coach� at Rye High School in New York. Pat Nugent’s uncle, Tom Nugent, was the head coach at Florida State at Maryland from 1963-65 and is known as the creator of the I-formation offense.

After his quarterback career at Rye, Pat Nugent coached for his father before attending the University of Arizona, where he was a ball boy and student assistant for the UA football program under the late Dick Tomey.

“I don’t know anything but a fall football camp,� Nugent said. “It’ll be weird going into next fall and I don’t know how I’m going to react or how it’s going to be like but I’ve given up an awful lot of my life to be a part of that.

“I’m looking forward to the next chapter.�