Dwayne Wright, who rushed for 1,462 yards and 11 TDs at Fresno State in 2006, is the new head football coach at Roosevelt High. (AP File)
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Former Fresno State great and NFL running back Dwayne Wright is the new head football coach at Roosevelt High School.
Wright, 38, has been an assistant in the Rough Riders program. He is also a paraeducator at the school working with high-need students.
As a minister at Amazing Grace ministries, he often speaks to youth groups.
Wright, who has also coached football at Fresno City College, succeeds another former Fresno State football player, Vince Branstetter, who led the program for four seasons.
Formerly a counselor at Williams Elementary School, Wright told KSEE-24 in 2018 about the importance of connecting with students.
“The NFL was great, but that was just a step for me getting into education and helping students in Fresno and all over California,” Wright said at that time.
Watch: Dwayne Wright’s Mission Is to Serve Students, Be a Role Model
“Coach Wright has a high level of energy and drive, and a strong ethical fiber that aligns with our vision for the program. He will be the kind of leader and mentor that will help our student-athletes thrive. We are excited for a new chapter of Rough Rider football under Coach Wright,” said Principal Michael Allen in a Fresno Unified news release.
Roosevelt finished this season with a 6-5 record and 2-2 in the North Yosemite League. The Rough Riders defeated Tehachapi 41-20 in the playoffs before exiting with a 42-14 loss to Independence High of Bakersfield.
Wright twice eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in a season for Fresno State and was a fourth-round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2007.
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email
