Garcia, 32, graduated from GHS in 1995 and has served as an assistant with the Mustangs seven of the last eight seasons. He currently is the head coach of the semi-pro Central Coast Barnstormers football team, and he held the title of associate head coach with Gilroy in 2008.

"I'm still kind of in awe," Garcia said an hour after accepting the job offer from GHS Athletic Director Jack Daley. "I feel great about it. It's going to be an easy transition for the kids; nothing is changing. I'm trying to keep full chemistry within our staff."

Along with his goal of keeping the coaching staff in place, Garcia said he plans on continuing to use the record-setting spread offense installed by former coach Rich Hammond, who left the program this spring for a coaching job in Clovis after compiling a 23-11 record in three seasons. Hammond led the Mustangs to back-to-back league titles in his last two seasons, as well as the school's first-ever Central Coast Section championship game appearance in 2007. Before Hammond arrived, Gilroy had not won a league title since 1981.

"We just gotta keep the bar high," Garcia said. "The kids know how to work hard and they know what to expect from me. That's how I'm going to walk in and approach it."

Garcia said he will finish out his commitment to the Barnstormers this season before dedicating his coaching time exclusively to the Mustangs.

A linebacker and defensive lineman in his playing days for GHS, Garcia also spent two seasons playing at Gavilan College. He then went on to become an assistant coach for the Rams from 1997-2001. Learning from a wide range of coaches on multiple levels is something Garcia believes will serve him well in his new post.

"I guess I've been around it all," he said. "You get a mix of different attitudes and different ways of approaching situations."

Garcia also credited his time working for the Gilroy Youth Community Center as an excellent advantage in knowing how to deal with kids.

Daley said the decision to hire Garcia was made for a variety of reasons, one of them being the coach's roots.

"He's a Gilroy guy and he brings a lot of knowledge of the community," Daley said. "We expect Greg to do well and have great success."