Sacred Heart Cathedral hires Serra OC Darius Bell as new coach

Sacred Heart Cathedral has its new coach, and the Irish didn’t have to look far away to find him.

SHC announced Monday afternoon that Serra offensive coordinator Darius Bell will take over the program at the San Francisco school. Bell is a San Francisco native who has served as the Padres’ OC and an assistant athletic director since 2018.

He takes over from Antoine Evans, who was dismissed after the season.

“Joining the SHC community is truly an honor,” Bell said in a news release. “This is more than a football job. It’s a chance to be part of a school and community that values faith, character, academics and service. The responsibility of leading young men, not just on Friday nights, but in the classroom, in their faith, and most importantly in life, is a priority to me.

“My goal is to serve SHC with love, humility and a commitment to doing things the right way. I’m most looking forward to the day-to-day impact, being present with our players and helping them grow.”

During Bell’s tenure as OC, Serra’s football program achieved an impressive run of success, capturing 14 championships and developing over 60 NCAA Division I football players, SHC said in the release.

“What a blessing it is to welcome coach Darius Bell to the Sacred Heart Cathedral family,” SHC president Melinda Lawlor Skrade said in the release. His track record of building championship-caliber programs while prioritizing character, academics and team culture makes him an ideal leader for our football program.”

Bell posted a statement on X after the hiring was announced, saying, “Grateful beyond words for eight unforgettable years at Serra. The people and the community will always mean the world to me. Without you all, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

“What an honor and privilege it is to be named the head coach of the Fighting Irish football program.”