Tony Lewis
Head Coach

Tony Lewis is the third head football coach in Blue Devil history. His 1995 team won the Northern California Championship, and he was named State Coach of the year. Tony has nine years of playing experience and twenty nine years of coaching experience to bring to the Blue Devil organization. Since that day in August of 1978 when Tony joined the Blue Devils coaching staff, the Blue Devils have won 164, lost 119, and tied 3. The Blue Devils have won one State Championship, one NorCal Championship, nine conference championships, and eight of twelve Bowl Games. Under Tony’s leadership the Blue Devils are 83-93-1 and 5-2 in Bowl Games. In 2002 Tonytook over the offensive coordinator.
Tony was born and raised in Los Banos, California, the son of Dan and Carmella Lewis. He played football and ran track at Los Banos High School before coming to Merced College in 1974. The 1974-75 seasons saw Tony play defensive back on the Blue Devil football team. In 1975 Tony was selected to the All-Central California Conference football team as a DB. Tony continued his education and football playing at Cal State Hayward. He graduated with a BS degree in Physical Education in 1978.
Tony began his coaching career in 1978 here at Merced College, coaching the defensive backs. In 1980 Tony was named the defensive coordinator. In 1988 Tony received an MS degree in counseling from the University of San Francisco, and became the Athletic Department Student Counselor. Tony was named Head Coach in 1989.
Tony’s awards and accomplishments include being named to the Blue Devil All-Quarter Century football team (1988), and All-CCC selection as a player. Tony was a member of the 1978 State Championship coaching staff. Tony has coached 32 J.C. All-Americans including DB’s Ron Steverson (1979), Bill McElroy (1985), Chuckie Jones (1987), RB Odell Collins (1993-94), DL Scott Blank (1996), DE Frank Battle (1996), RB Reuben Droughns (1997), WR Imani Percoats(1998), and All-Purpose runner Cory Jones (2003), 39 All-State, and 141 All-Conference selections. Tony has attended and spoken at many football coaching clinics from Lake Tahoe to Los Angeles. A crowning achievement to 1995 was when Tony was named COA Football Coach of the Year.
Tony and his wife Sandy live in Merced along with their daughters Audra , Danielle and Rheanne.

Bob Casey
Asst. Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends

Bob returns to the Blue Devil coaching staff again this year. A former Blue Devil player himself, Bob brings with him over nine years of football coaching experience at the college and high school levels. He will be coaching the offensive line. As part of his duties at Merced College, Bob is also the Head Track & Field Coach, as well as teaching in the college weight rooms and working as one of the Early Awarreness Program coordinators. Bob originally comes from Bayonne, NJ and is the youngest of six children. He has a Bachelors Degree in Sports Management from Huron State University, and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Colorado Tech University in 2004. Bob currently lives in the Merced and is married to Merced College Volleyball coach Jessica Casey.

Tom McFadden
Offensive Line

Tom is in his seventeenth year as a Blue Devil Coach. Tom moves over to the offensive side of the ball for the first time in seventeen years. Tom will be coaching the Tight Ends. Prior to coming to Merced College, Tom spent 16 years coaching at Hilmar High School. In those 16 years, Tom spent two years as Freshman Head Coach, 9 years as Sophomore Head Coach, and 5 years as the Varsity Defensive Coordinator. He was the defensive coordinator during the Yellow Jackets 47 victories in a row. Tom still teaches at Hilmar High School, teaching Health Education. Originally from Tracy, CA, Tom currently lives in Turlock, CA. Tom played and graduated from Chico State. Tom is single.

Damon Nails
Wide Receivers

Damon returns to the Blue Devil coaching staff after coaching a year of high school football in Hawaii. The 1990 graduate of Merced College played one season for the Blue Devils before moving onto California State University, Hayward. during his college years he was a wide receiver. Damon is a native of Oakland, CA. His coaching experience includes ten years at the high school lever and two years at the college level. He spent four years at Emery H.S., one year at Fremont H.S., two years at Oakland Tech H.S., one year at Skyline H.S., and one year at Castlemont H.S. His two years at the junior college level was spent at Chabot and Merced College. Damon lives in the area and is single.

Bob Gilbert
Running Backs

Bob is a second year coach. A Merced native Bob played football and graduated from Merced High School in 1975. He played on the 1974 Merced High C.C.C. championship team at Strong Safety. He played at Merced College on the 1975 team at Strong Safety with Coach Tony Lewis under Coach Don Odishoo. Bob worked from 1975 to 1979 at Merced Co. So. From 1979 to 2004 he was a Police Officer with the Merced City Police Department. After retiring in 2004 he has worked as a loan officerr at Guild Mortgage of Merced. Bob is married to Lisa and has one son Robert III, and two daughters Jessica and Melissa.

Eric Chaudron
Quarterbacks

Eric is a former Blue Devil quarterback who has decided to comeback to Merced College and coach. The 1986 graduate was an All-Conference selection, who continued his academics and playing at Utah State University. Graduating from there he then went onto Law School. He returned to Merced in and now works at the Law Offices of Canelo, Wilson, Wallace, Padron and Chaudron. Eric is married and lives here in Merced.

Justin Pinasco
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line

Justin coaches on the defensive side of the ball. He is also the Assistant Head Football Coach. Justin will coach the defensive lineman. In his twelve previous years as a coach here at Merced College, Justin spent three years on the offensive side of the ball before returning to the defense three years ago. Justin is a Merced native, and a graduate of both Merced High School, and Merced College. He is a former recipient of the Don Odishoo Most Inspirational Award. He also works as the equipment manager for football. Justin, his wife Jennifer, three daughters Jessica, Julia, Jaylin and son, Justus, all live in Atwater.

Sam Severo
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach

Sam enters his seventh season at Merced College, and his second as the “Crazy Blues” defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Sam, a native of Renton, WA, has over ten years of coaching experience at the college level. As a student/player he graduated from Humboldt State wieh a B.S. degree in Kinesiology. He also received his M.A. degree from Humboldt in HPER. His coaching experience took him around the western United States coaching at College of the Redwoods for three years and Adams State in Colorado for two years. Sam is a full-time instructor in the Life Fitness Division. He, his wife Sonya, and their three children Ariana, Isaac, and Jazmine live in Merced.

Kyle Sanches
Defensive Backs

Kyle is in his fifth year with the Blue Devil coaching staff. Kyle is the defensive back coach. Kyle’s coaching experience includes two years at Sheridan High School in Montana acting as the defensive coordinator. Kyle is a native of Hawaii. He played football and graduated from University of Montana-Western with a degree in Elementary Education. While coaching here at the college, Kyle teaches the second grade in a elementary school in Los Banos. He his wife Shari, and son Antone live in Atwater.

Tony Dossetti
Assistant Linebackers

Tony is a local born and raised in Merced. Tony is retired from a 33 year career in law inforcement that included the Chief of Police for the city of Merced and a seven month duty as Interim Chief of Police in Turlock. Tony played football first at Merced High School and graduating in 1967. He played at Merced College from 1967 to 1968 playing for Red Pritchard and Don Odishoo. He was an All-Conference selection in 1968 on the offensive line. He attended Texas State University on a scholarship, but had his football playing cut short by an injury. He graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a BA in Speech. He received his Masters degree in 1991 in Public Administration at Cal State Stanislaus. Tony is married to Patrice and they have four grown children (Michael, Cathlyn, Krista, and Tenna), and have one grandchild (Giada).