LA Daily News prep sports writer Tarek Fattal gives his early season takes on the Southern California high school football landscape. On the Cannon Sports Podcast, Fattal breaks down quarterback stock risers Ryan Staub and Ty Dieffenbach, predicts with North LA teams can "mix it up" with Trinity League programs down south, and shares his opinion on NIL at the high school level and the changing nature of amateurism.

One of the more distinguished backgrounds of any coach in Southern California, Charlie Collins' career stems from All-American roots and a stint in the CFL before settling into coaching, among his early successes helping to mold Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and Steve Smith Sr. into two of the most dominant NFL receivers in a generation. The head man at Oaks Christian since 2018, Collins' programs have boasted star power both on the field and on the sideline, consistently competing for championships and churning out elite collegiate and NFL talent.

Romeo Pellum has achieved what many of his athletes at Long Beach Millikan strive for – a Division-1 college football career and an opportunity to compete in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. Himself a North Long Beach native, the Rams head coach further serves as a mentor to those who share a similar upbringing, his personal story of triumph over adversity providing a message of hope throughout his team and community.

Jon Ellinghouse has led Sierra Canyon football to a meteoric rise since assuming control of the program in 2007, when the Trailblazers were a member of the 8-man Alpha League. A short while later, Sierra Canyon had made the jump to the 11-man ranks, taking home its first of five CIF titles and two California State Championship in 2011. Now a member of the prestigious Mission League, and having ascended to the CIF's Division 2 level while reaching 11 of 13 league semifinals, Coach Ellinghouse reflects on the progress the program has made under his watch, and what lies ahead.

When longtime head coach Ed Croson retired from Chaminade College Prep football following the 2021 season, David Machuca was quickly elevated to assume the program's top role. On the Cannon Sports Podcast, Coach Machuca discusses his expectations for the Eagles and for himself in his first season as head coach, the high-level competition in the San Fernando Valley's Mission League, and the value of forging strong relationships and making investments in his players.

In his first season back with the Orange Lutheran football program, Rod Sherman led the Lancers to the CIF Southern Section Division-2 championship, capped off by a second-half comeback against Alemany in the title game. On the Cannon Sports Podcast, Coach Sherman revisits the 2021 championship and its most rewarding aspects, discusses the need for perspective and support for athletes, parents and coaches alike, and remembers coaching NFL superstar Christian McCaffrey in high school.