Ganado native Rod Denetso stepping down as Navajo Prep football coach

FARMINGTON, N.M. — Navajo Preparatory’s head football coach and Ganado, Arizona, native Rod Denetso, is stepping down after two separate coaching stints with the Eagles.

The half-Navajo, half Black Denetso, who played at Ganado High School and later at Arizona State University, said he’ll now turn his focus toward administrative duties at the school.

“I just think it’s time to step away,” Denetso said. “I’ll still be at Navajo Prep, but not as a head coach for the football team. I will miss the guys and camaraderie.”

Besides football at Navajo Prep, Denetso coached baseball and track and field. He coached the 3A Eagles to three consecutive football playoff appearances from 2011 to 2015 — then returned to school to earn his masters.

Administratively, Denetso is the dean of student life at Navajo Prep and is fluent in Navajo. Denetso excelled in the offensive and defensive backfields at Ganado High School and received scholarship offers in football, baseball and basketball from numerous colleges. He chose ASU, where was a slot receiver and special teams player.

Over the course of six seasons, dating back to 2012, Denetso amassed a coaching record of 36-30 at Navajo Prep, the team’s best season coming in 2013 when the Eagles went 10-2 and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs.

Denetso returned to the sidelines as an assistant coach at Shiprock High School in 2017, working for Eric Stovall, who was head coach for the Chieftains at that time. Denetso took over the head coaching position the second time around at Navajo Prep in 2018.

The second stint as Prep head coach included a missed season in 2020, when the program was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a stay-at-home order was instituted by the Navajo Nation. The order was a precautionary measure that effectively prevented the school from holding any sporting events.

In 2021, the Eagles went 5-6 and advanced to the Class 3A playoffs after sweeping their opponents in district competition. Navajo Prep was beaten in the playoffs by Hope Christian of Albuquerque, 57-36.

Denetso played for Rhein Fire — a professional football team and part of NFL Europe.

The Navajo Prep football coaching job remains open.

“Yes, we are in the process of looking for a head football coach,” Rainy Crisp, athletic director at Navajo Prep, said. “The search for the head coach is still going on.”