Redwood High School has a new head football coach and it’s a familiar face — Curtis Allen.
Allen, a 1981 Redwood grad and former head football coach at College of the Sequoias, was officially hired on Jan. 13 to lead the Rangers program.
Allen replaces Kevin Scharton, who went 32-23 in five seasons before resigning in December.
The Rangers are coming off a 4-7 record and have not won a playoff game since the 2019 campaign.
Redwood is turning to a coach who has a proven coaching resume.
A former Fresno State and Canadian Football League defensive back, Allen has coached football or track and field at Fresno State, Fresno City, COS and most recently at UCLA where he served as the sprints and relays assistant coach from 2017-22.
Allen also coached Olympians Deajah Stevens and Quincy Hall. Hall captured the 400-meter gold medal this past summer at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Allen is currently the program director at COS’ HBCU Pathway Program.
At Redwood, Allen played for the late Roger Kelly, who directed the Rangers to three Central Section titles (1973, 1982, 1983) and a 148-72-2 record before departing to coach at COS.
“It feels good to go back to my high school,” Allen said. “I was not really trying to go after the job, but at the same time, I think that I can elevate that program. I know what it’s supposed to look like. I know what the program is supposed to be, so therefore, I feel like I can get it back there to what it was. When I was there, we were great. Coach Kelly, coach [John] Yavasile had great teams.”
Allen started his coaching career at COS in 2002, coaching alongside Kelly before being handed the keys to the Giants program in 2005.
During Allen’s reign, COS went 35-25 from 2005-10.
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Allen said, between track and field and football, he helped produce more than 150 student-athletes to the NCAA Division I level, including 2013 NFL first-round draft pick Sheldon Richardson. Another 80 went on to compete at the Division II and III and NAIA levels.
After finishing coaching at UCLA in 2022, Allen returned to coaching football at the youth level while helping mentor young coaches.
That’s when the fire to coach on the gridiron returned.
“I still had that itch,” Allen said. “I still had that burn. The Redwood job came open. Fortunately, I interviewed and I got the job.”
Allen has already assembled part of his coaching staff. David Clements, who coached with Scharton, was retained as the team’s defensive coordinator. Clements is a Redwood alum.
Kenny Jackson heads over from Mission Oak and will serve as the Rangers’ offensive coordinator. Jackson, as an assistant under head coach Marty Martin, helped direct the Hawks to the Central Section Division III championship and a state bowl game appearance in 2023. Jackson and Allen coached football and track and field with one another at COS.
Sean Knox, a Tulare native and former Farmersville head coach, will coach the defensive backs.
Of the five Visalia high schools, including Central Valley Christian, Redwood has gone the longest without winning a Central Section championship.
The Rangers last captured a section title in 1996.
In that time, CVC has won seven section plaques (1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2021, 2023), El Diamante two (2007, 2013), Golden West one (2017) and Mt. Whitney one (2006).
“I’m not doing this for my own glory,” Allen said. “I love Redwood. I’m doing this for Redwood. Coach Kelly, he made you love Redwood. If you’re a Redwood person, you bleed blue. That’s it. It’s special to me. It’s real special.”

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