Dave Canales sat on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in San Pedro, Calif. His wife, Lizzy, was by his side, seven months pregnant. They packed sandwiches and the day was clear enough to see Catalina Island off the coast. It was 2009, and the Canaleses’ coaching dreams felt somewhat uncertain. The couple took a moment to reflect.
Pete Carroll, who had given Canales a low-level job the year before at USC had taken off to coach the Seattle Seahawks. Canales raced with thoughts about what he’d have to do to survive a regime change under new head coach Lane Kiffin, amid the cutthroat lower rungs of a big-time program.
The silver lining of trying to stay with the Trojans was that he could remain anchored to his family nearby and the church his grandfather founded, Mission Ebenezer. There, Dave coordinated the music. Dad, Isaac, was the pastor. Mom, Ritha, was (and still is) an assistant pastor and director of the welcome team. Older brother Josh was primed to take over. Younger brother Coba would be a pastor there, too.
