The batch of new/transitioning  head football coaches in the East Valley this fall all need time to settle in and get their bearings at their schools. Fans should allow them that time and extra understanding.

That's not to say some won't be successful -- perhaps highly so -- in their first season.

The new hire most likely to come under intense, first-year scrutiny is Mesa Mountain View mentor Chad DeGrenier. Toro Nation is not thrilled it hasn't won a football title since 2002, although the program continues to sport an overall record most schools would kill to have. DeGrenier is installing an offense that thrives on the passing game like his teams at Cactus Shadows. Toro fans have a reputation of grumbling often when there is no grounds for it.

New Mesquite coach Matt Gracey finally arrives in the Valley this month after finishing his coaching and teaching assignment in California. Mesquite assistants have kept things going in his absence, but it's not the same not having a new coach perpetually on the premises.

Tom Joseph (Corona del Sol) and Eddy Zubey (Higley) are not new to starting over. This is the third time for Joseph, who previously took over at Marcos de Niza and Mountain View after his first prep head coaching stop at Superior. Zubey has had stops at Westwood and St. Mary's after a stint as an assistant at McClintock.

Shaun Aguayo (Chandler), Matt Lewis (McClintock) and Justin MacDonald (Apache Junction) have their first head coaching jobs in Arizona. Aguayo has been involved for nearly a decade at Chandler. MacDonald was the defensive coordinator at AJ a couple years back and will institute the spread at formerly run-oriented AJ. Lewis, an assistant at Saguaro prior to nabbing the gig at McClintock, is familiar with many of the teams McClintock faces in Division II. That includes the Chargers, who Saguaro faced each of the last six years.

Five of these schools qualified for the playoffs last year -- Chandler, Mountain View, Mesquite, Apache Junciton and Higley. Chandler and Mountain View have been perennial playoff qualifiers. Higley, Mesquite and AJ pretty regularly of late. McClintock and Corona del Sol endured seasons last year which were their worst in some time.

Add in new schedules for 2011, which are particularly grueling across the board for East Valley schools, and these coaches have their work cut out for them. Cut them some slack as they begin. At least for 2011.