Ventura College head football coach Steve Mooshagian is set to be inducted into the California Community College Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame at a banquet on Saturday March 9 in Visalia. Through 13 seasons at the helm of the Pirates, Mooshagian is the winningest coach in program history with an overall record of 101-40 with nine Southern California Football Association Northern Conference titles and the 2018 SCFA title. Mooshagian has been a part of California community college football since he played at Cerritos College in 1977.
Coach Mooshagian has turned Ventura College into one of the most respected programs throughout the state and the country. He is VC's all-time winningest football coach over nine-plus decades of gridiron history. He has led the orange and black to nine conference titles, including four in a row from 2014-2017 and from 2019-2023 (there was no season in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic). The Pirates have been to the post-season in each of the past 12 seasons including eight appearances in the SCFA playoffs. Mooshagian guided VC to its first-ever playoff victory in the Pirates' run to the SCFA title and an appearance in the 3C2A State Championship game in 2018. He was named as the American Football Coaches Association National Coach of the Year in 2018. Mooshagian has helped 313 players transfer to four-year schools during his tenure with the Pirates.
Steve Mooshagian graduated from Downey High School in 1977, where he participated in Football and Baseball. He was selected to the All-Conference Team in both sports during his junior and senior years.
In the fall of '77, Steve enrolled at Cerritos College where he played for Hall of Fame coach Frank Mazzotta. In 1978, the Falcons won the South Coast Conference title and played in the the Avocado Bowl. Steve was the team's leading receiver in both 1978 and 1979.
In 1980, he received a scholarship to play football as Fresno State where he was a two-year starter, and scored the first touchdown in Bulldog Stadium.
In 1983, Steve was the offensive coordinator at Washington Union High School, and in the following year he became the Panthers' head coach.
He returned to Fresno State from 1985 to 1994. He where he coached 10 NFL wide receivers, and helped the Bulldogs win six conference titles and play in six post season bowl games. In 1995, Steve was named the head coach at Fresno City College and a year later he moved to the University of Nevada, Reno as the offensive coordinator. The Wolfpack was 9-3 in 1996 and led the nation in total offense. From 1997 to 1998, Mooshagian was the offensive coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh and he coached wide receivers with the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals from 1999 to 2002.
In 2003, Mooshagian was named the head coach at Sacramento State. In his four seasons directing the Hornets he coached eight All-Americans and 44 players were selected to the all-conference team.
He was named as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach at the University of San Diego in 2007 where his core of receivers re-wrote the record books.
Mooshagian returned to the community college ranks in 2009 as the head coach at Feather River College. In his one season with the Golden Eagles, 12 players who earned all-conference honors with two players earning all-state honors.
Mooshagian began his tenure at Ventura College in 2010.
Steve is a Lifetime Member of the AFCA (35 years) and served as the President of the CCCFCA in 2021-2022. He is currently on the CCCFCA Executive Board.
Coach Mooshagian and his wife Jill have six children and 10 grandchildren.