Bio

Prior to his return to Antelope Valley College, Coach Gordon was the Head Football Coach at Quartz Hill High School for three seasons, where he compiled a 23-14 record while playing highly competitive schedules. During his tenure at Quartz Hill, the program made the playoffs all three seasons, twice advancing to the semifinals. In his final season, Coach Gordon coached the No. 5 cornerback in the country, who signed with Texas A&M.

Before his time at Quartz Hill and Antelope Valley College, Coach Gordon served as the Head Football Coach and Associate Athletic Director at La Salle High School for six seasons. He inherited a struggling program that had gone 1-19 (2-36 overall) before his arrival. In his first season, he led the Lancers to an undefeated regular season and an overall record of 10-1. That year, he was named NFL Coach of the Week by the National Football League and Offensive Coordinator of the Year by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Over the first two seasons Gordon was 19-2 with back-to-back League Championships. Under his leadership, the Lancers quickly rose from Division 10 into one of Southern California’s top leagues—the Angelus League. The team finished 36-28 during Gordon’s six-year tenure and made the playoffs three times, including a quarterfinal appearance in 2016.

Before La Salle, Coach Gordon was the Head Football Coach at Campbell Hall High School, where he served for 15 years and is the winningest coach in program history. In his eight years as Head Coach, he compiled a 51-37 overall record. He led the team to the postseason in four of those eight seasons, including a trip to the CIF Finals. He was named CIF Coach of the Year in 2005 and served as Head Coach for the East team in the 2012 Daily News All-Star Game, where his team emerged victorious.

Coach Gordon has a strong track record of preparing athletes for the next level. He has placed 40 former players onto collegiate football rosters, three of whom went on to play in the NFL.

Beyond wins and scholarships, Coach Gordon is committed to developing student-athletes who are accountable and equipped with life skills they can carry beyond the football field. He was honored with the 100+ Win Award and plaque by the Southern California Football Coaches Association.

Coach Gordon and his wife of 21 years, Veronica, have three children. Their eldest, RJ Gordon (31), is a Special Education instructor at Elite Academy, a professor at Antelope Valley College, and the Quarterbacks Coach for the AVC Football Program. Their daughter, Allissa Gordon (23), is in her final year of graduate school at Cal State Northridge, studying to become a school psychologist. Their youngest, Derrick Gordon (20), is currently a student at Antelope Valley College.

The Gordon family has a deep tradition of coaching in the Antelope Valley. Coach Gordon’s father was a longtime soccer coach and full-time employee at Antelope Valley College. His brother was the longtime Quartz Hill girls’ soccer coach—the winningest in Antelope Valley High School District history—and is now the Head Men’s and Women’s Soccer Coach, Kinesiology Instructor, and Department Head at Antelope Valley College. Coach Gordon’s nephew, Charlie, also coaches soccer at Antelope Valley College. Both Gordon brothers played football for Antelope Valley College in 1993. In that season Rus was 1st Team All-Conference and an Honorable Mention All-American for Antelope Valley College, where AVC Hall of Fame coach Joe Watts was his position coach with the defensive backs and punters.