This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Bingham High coach Dave Peck, who turned the Miners into Utah's dominant high school football program over the past 15 years, announced his retirement from coaching Monday night at the school's annual football banquet.
Peck introduced longtime Bingham offensive coordinator and former Hunter High head coach John Lambourne as the Miners' new head coach.
Peck will coach the Miners when they play a Florida state prep champion in the Dec. 27 State Champions Bowl Series from Boca Raton, Florida, which will be carried live on ESPNU.
In his 15 years as the head coach at Bingham, Peck compiled a record of 154-37. His teams won 10 region championships, five state titles including the last two, and finished second twice. He also won a region championship at north Sanpete High School in 1984 and took Cyprus to the state tournament four of the five years he coached there in the late 1990s.
"I have always looked at our players and managers like they were my own sons and daughters," Peck wrote in his resignation speech. "I wanted every one of them to feel important whether they were all-staters or never hardly played at all. I always felt that we could build this program into a state power, but never dreamed that we would have the national recognition that has come our way."
This year's Bingham team ended Peck's career on a high note. The Miners ended the season ranked eighth in the nation by USA Today. He was named Utah Football Coaches Association 5A Football Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2014.
His coaching highlights included coaching the West Team in the U.S. Marines Semper-Fi All-American Bowl in 2012, coaching the West Team in the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, coaching the USA National Football Team against the World Team in 2011, coaching in the first high school game ever played in the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium in 2009, and serving as president of the Utah Football Coaches Association.
According to Utah football historian George Felt, Peck's overall record of 181-70 is the ninth best all-time in Utah. His playoff record is third all-time.
"Over the years, I have had reporters or other people ask me what my favorite saying is," said Peck. "I always reply that it is 'help as many people get what they want out of life and you will eventually get what you want out of life.' I must have helped at least a few people over the years because I could not be happier with where I am in life and in what my life in the future seems to be."
Peck leaves Lambourne with a strong program. The Miners' sophomore and junior varsity teams were unbeaten this year and the area's seventh, eighth and ninth-grade little league teams all won championships.
In a story earlier this year, Lambourne said he and Peck have made a good team.
"Our head coach works as hard as any head coach, if not more," said Lambourne. "It's a continuous thing. As far as on-field time, we average less time than a lot of schools, but our film work and preparation is pretty darn extensive. Dave, as the head coach, has never skirted that work."
Lambourne and Peck coached 21 seasons together, including Peck serving as an assistant under Lambourne at Hunter.
"Just about every decision that has been made in this program has been a joint decision between the two of us," said Peck.
The 53-year-old Peck, who is married and has four grown children, is a Salt Lake native who played football at Cyprus High School and at Southern Utah University. He was athlete of the year at Cyprus in 1979 and was first team all-state in football and baseball for the Pirates in 1978 and 1979.
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Dave Peck Coaching Record
North Sanpete • 1984, 7-3, region title, state quarterfinals
Cyprus • 1995, 4-6, state playoffs; 1996, 5-5, state playoffs; 1997, 5-5. state playoffs; 1998, 1-8; 1999, 5-6, state quarterfinals.
Bingham • 2000, 10-2, region champs, state semifinals; 2001, 8-5, state semifinals; 2002, 5-6, state playoffs; 2003, 407, state playoffs; 2004, 9-3, state quarterfinals; 2005, 10-1, region champs, state quarterfinals; 2006, 14-0, region champs, state champions; 2007, 11-2, region champs, state semifinals; 2008, 11-3, region champions, second in state; 2009, 13-1, region champs, state champions; 2010, 13-0, region champs, state champions; 2-11, 9-3, state quarterfinals; 2012, 10-3, region champs, state semifinalist; 2013, 14-0, state champions, region champions; 2014, 13-1, region champions, state champions.