Mike Sabins has the easiest commute in town and he’s back on the football field at the school that he loves.

Sabins officially returned to the Placer High football coaching staff this fall after spending two seasons at Oakmont. The Placer grad was the Hillmen’s head coach from 1997 through 2006, but resigned in early 2007, setting the stage for coach Joey Montoya’s arrival.

Montoya approached Sabins about joining the Placer staff as an assistant prior to last season, but he had committed to Oakmont, so his return was put on hold. Sabins was on the sideline last fall in the playoffs and is now an official staff member, coaching defensive ends and assisting with the offensive line.

“I’m having a great time,” said Sabins, who lives across the street from the school. “I’m happy to be back here at Placer. It’s not weird at all. I have no animosity toward Joey. I’m happy we have a Placer guy and he’s a great coach.”

Sabins’ return adds to a Placer coaching tree with deep roots and intertwined branches. Sabins, who graduated in 1984, picked up many of his coaching habits from Bill Miller and Tom Johnson. Miller is Montoya’s grandfather and close mentor.

Sabins coached Montoya before graduating from Placer in ’96. Longtime Placer assistant coaches Rick Lopez, Dennis Murphy and Jim Rodarte are also on Montoya’s staff, along with Eric Rodarte, Jim’s son.

“Joey’s his own guy, but a lot of the things that we’ve believed in for a long time at Placer are still there,” Sabins said. “It’s nice to see that. I learned a lot from Bill Miller and Tom Johnson and we still use some of those things.”

Montoya was happy to welcome his former coach back to Placer.

“It’s been awesome,” Montoya said. “He’s been a huge addition coming back to the staff. He knows the game really well and he’s great with the kids. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Sabins’ sons Casey and Brian are now in the Placer program, giving the coach even more incentive to return to his alma mater. Casey is a linebacker and fullback on the junior varsity squad while Brian plays defensive tackle and center on the freshman squad.

Sabins said he had a rough time after stepping down as Placer’s head coach. He landed a job at Oakmont, but it never came to fruition and he wound up returning to teach English at Placer while coaching at Oakmont. After two years away, he jumped at the chance to return to the Placer sideline.

“I think sometimes things don’t work out for a reason,” Sabins said of his position at Oakmont. “I don’t see myself going anywhere else. There’s no place I’d rather be.”