By 2023 season opener. 3-0. There is no longer a question about what this program is — it is the standard in the state, and the teams we play against know it before the opening kickoff. Playing against a program with three championships in four years requires a specific adjustment: you play differently against a team you believe will beat you than against a team you believe you can beat. We are now, consistently, the team the other side believes will beat them. This is a psychological advantage that is not nothing.
Diego had 287 rushing yards over three games and was named the Colorado Player of the Week in week one. The local newspaper did a feature on him — father-son story, coaching his son, the whole angle. The reporter called and I gave a short interview about the compartmentalization of coach-versus-father and we printed it and moved on. Diego read the article, set it down, and said, "They got the part about the compartmentalization right." He's been paying attention. Of course he has.
I drove to Las Cruces to see Hector on a Tuesday. Not for any event — just to see him. I took a personal day, which I've done twice in twenty-two years of coaching. I drove alone, six hours, arrived by one in the afternoon. He was sitting on the back porch when I pulled up. He hadn't known I was coming. He looked up and said, "You drove all day to see an old man." I said I drove all day to see my father. He said it was the same thing. We sat on that porch for four hours and talked about everything and nothing, and I drove home in the dark and arrived by two AM and was at practice by seven and I did not tell anyone at school where I'd been. That afternoon belongs to him and me. It doesn't need an audience.
There’s something about Las Cruces—the light, the quiet, the way the afternoon stretches out on the back porch—that strips everything down to what’s real. After sitting with my father for four hours and driving home in the dark, I didn’t want anything complicated when I finally thought about food. Spanish Hominy is exactly the kind of dish Hector would have warming on the stove without making a fuss about it—humble, hearty, and rooted in the same soil we both grew up in. Some recipes don’t need an occasion. They just need the right afternoon.
Spanish Hominy
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans (15 oz each) hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for topping
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the ground pork sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Soften the vegetables. Add the diced onion and green bell pepper to the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Build the base. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook for 30 seconds, letting the spices bloom in the fat before adding any liquid.
- Add the hominy and tomatoes. Pour in the drained hominy, diced tomatoes with their juices, and the diced green chiles. Stir everything together until well combined.
- Simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly and the flavors meld together. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls or onto plates. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro if desired. Serve hot.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 340 | Protein: 16g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 820mg