One of the best places in Michigan to watch a high school football game on a Friday night is at Rockford high school. The community goes all out every weekend to support their school and program, arguably better than any other town or team in the entire state.
The environment, tailgating, and excitement at their stadium on game day is what high school football is all about. It is common for Rams to have 8-10,000 fans consistently every Friday night in the fall cheering on their team. This is what their community has grown to love and their passion for this team runs deep.
In 1992, a 39-year old talented head football coach from Frankenmuth, Ralph Munger, was hired to lead the Rockford Rams program. Munger won 4 Tri-Valley Conference titles and 2 Regional Championships over a 12-year span at Frankenmuth high school. He was a hometown hero that was doing great things as their head coach.
A NEW OPPORTUNITY
The opportunity to be the head coach at a bigger school was a new challenge that Munger wanted to pursue and he accepted their offer. It was a big move to uproot his family and leave a situation where he was comfortable and well established since his high school playing days.
As a high school player, he helped Frankenmuth win back-to-back state championships in 1968 and 1969 and ended up earning All-State honors during his senior season.
The Rockford head coaching job was a new chapter for him and his family and it was the start of something special. It took him a couple of years to settle in and build the foundation.
BUILDING A CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM
In his 4th season, Munger started a string of 25 consecutive years of playoff appearances for the Rockford football program and won 16 OK Red Conference titles.
His best stretch of football was from 2004 to 2012. During this time frame, he won State Championships in 2004, 2005, and 2008. He was also a State Finalist in 2006 and was a State Semifinalist in 2010, 2011, and 2012. He went 7 out of 9 years having 11+ wins in a season.
Every high school football fan in the state knew that the Rockford Rams were a contender to win it all every year and that they were one of the state’s best powerhouse teams. Munger built Rockford into one of the most feared programs to play.
HIS STYLE OF PLAY
His defenses were tough and stout and his offense had the versatility to do a lot of things. I have been to several games over the years and it wasn’t uncommon to see Rockford run a Wing-T on one play and then come right back on the next play in a spread offense with 4 receivers. He would also always mix in a trick play here or there to keep defenses even more off-balanced.
He could attack teams in a lot of different ways and they were always prepared to make the adjustments necessary. His teams were tough-minded and always played mistake-free football. This recipe for success helped guide his teams to 255 wins over a 28-year career as the head coach of Rockford high school.
HE RANKS AMONG THE BEST
During his 40 years as a head varsity coach, Munger has an overall record of 335-109. The 335 wins place him 6th All-Time in the MHSAA state record books, just behind legendary coaches John Herrington, Al Fracassa, Tom Mach, Herb Brogan, and Tom Boyd.
He is already a member of the Michigan High School Football Hall of Fame and Rockford honored him with a retired number 28 jersey for the 28 years he served the community.
Prior to the start of this season, Munger underwent an unexpected quadruple bypass heart surgery. He missed a few games but rejoined his team early in the season. This ultimately led to his retirement and the desire to be with his family more, minus the stress of running a football program.
MICHIGAN'S TOP HIGH SCHOOL COACHES
| HS Coach | School(s) | Years | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Herrington | Farmington Hills Harrison | 1970-2018 | 443-112-1 |
| Al Fracassa | Brother Rice/RO Shrine | 1960-2013 | 430-117-7 |
| Tom Mach | Detroit Catholic Central | 1976-2016 | 370-94 |
| Herb Brogan | Jackson Lumen Christi | 1980-2019 | 368-84 |
| Tom Boyd | Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes | 1965-68, 1970-2012 | 361-116-1 |
| Ralph Munger | Rockford/Frankenmuth | 1980-2019 | 332-109 |
MORE THAN JUST A COACH
Munger has been a positive influence on and off the field to Rockford families for almost 3 decades. As a small-town kid that grew up in Frankenmuth, the vision and dreams he had 28 years ago when he moved his family across the state, has not only turned the Rockford football program into one of the best in Michigan, but he also united the community and brought the entire city closer together.
He will be remembered as a coaching legend and for his state championships to most high school football fans across the state, but to the people in Rockford, he will be remembered as being more than just a coach.
