Ty Detmer has played many roles in his career: Brigham Young University quarterback, Heisman winner, NFL quarterback, college coach and now American Leadership Academy-Queen Creek head coach. 

Detmer brought his expertise to the East Valley school three years ago. During his time as head coach, he has built a program that’s risen from 4A to 6A in three seasons. ALA-Queen Creek went 8-3 in 2023, made the Open Division playoffs and advanced to the quarterfinals, losing to No. 2 Basha on Friday.

While Detmer has a wealth of game knowledge, his philosophy takes on a wider approach of shaping resilient young men.

For him, football is about something bigger.

“They’re having an experience here in high school where they’re learning some life lessons. You get knocked down and get back up," Detmer said. "You kind of take it one play at a time, one game at a time and you learn to overcome mistakes, you learn to persevere, push through. Even if you’re not playing or a starter, you’re learning how to be accountable to a team and to show up and work hard."

Detmer, who was BYU’s offensive coordinator from 2016-17, has made the switch from coaching college to high school. Although some may find the move to a lower level odd, he knows he is in the place for him.

“I enjoy that age of kid. They’re still moldable, you can still teach them some things,” he said. “When you get to college and the NFL, it’s a little more managing egos and those kinds of things, where in high school they’re still learning life lessons, how to be a man, hopefully. When they come in as 14-year-old knuckleheads, they leave as young men ready to move on and know what they want to do in life.”

Detmer made a name for himself as a quarterback at BYU, where he broke NCAA records and won the Heisman in 1990. Now 33 years later, his starting quarterback and BYU-commit Enoch Watson intends to follow in his footsteps.

Watson, who has been in ALA-Queen Creek's program since February, appreciates Detmer's coaching style.

“He always pushes us to be the best version of ourselves, not just with football but with the stuff outside of football like school and just being young men. He’s a great leader,” the senior said.

Watson’s favorite target, Jayden Williams, has been coached by Detmer for the last three years. Williams has grown up in the program.

“I admire that not everything for him is just football-related. How he talks to us as individuals, he tries to build up our character not just with football but with our school life and our family life,” Williams said.

For Detmer, that’s what it’s all about. He wants his players to leave as men ready for life, whether football is part of it or not.

“You kind of get to know them on a personal level,” Detmer said. “To see them come in as goofy freshmen, then grow up a little bit set some goals and have some aspirations to do things outside of sports, for me it's fun to get to know them on that side of things.”

To that point, Williams is looking ahead to his future.

“I learned that life doesn’t just revolve around football,” he said. “Here are so many other things that you need to be successful in life to have a good outcome. Football is not what you need to revolve your life around, but you need to learn how to function by yourself in life so you can become successful when you’re older.”