Defensive coordinator now Mt. Spokane head coach

Terry Cloer was hired as the second head football coach in Mt. Spokane history Friday.

He succeeds Mike McLaughlin, who retired from coaching. Cloer, 40, was picked over two other candidates – Wildcats assistant Danny Figueira and Pasco head coach Dustin Lamb.

“He’s obviously had success here,” Cloer said of McLaughlin. “I want to keep continuing the things we’ve done and implement some things I want to change.”

Cloer spent the last seven years as Mt. Spokane’s defensive coordinator. He held the same position at Cascade (Everett) for five years and got his start for two years as a defensive line coach at Lewis and Clark under former coach John Hook.

“Coach Cloer brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience,” Mt. Spokane athletic director Paul Kautzman said, “having played at Eastern and coached for several quality programs. We feel Coach Cloer gives us the best opportunity to build upon the past success.”

The most specific change Cloer expects to implement is on offense.

“I want to continue to run the spread but we need to spread the ball around a little more,” he said.

Cloer doesn’t want a quarterback-centric offense where most of the running, in addition to the pass, starts with that position.

“We rode our horses too much at times,” Cloer said.

Mt. Spokane plans to open all assistant coaching positions – from freshmen through varsity.

Cloer will have to hire an offensive coordinator. He will continue to direct the defense.

And it’s a defense he wants to become more physical – similar to the defenses Hook had at LC.

Cloer expects his teams to contend for league titles.

“We’ve been there in spurts at times,” he said.