SAN DIEGO – According to his California driver's license and Northern Ireland birth certificate, Brian Quinn is 58 years old. Born May 24, 1960. Do the math. But to those close to San Diego's new men's soccer coach, Quinn is blessed with the vivacity of a man decades younger.
 
"He's got the energy of a 5-year-old," said former USD head coach Seamus McFadden, who quickly corrected himself. "He's got the energy of a class of 5-year-olds. Not just one."
 
Down a man during August's two-a-day practice drills, it was Quinn who often waited for no one, jumping in to fill the void.
 
"That's the love of the game," said Toreros striker Miguel Berry. "Where you just have to play."

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Come 7 p.m. Friday when USD opens the 2018 season at Torero Stadium against UC Irvine, a new era will unfold. Quinn, a legend in local soccer lore, takes over as USD's head coach.
 
After 39 years as the Toreros' head coach, McFadden is now Quinn's assistant. After 11 seasons as McFadden's assistant, Quinn is now the head coach. Mike Nicholson is back for his 14th season as a USD assistant.
 
For years, McFadden has been grooming Quinn to be his successor, giving him more responsibility.
 
"The transition has been seamless," said McFadden.
 
Berry agrees.
 
"It kind of seems like we're just carrying on from last year, which I think is good," said Berry. "We're a young team. The transition could have been difficult. But it's been seamless."

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Quinn moved to San Diego in 1983 to play for the indoor Sockers and has lived here ever since. He played on eight straight Sockers indoor championship teams. He earned his U.S. citizenship, shifted his playing focus to the outdoors and played 48 games for the United States national team.
 
He has coached at the highest youth levels. He coached with McFadden. He coached the girls team at The Bishop's Academy, winning high school championships.
 
Noting Quinn's enthusiasm, knowledge of the game and attention to detail, McFadden said, "I think he's going to be fantastic."
 
Coaching at USD fulfills Quinn for multiple reasons. There are only two Division I programs in San Diego (USD and San Diego State), so it's coaching at the highest level in the city that's been his home going on four decades.
 
Of San Diego, he once said, "There aren't many better places in the world."

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In Belfast, he was raised around the Catholic Church.
 
"I have an appreciation of what this university provides in respect to student-athletes," he said.
 
And he believes in the university's mission to develop students who serve in the community. When he was telling the team about a volunteer program working with children at nearby Montgomery Junior High, Quinn grabbed his USD shirt, "It's all about the shirt and how we wear the shirt."
 
"It's a place where I feel like being a coach it's more like a vocation," Quinn said. "I want to leave USD a better place than when I started. You want to be influential with kids. Sometimes it's with conversation. Sometimes it's through action."
 
He inherits a team that went 8-6-3 last season. There are six returning starters. Berry earned first-team All-West Coast Conference honors last season and led the team in scoring with 15 points (five goals and five assists).
 
Defender Henry Lander returns after earning second-team All-WCC honors.
 
Berry and Lander are juniors. Sophomore defender Aaron Frey was named the WCC's freshman of the year.
 
The Toreros must replace goalie Thomas Olsen, a four-year starter. Sophomore Matt Wiher and junior Connor Hountalas have been competing for the keeper job in preseason.
 
It is a young team. It's one that's expected to be strong down the middle. WCC coaches picked the Toreros to finish fourth.
 
As for Quinn, he's excited for the season to begin.
 
"It's a team that can be real, real good," he said.