VENTURA, CALIFORNIA (ANS) -- After watching his son from the stands last season, Joe Montana, the former San Francisco 49ers great, will be in the coaching booth this fall at the request of a Southern California football coach.

Joe Montana (Photo via Joe Montana website)

According to Bob Buttitta, writing for the Ventura County Star newspaper, Oaks Christian School football coach Bill Redell prides himself on trying to get the best coaches available in order to ensure the continued success of the Lions program.

With that in mind, says Buttitta, Redell opted to break one of his long-standing rules of not having a father coach his son when he asked Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana to provide his expertise and knowledge for the 2009 season.

Montana’s son Nick, who will be a senior this fall, is the Lions’ starting quarterback.

"I guess you can say he’s a consultant to me," Redell said. "He will be in our booth on Friday nights talking with our offensive coordinator.

"He is not here on a daily basis, but when he is here, he will come to practice and be out on the field. If one of our coaches asks him his opinion, he will give it. He is part of the staff, but he is really not coaching."

Nick Montana transferred to Oaks Christian from Concord De La Salle last July. He won the starting job and threw for 2,404 yards and 33 touchdowns last season.

"He (Joe Montana) is a great guy," Redell said. "He does not interfere. He wants to stay in the background. He’s had his day in the sun and wants his son to have his day."

** Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of ANS, is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. Michael has traveled to Albania and the former Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany and the former Czechoslovakia, Israel,and Canada. He has reported for ANS from Jordan, China, Russia, Jamaica, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- Michael Ireland Media Missionary (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.'