Former UA safety Michael Klyce is a volunteer assistant coach at Tucson High School. "I was like, 'Hey, I can help coach those kids up,' " he said.

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Michael Klyce has been at practice for 15 minutes, and he's already arguing a call.

Tucson High School's newest football assistant coach wants to keep a large, portable water cooler at midfield for his thirsty players.

The team's student managers want to take it.

After a minute or two of debate, the two sides come to a solution — and Klyce rolls his eyes.

"High school kids," he sighs.

Frustrations aside, Klyce — a former Arizona Wildcats safety — has found his calling across the street from the UA.

After a career-ending injury last year, Klyce is now a volunteer assistant at Tucson High School, where Vincent Smith — Klyce's former high school coach — is in his third season as head coach.

Klyce has coached the Badgers' defensive backs and safeties since April. It's a challenge for someone who, at age 22, should still be playing college football. Klyce was forced to quit the UA program last winter after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He is taking one class — Philosophy 110 — this fall, and is on pace to graduate in December with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.

"I wanted to do something with my time, and I thought this would be a great way to start my career," Klyce said earlier this week. "And, to be honest, I knew they needed help. I was like, 'Hey, I can help coach those kids up.' "

Coaching has been part of Klyce's plans since his days at Alain Leroy Locke High School in South Los Angeles.

The shoulder injury, he jokes, just accelerated his career path. He remains on scholarship at Arizona and is free to eat with the team and watch games from the sidelines.

Mostly, though, Klyce stays away.

"I don't have time," he said. "I'm always watching film and studying so I can put these boys in the best possible place to win."

And Klyce, seemingly, is in an optimum position to learn a new career. He was a freshman at Locke High in 2000 when he first met Smith, a former UA offensive lineman. Smith left in 2003 for Mesa's Desert Ridge High School, while Klyce stayed behind to finish his senior season. He chose the UA over traditional powerhouses Washington and Oregon, in part because Smith recommended the school.

The two reconnected in 2006, when Smith was hired to jump-start a sluggish Tucson High program.

"He knows me better than anyone around here," Smith said. "We always had that kind of relationship — Mike would come over from time to time when he was playing, just to try to help our kids. When he hurt his shoulder, he started thinking about what he wanted to do after football. He started thinking about doing other things."

The Badgers and their new coaches earned their first true victory in 25 tries on Sept. 19, beating visiting Phoenix Alhambra 54-7. It was the first non-forfeit victory since Smith took over.

The Badgers were initially skeptical of their new coach. That ended the day a player went home and Googled Klyce's name.

The safety played in 19 games over three seasons, registering 33 tackles and two interceptions. He started one game in 2007, a loss at Oregon State, before injuring his shoulder.

"That caught their attention," he said. "Then it was like, 'OK, he knows what he's talking about.' "

Gaining the respect of his fellow coaches has been easier: In Week 1, Klyce noticed the Badgers were lined up wrong on defense. He hurriedly signaled to Smith to call a timeout.

"Right after that, he looked back and kinda smiled at me like, 'How did you know that?' " Klyce said. "That was kinda cool."

As a coach, Klyce sticks mostly to the basics.

He spent a recent practice preaching fundamentals to his safeties. His instructions seemed lifted from UA coach Mike Stoops' playbook: Don't overcommit on defense. Don't break for the ball until you see it leave the quarterback's hands. Never guess.

"He gives us his own ways on how to run things, not some ancient ways," said Glen Meriweather, a junior safety for the Badgers. "He just made it easier for me. He's making me a better person — he teaches me how to talk to people, stays on me about my attitude, and makes sure I stay positive. I'm thankful."

Klyce's coaching style is fairly easygoing given his background.

Smith taught accountability at Locke by popping players on the helmet with a boxing glove when they messed up. Stoops and his brother, Mark, the Wildcats' defensive coordinator, are firecrackers on the sidelines — and extra tough on defensive backs. Both brothers played safety at Iowa.

"If you can handle that," Klyce said, "you can handle life."

Like his college coaches, Klyce is only patient to a point. Many times this season, he has found himself halfway onto the field to argue a call or give direction. Klyce quotes the Stoops brothers constantly. The three have talked about coaching a handful of times so far this season.

"I told him, 'Don't be too hard on them, Mike,' and he just laughed," Mark Stoops said. "I'm really happy for Mike. He's got just a little schoolwork left. He's a great young man. He comes from a very difficult and challenging background, so for him to get his degree and go on to coach would be wonderful to see."

Klyce wants to coach at the college level eventually, though — given his connections — a job in Southern Arizona seems most likely. Klyce and Tucson High School are, for now, a perfect fit.

"Timing is everything," Smith said. "We're all very fortunate that the situation worked out. A lot of guys who don't have those kind of ties get depressed, and don't know which direction they want to go. We found that silver lining to his injury and to his college career ending, and it's great."