Mooney coaching tree grows

It pays to be a member of the growing Cardinal Mooney High coaching fraternity.

Just ask Matt Kubik, a former Mooney quarterback from Poland who was able to keep his assistant coaching job at Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La., for the third year.

Thanks to recommendations from fellow Mooney graduates and college coaches Mark Stoops and Bo Pelini, Kubik has been retained by new coach Bradley Dale Peveto to coach the Demons’ receivers this year.

The previous two seasons, he tutored the running backs under coach Scott Stoker, who was replaced late last year by Peveto and now is the defensive coordinator at Sam Houston State.

Kubik, a former Louisiana Tech quarterback, got an enjoyable opportunity to visit with Stoops and Pelini and other coaching colleagues at the eighth annual Cardinal Mooney Camp of Champions earlier this week.

Mark Stoops is an assistant coach at Arizona under brother Mike Stoops, while Pelini is the Nebraska coach. The other Stoops brother coaching in college is Bob, the Oklahoma coach, who also attended the camp.

“Peveto knew Mark and Bo. That’s how I was able to stay,” said Kubik, 26, a 2004 graduate of Louisiana Tech with a finance degree. “Mark and Peveto met when they were assistants at Houston. Mark coached defensive backs and Paveto was defensive coordinator.”

And, “Paveto and Bo worked together at LSU [as defensive assistants].”

Kubik is grateful that having friends in the right places can help coaches advance in their careers, just like networking can help open the door for people in most every other phase of business and life.

However, he also realizes that he will have to produce and deliver results just like his Mooney references contended that he can do, but believes he has the skills and experience to succeed.

“[Peveto] kind of brought me in after the first words out of my mouth [were Youngstown, Stoops and Pelini],” said Kubik, a two-year starting quarterback for Mooney under coach Don Bucci (1999) and P.J. Fecko (2000).

Kubik went on to become a two-year starting quarterback at Louisiana Tech, throwing for 4,022 yards and 28 touchdowns over his career. He led the Bulldogs to a 7-4 record his senior season while being named offensive most valuable player.

“When I mentioned Youngstown and Mooney, [Peveto] immediately knew what I was talking about. He knew how tough Youngstown people are. There was instant credibility from being from up there.”

However, for awhile there, Kubik’s job was hanging by a thin thread.

“He was going to let me go. I mentioned Bo and Mark were trying to get ahold of him. [Peveto] has been in Youngstown for Mark’s wedding. That saved my job, him knowing those guys.”

During Kubik’s two-year tenure under Stoker, the Demons posted a 7-5 record last season after going 5-6 the year before.

Kubik said that he wanted a change in the position that he coaches from running backs to receivers.

“It’s something that I wanted to do to get well-rounded,” he said. “My goal is trying to be an offensive coordinator and that’s the next step.”

Kubik said that attending the Mooney camp has become a tradition for him and his fellow coaches.

“It’s an impressive thing. Every year I go to the camp. I am impressed every year, the guys wanting to hang out. There is no better place in the country to network and meet guys if you want to continue on in college,” said Kubik, the son of Tom and Pam Kubik, who now live in Charlotte, N.C. Tom is a pilot for US Airways.

Kubik has two siblings. His brother Brian graduated from the University of Tennessee and is the tourism business in Knoxville, Tenn., and his sister, Kacie, a University of Florida graduate, works as an accountant in Charlotte, N.C.

XJohn Kovach writes about college athletics for The Vindicator. E-mail him at kovach@vindy.com.