By Jon Moffett

jmoffett@vindy.com

Lowellville

Lowellville High athletic director Dennis Hynes said that the football program has hired not only the perfect candidate for the head-coaching job but, the perfect man as well.

Hynes confirmed Thursday the school has agreed to go with former Howland assistant coach Jeff D’Altorio for the job. The Lowellville Board of Education approved the hire at its meeting Wednesday.

Former Rockets coach Mike Palumbo resigned last month after a 5-5 season in 2010.

“I’m very happy with the process and I think we have a great candidate,” Hynes said of the hire. “I’m very excited to have Jeff on board and I’m looking forward to the next six or seven months preparing for the season, and then the football season after that. I look forward to working with him.”

D’Altorio was unavailable for comment Thursday, due to travel.

Hynes said D’Altorio was one of 21 candidates who applied for the job. Hynes, along with Lowellville superintendent Rocco Nero and principal Sam Ramunno, narrowed that list to four candidates before deciding on D’Altorio.

Hynes said the choice was clear after meeting with D’Altorio on two occasions.

“We were looking for a guy with experience who had a lot of integrity. That was important to me,” Hynes said. “As the athletic director, integrity is important any time I make a hire. That to me is the most important quality as a coach. My belief is that your best coaches are people with great character.”

Hynes said he and D’Altorio met for an hour and a half during their initial interview. The pair discussed everything from coaching philosophy to how to handle disgruntled parents. Hynes said the interview was impressive.

“We were looking for people with football knowledge, which was important to us. But that wasn’t the only thing. We wanted the candidates to have some knowledge about our community also and program as well,” Hynes said. “With his football knowledge, as well as his integrity, he fit the bill.”

D’Altorio is a special education teacher at Howland and will remain with the school in that position, Hynes said. D’Altorio has spent 17 years as an offensive assistant with the Tigers, who posted an 11-1 season and playoff victory in 2010.

Hynes said he was impressed with D’Altorio’s approach, especially on offense.

“He told me we’re going to fit the offense to the players, and not the players to the offense,” Hynes said. “When he drew up his plays, he drew it up out of the Power I formation and the spread formation. He said we could run all sorts of formations effectively.”

Hynes said D’Altorio prefers a run-to-pass ratio of about 60-to-40 of offense. The Rockets had 3,708 rushing yards and 1,354 passing yards last season.

Maybe the most impressive part of D’Altorio’s interview was an answer to a question that had nothing to do with X’s and O’s.

Hynes said he asked many of the candidates which coach they’d want to have lunch with from the high school, college and professional levels. Coaches did not have to be living.

D’Altorio responded with current Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry, who won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys. Hynes said he was more than satisfied with those two men.

“I want role models for these kids,” he said. “And you can’t really go wrong with those two names.”