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THE RIGHT MOVE
Mike Trgovac’s decision to leave Carolina for Green Bay has paid off
By Tom Williams
For Austintown Fitch High graduate Mike Trgovac, it’s been a challenging journey back to the Super Bowl.
Trgovac, the Green Bay Packers defensive line coach for the past two seasons, was the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator in 2004 when the Panthers lost to the New England Patriots, 32-29, in Super Bowl 38.
On Feb. 6 in Arlington Texas, the Packers will play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl 45.
Trgovac said that as happy as he is for the Packers players, coaches, executives and fans, he’s happiest for his family — wife Angela, daughter Jordan (16) and son Michael (11).
“I was so happy for our players,” said Trgovac of what he was feeling on Sunday in Chicago when the Packers defeated the Bears, 21-14, at Soldier Field in the NFC Championship Game.
“But I was really happy for my family — they sacrificed a lot.”
Trgovac, 51, was referring to his decision after the 2008 season to resign as Panthers defensive coordinator to return to Green Bay as defensive line coach.
“When you move [down] from coordinator to defensive line coach, there’s a financial loss there,” Trgovac said.
The Trgovacs spent seven seasons in Charlotte, N.C. For six of them, he was defensive coordi-
nator for head coach John Fox. It’s easy for any parent to understand why he was concerned about uprooting his children, especially his daughter who was approaching high-school age.
“My family sacrificed a lot to make this move,” Trgovac said. “We had a nice home on a lake, we were pretty entrenched there. It was hard to leave.”
So when the Bears game ended, Trgovac realized he had made the right move.
“I was hoping to get another opportunity,” he said.
His next task is to prepare to defeat the team he grew up cheering for in Austintown. His father, Edward, was The Vindicator’s personnel director for many years before his death in 1995. His mother, Jacqueline, lives in North Lima.
“I rooted for the Steelers when I was younger,” Trgovac said. “That’s when they were in their glory years so it was kinda nice to see [FOX broadcaster] Terry Bradshaw presenting the NFC trophy.”
An all-state football player and wrestler at Fitch, Trgovac was named Ohio’s defensive lineman of the year and also captured the state heavyweight wrestling title as a senior.
He called Bob Stoops, the uncle of Oklahoma’s football coach Bob Stoops and brother of legendary Mooney coach Ron Stoops, the person outside his family “who had the biggest influence on me. He was my position coach at Fitch and a math teacher. When I was inducted into the Curbstone Hall of Fame, I made sure he was there.”
Trgovac also played for Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan.
He’s been coaching in the NFL for 16 seasons. His first stint with the Packers was in 1999 when he was defensive line coach and Mike McCarthy was quarterbacks coach.
McCarthy, who grew up in Pittsburgh, has been the Packers head coach since the 2006 season.
“His father was a Pittsburgh cop,” Trgovac said.
Most of the coaches for the Packers’ defense were hired after Dom Capers was named defensive coordinator in January 2009. Capers was defensive coordinator for the Steelers before becoming the first Panthers head coach in 1995.
Coaching the outside linebackers is former Steeler Kevin Greene. The secondary coach is Darren Perry, a former Steelers safety and coach. Both were starters in the Steelers’ 27-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl 30.
“We all came in here together at about the same time and it’s been fun to watch,” Trgovac said.
Acknowledging that Chaney graduate Jerry Olsavsky is a defensive coach for the Steelers, Trgovac said he enjoys following the success of coaches and players from the Mahoning Valley.
“I always root for the Youngstown guys — the Pelinis, the Stoops, Michael Zordich. I had a hard time watching the Oklahoma-Nebraska game,” he said, referring to Mooney graduates Bob Stoops and Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini.
Trgovac said he’s proud of how the Packers won this season despite injuries (16 players are on the injured reserve list) and location. Their three playoff wins were at Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago as the Packers became the second NFL sixth seed to advance to the Super Bowl. (The first was the 2005 Steelers.)
“Philly is not the friendliest place to visit and Atlanta has that dome that is so loud,” Trgovac said. “Chicago can be hostile but our players know that crowd from playing there each year. Our offense has done a great job of quieting the crowds.”
Asked to compare his two NFC Championship Game experiences, Trgovac noted how both were on the road. (The Panthers defeated the Eagles in Philadelphia in January 2004).
“They are both very special,” Trgovac said, “At Carolina, it was the first one for the organization so that was very special.
“It’s not easy to go into someone else’s home. And this year, overcoming the injuries shows the character of this team.”
Trgovac says he enjoys the tradition of the Packers and Steelers.
“I like these programs and how they treat people right,” Trgovac said, “I think it’s going to make this game that much more special.”
Like the Steelers, the Packers will be playing in Cowboys Stadium for the first time.
“There’s going to be green-and-gold and black-and-gold everywhere,” he said. “It’s gonna be a great scene. We’re going to check our emotions before the game.”