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Wolford adds a coach, moves others around
Special to the Vindicator
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Youngstown State defensive coordinator Rick Kravitz will also coach the safeties in the 2011 season after coaching the linebackers last fall, his first with the Penguins.
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By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
This spring, YSU coach Eric Wolford’s coaching staff only has one new face. But several others find themselves in a different place.
The staff’s biggest change comes on offense, where receivers coach Phil Longo will be replaced by last year’s tight ends coach, Andre Coleman. New hire Mauro Monz will now coach the tight ends.
“He’s a guy that I actually considered the first time around and I never got to him,” Wolford said of Monz. “We’re excited about having him here.”
Monz coached at Akron from 2006-09, moving from a director of football operations post to wide receivers coach his final three seasons. He has ties to YSU’s offensive coordinator, Shane Montgomery, who was the Zips’ offensive coordinator in 2009. He’s also familiar with YSU offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo; the two were teammates at Duquesne in the mid-1990s.
Monz has 14 years of college coaching experience, including two (2003-04) as a head coach at West Virginia Tech, a NAIA school. His other stops have been at Duquesne and, most recently, Robert Morris, where he was the special offensive assistant last season.
Coleman, a Hickory High graduate who played at Wolford’s alma mater, Kansas State, was a NFL wide receiver for five years with the Chargers, Steelers and Seahawks.
“That’s probably a little bit more of his natural position,” Wolford said.
Longo, who was the offensive coordinator for two MVFC title teams at Southern Illinois, left the program after last season.
“Coach Longo and myself just kind of had a meeting and felt like there were some other opportunities out there for him and we decided to part ways,” Wolford said. “I understand that those things happen and you’ve got to do what’s best for your family and that’s kind of understood in this profession.”
Special teams/running backs coach Louie Matsakis will continue coaching those two units, but will also serve as the program’s recruiting coordinator. Longo filled that role last year.
Montgomery will continue to coach quarterbacks.
YSU’s defensive staff will remain the same, but defensive coordinator Rick Kravitz will now coach the safeties after focusing on the linebackers last fall.
“He’s primarily worked with safeties the past 10 years,” Wolford said.
Rollen Smith, who was an assistant defensive line coach, will now mentor the cornerbacks, which is what he did for years at Ursuline High School.
Last year’s secondary coaches, Frank Buffano and Ron Stoops, will now coach linebackers.
Tom Sims will continue as the defensive line coach, as well as the assistant head coach.