On Jan. 22 Brandon High School officials announced that Brad Zube will take over as varsity football coach.
Zube, who met with players for the first time on Friday, replaces head coach Tim Pizzala who announced after last season that he would step down following nine seasons at the helm of the Blackhawks.
Zube, 37 and a Springfield Township resident, was one of 15 coaches that applied for the Blackhawks varsity position.
‘We had an excellent pool of candidates that applied for the job,? said Superintendent Matt Outlaw. ‘Applications were from inside and outside the school district, including one with college coaching experience.?
Zube, currently a teacher in the Waterford School District, was impressed with the potential at Brandon High School.
‘Brandon is a diamond in the rough,? said Zube on Friday after meeting his team. ‘Brandon has everything here’a strong administration, an outstanding facility and community to build a winning football program.?
‘Everyone loves to win, but you have to hate losing football games to play for me. Our team will be a family atmosphere, we will focus on the fundamentals’blocking and tackling with a summer full of camps.?
Zube, a 1996 Romeo High School graduate, was an assistant coach at Notre Dame Prep High School. He then was a defensive coordinator for one year at Pontiac High School, taking over as head coach at Pontiac High School in the 2010-11 seasons. At PHS he compiled a record of 11-8 which included a first round post season loss to Clarkston High School in 2011. In 2012, he took over as head coach at Stoney Creek High School in Rochester Hills. From 2012-2015, Zube had a record of 19-16 and a 2013 playoff first round loss to Rochester Adams.
In six years as head coach, Zube compiled a winning record of 30-26.
Stoney Creek, a Division I school, has an enrollment of about 1,700 students compared to Brandon High School’s 1,100. About 1,500 students attended Pontiac High School also a Division I school.
‘We prided ourselves on getting the most out of our kids on the field,? he said. ‘We will have a new plan mapped out starting from the Junior Blackhawks through middle school and the JV team. We’ve come here to build a winning football program from the ground up.?
Several varsity staff members will be added within the next few weeks.