Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Program

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Program

    Kesler is new Lourdes boss

    Mon, Jan 31, 2005

    By Paul Christian

    The Post-Bulletin  

    Must be something about the Rochester Lourdes class of 1991.

    Last July Lourdes named Jim Daly as its new basketball coach.

    Today Mike Kesler is the new Lourdes football coach.

    Both graduated from Lourdes in 1991.

    Not only that, both attended St. Pius Elementary. And they are also best of friends; they were in each other's weddings.

    "Jimmy and I talked a long time ago; wouldn't it be something if he came back to coach the basketball team and I were to someday head the football program,'' said Kesler on Sunday night. "Unbelievable as that might have sounded back then, it's true.

    "This is my dream job. There's no job out there that I would rather have.''

    Kesler has been on pins-and-needles the past few months, waiting for this day.

    "There's been a lot of sleepless nights,'' he said.

    Marv Peters announced last spring that he would step down after coaching one more year. He was head coach for 10 years and he was in the Eagles' program for 32.

    The job was posted soon after the Eagles completed a 7-2 season in October, losing 14-0 to Byron in the Section One, Class AAA quarterfinal.

    Peters, who doubles as the Lourdes athletic director, said there were 14 "real solid candidates,'' which were trimmed to three by a five-member search committee.

    The three were interviewed Saturday and Kesler was named new coach in the afternoon.

    "My first step is to assemble a staff,'' he said, "and then I'll meet with the players. Hopefully we'll keep most of the staff from last year. I think we're heading in the right direction.''

    Kesler has been the Lourdes defensive coordinator for the past seven years. Last year he served as the assistant head coach under Peters, although that had nothing to do with him being named as head coach.

    "You won't see any drastic changes,'' insisted Kesler, who will turn 32 on Feb. 26. "I don't think you'll see us running the run-and-shoot or you won't see us with an empty backfield. There'll be some changes, but nothing drastic.

    "Defensively, you'll probably see what we've been doing the past few years. Everything depends on the personnel. What if we all of a sudden get a 235-pound fullback? That kind of changes everything.''

    Kesler said he probably won't assume one of the coordinator roles.

    "I'm a strong believer in special teams,'' he said. "We'll wait and see what happens with the staff. Like I said, hopefully there won't be many changes.''

    Kesler becomes the ninth head football coach at Lourdes since the school opened in 1941. John Mason and Ray Chase coached from 1941-1947, Bill O'Neill was coach from 1948-50, Ralph Peterson from 1951-55, Wayne Knipschield in 1956, Joe Mayer from 1957-1983, Dennis Nigon from 1984-1994, Marv Peters from 1995-2004 and now Kesler.
    I updated my signature for the first time in six years.

  • #2
    Re: SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Prog

    Its hard to imagine 14 candidates for a high school head coach, but it shows that there are a number of people who want to coach. Apparently this school is rich with football tradition. Having an SDSU alum in charge could be a big help down the road given the good recruits are available and make a good fit at SDSU.

    Just curious, is the basketball coach Jim Daly related to Mike Daly. I believe Mike grew up in this area.


    Good to have you back CatchemAll

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Prog

      Originally posted by SDSUFAN
      Just curious, is the basketball coach Jim Daly related to Mike Daly. I believe Mike grew up in this area.
      To my knowledge there is no relation.

      I updated my signature for the first time in six years.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Prog

        Kesler was a junior my freshman season. Helluva guy. Like most upperclassmen in the SDSU system, he was very accessable for a newbie trying to learn the defensive scheme. He's a great catch for Lourdes and will continue to do SDSU proud.
        "You just stood their screaming. Fearing no one was listening to you. Hearing only what you wanna hear. Knowing only what you heard." Metallica

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Prog

          Originally posted by MilwaukeeJacksAlum
          Kesler was a junior my freshman season.  Helluva guy.  Like most upperclassmen in the SDSU system, he was very accessable for a newbie trying to learn the defensive scheme.  He's a great catch for Lourdes and will continue to do SDSU proud.

          Brunkhorst must not have had the level of talent necessary to merit a scholarship at SDSU and therefore chose Mankato. I doubt Kesler would discourage him from attending SDSU.

          Cood luck to Mike, the expectations at Lourdes are huge.
          We are here to add what we can to life, not get what we can from life. -Sir William Osler

          We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Prog

            talking to people at Lourdes, Mike was hot for Brunkhorst going to SDSU... SDSU basically went up to a Full Ride... UNI offered even more (in $$ amount and inkling a Full ride at out of state rates) than SDSU and Brunkhorst turned them down. SDSU was _very_ hot for him. It's not that brunkhorst was not D1AA material.

            Bottom Line, talking to his dad, it was MSUM offering Dline and a very impressive coaching staff vs OLine at SDSU and UNI, that swung his decision to Mankato.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Prog

              If I understand aspenlake, correctly, it appears that Bronkhurst and DAD, may have burnt a bridge or two in the process and now his best choice is MSUM. I wish him good luck at Mankato.  I think we got a good bunch coming in. It would have been nice to have this young man, but its not the end of the world that he chose Mankato.

              I dont understand the coaching angle since MSUM has lost most of last years staff. McLauglin became head coach at Wayne Ne. A couple others went to Ohio with Solich, so hardly a good situation in terms of coaching. Maybe Bronkhurst will play as a true freshman at MSUM but I dont see any problems with the SDSU Coaching and I think we are in better shape than Mankato in terms of coaching.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Prog

                I have watched Chris play the last several years at Lourdes. He is a great young man, but I really don't think the had the speed that was needed at the next level. Also I know that SDSU wanted him at OL and Mankato wanted him as DL. He also wanted to stay closer to home...I am not knocking Chris at all, just my observations and knowledge of some of the inside info



                Go Jacks !!!!!!
                http://members.cox.net/geauxcolonels...t/SDSU_bar.png

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Prog

                  Originally posted by SDSUFAN
                  If I understand aspenlake, correctly, it appears that Bronkhurst and DAD, may have burnt a bridge or two in the process and now his best choice is MSUM. I wish him good luck at Mankato.  I think we got a good bunch coming in. It would have been nice to have this young man, but its not the end of the world that he chose Mankato.

                  I dont understand the coaching angle since MSUM has lost most of last years staff. McLauglin became head coach at Wayne Ne. A couple others went to Ohio with Solich, so hardly a good situation in terms of coaching.  Maybe Bronkhurst will play as a true freshman at MSUM but I dont see any problems with the SDSU Coaching and I think we are in better shape than Mankato in terms of coaching.
                  I can't speak for the brunkhorst's other than I know that as of friday 2 weeks ago, SDSU visited him at his house and upped the scholarship offer. If he burnt a bridge, it was after that (like, when he verbaled to mankato last week?).

                  As it was described to me it was that MSUM's current coaching staff includes coaches from Wisconsin (DLine coach), Oklahoma (D Coordinator), and Nebraska (Head coach). I think that is good pedigree. Chris likely never met any of the coaches who left (Mankato didn't even start recruiting until Xmas time). Whether that is a good or bad situation for Chris, I don't know.

                  I do know Chris liked SDSU. It boiled down to playing D vs playing O, and being close to home.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Prog

                    Originally posted by aspenlake

                    I do know Chris liked SDSU.  It boiled down to playing D vs playing O, and being close to home.
                    Nothing wrong with that. Best of luck to Chris.

                    aspenlake, welcome to the board. Thanks for posting.

                    Go State! ;D

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: SDSU Alum takes over Rochester Lourdes FB Prog

                      Originally posted by aspenlake
                      I do know Chris liked SDSU.  It boiled down to playing D vs playing O, and being close to home.
                      I drive to Brookings from Rochester on a regular basis, 4 hours by interstate, little more by 14. Not that far. Better hunting and fishing in SD, maybe thats not his gig.

                      I wish him the best of luck at Mankato. I now how nice it is to be that close to home.
                      We are here to add what we can to life, not get what we can from life. -Sir William Osler

                      We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.

                      Comment

                      Working...
                      X