Dan Kalbfleisch has stepped down as coach at Huron effective immediately. Kalbfleisch has accepted the AD/Assistant Principal job at Carlson and will start next week pending board approval on Wednesday August 17th. The Chiefs will be coached in 2016 by the rest of the Huron staff.
Kalbfleisch was about the enter his 13th season at Huron and compiled an overall record of 49-65. The highlight was an improbable playoff run in 2014 which saw the Chiefs finish 11-2 while falling to the eventual Division 3 State Champs Orchard Lake St. Mary in the semi-finals.
Huron would make the playoffs three times during Kalbfleisch’s tenure and he managed to turn the Chiefs from one of the worst programs in the state to a team that fell just one game short of Ford Field.
Huron had won only four games in the seven previous seasons and had gone through four different coaches during that time frame before Kalbfleisch arrived. Many seasons Huron would finish the year with just enough players to field a team. Huron now has nearly 100 boys playing football in the high school, over 60 playing in the middle school and hundreds more playing in the Huron Junior Chiefs youth football program. Huron is currently the only team in the league that fields a Freshmen team.
This is only one man’s opinion, but whoever gets this job after this season will have a nice situation. I personally think they should coax Jack Giarmo out of retirement or find a Jesse Hoskins type capable of building upon what Kalbfleisch, his staff and the New Boston community have started.
Agree! But as CC fan I hope they hire and asst.
I spend time reading the blog; doesn't make me qualified to run it.
Mossy would be a great hire…..we all know in the fb circle time he spends on game
He runs what he wants. I know that for a FACT!!!!! Very average. Average at Monroe and below average at Airport. Huron needs to think way outside the box for their hire. Don't hire someone local or within.
Moss coaches, but not allowed or given the freedom to run what he wants! His son is a senior and then he is gone. Hopefully to Huron.
It is a fact and are you saying that giving up 30 points a game has nothing to do with the defensive coordinator? Has AP just had zero talent the last two years?
Are you saying they were loaded with talent and Mossberg cost them 8 games last year?? COME ON!!!! I'm saying they OBVIOUSLY lacked talent.
It's not Mossberg's fault they've given up 30 points a game over the last 2 years if that even is a fact. I can say this-those kids at Airport have a lot of respect for him. Never know-he may end up being the head coach at Airport if things don't turn around.
Who is accountable then?
Well sure he is a good coach, but as the Defensive coordinator at AP the last two years they've given up over 30 points a game.
Airport doesn't run a T. Flat rock doesn't run a T nor Jefferson. As I have said before, the offense you run matters not. It's how well you block it and take care of the ball. On the same hand however, you can't ask an elephant to do what a rabbit does and vice versa.
darrel mossburge would be a great HC for the chiefs. coached under redmond (at airport during thier powerhouse years and monroe high) and played D1 ball. he is looking to move on from his assist. coaching position at airport.
Mossburge also coached at FR.
How many teams in the league run the T or the Wing T? Is Milan and Grosse Ile the only ones that don't?
Give credit where credit is due. Milan has lost 5 league games in the 4 years since Ward took over as OC.
Milan is doing the same thing they did when they had dukes and Kanitz. Pound the football. Use play action. Don't turn it over. I'd say most people that know football would agree with that offensive philosophy. We do the same thing here at SMCC and its seemed to work pretty well for both Milan and us.
SMCC fan
Milans H-back leads into the hole. Nearly every play. I'm sure they run a counter off of it or use it to influence but it is very rare.
Their offense is all about Lindeman and Barnes speed.
No its not. It's about the whole group on offense. Everyone has a job. They have to execute as individuals for it to work. Ask Barry Sanders. He knows.
#9 Dad
Leave Coach Ward alone!
Honestly, if he wants a HC job I know he could get one pretty easily. I'm just hoping that the guy is happy in the role he's in. Couldn't blame him either way. I've been impressed with Coach Ward since Day 1 here in Milan.
Milans offense is 1-2-3. Gray leads into the hole every single play. Nothing fancy. It's all about blocking and hanging on to the football.
If I was Huron, I'd do what I could to interview Milans OC. Not sure who he is, but the guy is good. Most teams in the league seem to struggle stopping Milans offense. Lots of misdirection and creative play calling.
I love this blog, but I hate the fact that the kids read this stuff. And the fact that they are posting stuff is just not good. Stick to the field and stay off this site would be my recommendation
He is still coaching at FR though right? Works at Huron and coaches at FR? Nothing wrong with that. Just wondering.
Yes he is, coaches high school ball and middle school track at FR. Great guy, young big time athlete. Was offered to coach with Huron before, but didn't get along with someone on the staff.if I put my money on the first guy they called it's him. I do believe he likes FR the best out of the 2.
I hear that Flat Rock's D coordinator is the lead candidate for the job. He just got hired into Huron as a teacher I believe. He played college football as well.
Although our coach will be missed, it's not going to hurt our season. It's driving us to win the league and make playoffs. Our team is also hoping to get put up against Carlson in the playoffs.
-Huron Football Player
Having played for Kalby in his first 3 years at Huron and coaching along side him a few years ago, I can say he will be missed. Whether people would like to admit it or not, he turned the program at Huron from winning maybe a game or 2 a year when I was there to making the playoffs and going to the semis a few years ago….a feat most people would have never thought possible for Huron. Knowing how the pay is at huron for teachers and a coaches, I cannot fault him for leaving to better his and his families future. I can only wonder how much longer before you see more teachers and coaches bailing from there as well before the superintendent wakes up? I hope they can find another good Coach and great person like Kalby.
Having coached against his program for years, have nothing but respect for what he did at Huron. The build up of the program was/is a tough job. Wish the best for him at his new position and whoever the new head coach is at Huron!
I'm an Airport dad and I must say he's stepping down from the program when the talent is coming in pretty high the next couple years. Huron's junior class is pretty damn tough. Whoever will be the next coach should have immediate success with the program.
You are wrong about being spurned. Leaving for an admin position is a huge pay raise. One just needs to look at Huron's pay scale and then look at the admin payscale at Carlson. Timing is rarely a positive thing when leaving any job. Calson's interviews were held last week and the job offered most likely made Thursday evening. My guess would be that Dan wasn't expecting an offer, most likely because he has no admin or AD experience. Although he is qualified based on his educational background and coaching, many times jobs like the one at Carlson are given to guys with loads of experience. With that said, p I have no doubt he will do a fine job there.
I don't see Coach Giarmo coming out of retirement for Huron. If he didn't want to return to coaching for Monroe High job, I don't see it for Huron either. What other realistic options are out there? What about a Jason Mensing from Whiteford, Redmond, or even Hoskins from Milan or Mack from Dundee? Would Steve Robb come back to Huron after serving as the DC a couple years ago? There is some good young coaches in the area. I have no doubt that there will be many applicants.
Seems as if Huron may have spurned him at one point or another to leave the program(albeit for the gig he wants) at the doorstep of the season. Am I wrong?
Since this seems to be Dan's departure from Huron, I suppose I’ll write something up for my former coach on the blog hosted by another former coach. While some of his in-game decisions have been hotly criticized on this blog, what I have rarely seen criticized here is the caliber of person that Dan Kalbfleisch was as a coach. For those of you who are newer to the league, Dan stepped in as the head coach of one of the worst football programs in the state at age 24 (I believe). I was part of the first freshmen class who had the privilege of playing four seasons under Kalby’s program and it was actually his hire and summer workout sessions that convinced me to fully commit to a sport I had never played a day of before in my life. In four years in Dan’s program I learned a lot about football, but he was the epitome of a coach who was not satisfied with teaching sports alone. Sitting back and reflecting on my own coaching experience, I am amazed at both the coach and the man that Kalby was at such a young age.
Kalby’s guidance and positivity were so influential on me that it is difficult to talk about him without resorting to hyperbole, but suffice to say that he was everything you ever wanted from a coach of your child. He cared about his players, both on the field and off. He showed genuine concern when it was appropriate and tough love when that was in order. He showed players how to hold themselves with respect and how to show that self-respect to the community. He demonstrated the importance of integrity and demanded it even from young men who may have been lacking. During this invaluable education, we even played some football.
I wish Dan the best of luck in all of his future endeavors. I hope that this gives you a little bit of insight into how the hiring of, basically, a kid in his early twenties was able to resurrect a defunct football program and make it into one that is consistently growing while programs around the country are shrinking. Players wanted to play for Kalby and parents wanted their young men to learn from him. I was fortunate enough to have that experience and just wanted to briefly share what it meant to me.
So who is the Head Coach?
The T is old school and boring. I would rather watch soccer.
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I'd rather win
T years who has gone on to stellar college years?
Wow surprising news. The man that turned Huron football from a joke to a respectable program, I'm sure he will be missed. EM
Don't feel bad … Many of my stupid comments get filtered out and are never posted.
If Jack was there Huron would be Zeeland West. I think they would take that.
SMCC seemed to do ok with getting kids into college despite their offense.
Can't argue with that.
Correct me if I'm wrong but SMCC has sent many many players to the next level for football.
There you have it folks, the real reason a parent doesn't want the T at his school. " if I want my kid to have a chance to play in college it won't be where he throws the ball 3 x a game".
That's pretty selfish stuff. One thing they always did better at SMCC under Jack was block and tackle. You know, the two most important things at any level of football. There are 22 players in football, one throws the ball, the rest almost always block or tackle. I think I have said enough.
Could care less how stupid it was. I can't watch the T, and if I want my kid to have a chance to play in college it won't be where he throws the ball 3x a game. Just my opinion, but you don't see the T in college either.
Many teams try to run the T few are successful.
Jack never lost to Huron with that T formation.
That last sentence, may be the stupidest comment in the history of the blog.
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Huron is now one of the top programs in the Huron League. Kalbfleisch played a huge role in making that happen. Remember the kids have put in the work and will be fine this season.
As for next year, Jack can stay retired. If I wanted to watch T-Formation football, I would go watch little league.
Who are some of the possible candidates for this program?
Huron had their chance to make him am administrator. Obviously they didn't want to keep him that bad.
He has the numbers up there, with the right hire Huron could become a traditional power.
With the league gauntlet they have early, could be a very tough season for Huron truthfully. If they lose any games early they could fall apart and the finger pointing will begin. Hope that doesn't happen, but they have to have success early. Not sure about the situation, but to leave a team in the first week of today's is bad for business
That Junior class does have a lot of talent. I think the question is how it is lead (coaches, parents and seniors). I thought it was smart of Huron not to move up Sophomors (some coaches move kids up for the practice squad then they only watch the game Friday nights).
I think they will miss him, but I think the kids rally and play well. They have talent.
Does this mean Huron does better or worse this season? What is the pulse in New Boston?