***Other Lorain County Head Coaching changes***
DiFranco, 37, started at Amherst in 1999 and has been an assistant coach for 12 years with the last six as the defensive coordinator. He has worked under Jeff Riesen – now the head coach at North Ridgeville, Keith Grabowski – now the offensive coordinator at Baldwin-Wallace College, and Kevin Fell – now the head coach at Elyria High School. Last year, DiFranco's unofficial title was assistant head coach.
He is also part of the legendary DiFranco family at Midview where his brother Troy is the head basketball coach. Chad DiFranco played football at Midview (class of 1992) and Ashland University. Middies head coach Bill Albright gave DiFranco his first assistant job out of college before going to Columbia where he is also was an assistant.
DiFranco will have some familiar faces in the early going next season. Week 1, Amherst plays Kevin Fell’s Elyria and in week 2, the Comets play Bill Albright’s Midview.
Since Amherst is hiring a coach for his first head coaching job, it’s important to have familiarity with the school and traditions and DiFranco has it. He teaches at the school already as do several of the Amherst assistant coaches.
Amherst last year went 8-2 overall (5-2 in SWC). After starting the year with eight wins, losses to Olmsted Falls and Avon Lake kept the Comets from the post-season.
Although star quarterback Brennan Hosier returns, DiFranco will need to replace LB Marty Thomas, who is Amherst's all-time leader with 312 career tackles and is attending Robert Morris University as well as WR Tyler Parrish, DB Mat Malloy, and RB/LB Jason Stump.
Another big challenge will be having to compete with other Division 1 schools such as Brunswick, Medina, Canton McKinley – schools with a lot higher enrollment and thus a big pool of kids.
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