The top story of the week was the surprising announcement that
Middletown football coach Jason Krause would be the next head coach at
Fairfield, pending Board of Education approval Thursday (Jan. 20).
Krause led Middletown to a 10-0 season last year and a 26-7 record in three seasons overall with the Middies, including an 18-3 mark in the Greater Miami Conference. Middletown was 2010 GMC co-champions.
Kruase replaces Aaron Fitzstephens, who stepped down from Fairfield after two seasons in late 2010.
"We are thrilled that Jason has accepted our offer to come to Fairfield to lead our football program," Fairfield athletic director Mark Harden said.
"Jason is a dynamic coach who has been a winner at every stop, but most importantly, what came across in my meetings with him very clearly is how he successfully builds such strong relationships with his players, his staff, and in the communities in which he coaches."
Krause, who has also been a head coach at Monroe, Stebbins and Lockland, was the 2009 Ohio Division I coach of the year. He will be the South head coach in the annual North-South all-star game this spring.
Krause's starting date at Fairfield was still being determined as of last week. It becomes instantly clear that Fairfield has a promising future. Fairfield was 2-8 last season.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for me both on and off the field," Krause said. "It was a very difficult decision for me to leave Middletown, but in trying to balance football, my career, and my family, I believe this is the best decision."
BENNETT SUFFERS INJURYCenterville senior lineman
Michael Bennett, an Ohio State commit, reportedly broke his left forearm in the third quarter of the U.S Army All-American Bowl, according to the Dayton Daily News
.
"It was about the sickest feeling that I've had in a long time," Centerville coach Ron Ullery told the publication. "I just felt bad for the kid."
Bennett, who is 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, is one of the nation's top players in the 2011 class. The publication didn't have a timetable for his recovery as of Jan. 11, but said he had surgery in San Antonio.
TONY DAVIS COMMITS TO OHIO
Wyoming senior defensive end
Tony Davis verbally committed to Ohio University last week. Davis, who is 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, had 89 tackles (56 solo), five sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for the Cowboys last season. He was first-team all-Cincinnati Hills League and helped Wyoming to a 9-2 record overall. He also had offers from Toledo, Kent State, Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Minnesota and Buffalo.
MORE RECRUITING NEWSSycamore junior tight end
A.J. Williams has added offers from Toledo and Bowling Green. Williams, who is 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, also has an offer from Ohio University. … Moeller junior wide receiver
Monty Madaris has added an offer from Bowling Green. Madaris also has offers from Cincinnati and Boston College. … Clayton Northmont junior linebacker
Kaleb Ringer has added an offer from Bowling Green. He also has offers from Cincinnati, Toledo and Iowa.
RANDOM THOUGHTSUniversity of Cincinnati football coach Butch Jones will speak at the 35th annual Elder Alumni Sports Stag on Feb. 15 starting at 5:30 p.m. … Notre Dame junior tight end Kyle Rudolph, a former Elder football and basketball standout, announced earlier this month that he will enter the 2011 NFL Draft.
(Information from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Hamilton Journal-News, Pulse Journal, ScoutingOhio.com and Dayton Daily News was used in this report)
