Findlay Hires Head Coach
- Thread starter jafo
- Start date
PRESS RELEASE
Findlay High School is pleased to announce the hiring of head football coach, Matt Pees. Following the success and leadership of Mark Ritzler, Pees joins the Trojans after spending two seasons in the NFL as the defensive assistant for the Tennessee Titans, under head coach Mike Vrabel. Working with outside linebackers, defensive line, and quality control in both 2018 and 2019, Pees assisted the Titans this past season to the AFC Championship game. Pees’s ability to evaluate and analyze opponents such as Findlay’s Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson, has led to the development and recent success of the Tennessee Titans. Pees’s coaching experience and responsibilities included, but were not limited to, film analysis, game planning, scout team coordinator, and player evaluation for free agency and the NFL draft.
Prior to Pees’s success at Tennessee, he spent six years coaching at the high school level including being the head coach of Green Mountain High School in Lakewood, Colorado. Pees’ enthusiasm to return to education-based athletics and his desire in teaching the fundamental development of youth athletics while wanting to be a part of our community with his family, led him to Findlay. Coach Pees states, “My family and I are excited to return to Findlay and be a part of such an amazing community. We look forward to continuing with the rich tradition of Findlay High School and developing student athletes. It is a dream come true to be the head coach and serve the community in this capacity. I look forward to having my family grow in the community, and I am eager to get started leading young men to a bright Trojan future. Go Trojans!”
Pees returns to Northwest Ohio with his wife, Emily, five year old son, Wyatt, and newborn daughter (this past Saturday), Adelyn. Pees is the son of two-time Super Bowl Champion and future NFL Hall of Fame defensive coordinator, Dean Pees, who assisted the legendary Coach Dick Strahm while at The University of Findlay.
“We are blessed to have Matt’s knowledge, experience and genuine care and concern for students. Matt’s relationships with college coaches and NFL personnel will provide multiple opportunities for Findlay student athletes and our outstanding community. We welcome Coach Pees and his family back to Findlay, Ohio, and Friday Night Football at Donnell Stadium” states Nate Weihrauch, Director of Athletics at Findlay High School.
Findlay High School is pleased to announce the hiring of head football coach, Matt Pees. Following the success and leadership of Mark Ritzler, Pees joins the Trojans after spending two seasons in the NFL as the defensive assistant for the Tennessee Titans, under head coach Mike Vrabel. Working with outside linebackers, defensive line, and quality control in both 2018 and 2019, Pees assisted the Titans this past season to the AFC Championship game. Pees’s ability to evaluate and analyze opponents such as Findlay’s Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson, has led to the development and recent success of the Tennessee Titans. Pees’s coaching experience and responsibilities included, but were not limited to, film analysis, game planning, scout team coordinator, and player evaluation for free agency and the NFL draft.
Prior to Pees’s success at Tennessee, he spent six years coaching at the high school level including being the head coach of Green Mountain High School in Lakewood, Colorado. Pees’ enthusiasm to return to education-based athletics and his desire in teaching the fundamental development of youth athletics while wanting to be a part of our community with his family, led him to Findlay. Coach Pees states, “My family and I are excited to return to Findlay and be a part of such an amazing community. We look forward to continuing with the rich tradition of Findlay High School and developing student athletes. It is a dream come true to be the head coach and serve the community in this capacity. I look forward to having my family grow in the community, and I am eager to get started leading young men to a bright Trojan future. Go Trojans!”
Pees returns to Northwest Ohio with his wife, Emily, five year old son, Wyatt, and newborn daughter (this past Saturday), Adelyn. Pees is the son of two-time Super Bowl Champion and future NFL Hall of Fame defensive coordinator, Dean Pees, who assisted the legendary Coach Dick Strahm while at The University of Findlay.
“We are blessed to have Matt’s knowledge, experience and genuine care and concern for students. Matt’s relationships with college coaches and NFL personnel will provide multiple opportunities for Findlay student athletes and our outstanding community. We welcome Coach Pees and his family back to Findlay, Ohio, and Friday Night Football at Donnell Stadium” states Nate Weihrauch, Director of Athletics at Findlay High School.
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CC Track Fan
Well-known member
Looks like a great hire. Odd to go from making well into six figures to making 4 figures. Not sure if he will have some other job with Findlay but don't believe he as a teaching degree so options are limited.
This article says that he has a Masters Degree in Education so that probably qualifies him to do something. I don't know about actual teaching but I'm sure the locals won't let his family go without food.
Insane92
Location: South Jersey
Quality control coaches aren’t making 6 figures in the NFL. I’m sure he’ll have some administrative duties to supplement his coaching stipend.
TrojanBuc4
Member
He definitely wasn't making six figures with the Titans. It's a significant downgrade in coaching world class athletes to high school athletes, obviously, but maybe this is the route that Pees wanted to take. He's been a high school coach in the past, dipped into the NFL, and now back at high school. The salary thing is interesting though because Findlay has a big levy they need to pass next month and I could see a lot of people around town saying that they don't need the levy if they are bringing in this coach from the NFL. His Dad, who will be in NFL hall of fame, has a lot of connections to NW Ohio-born there, DC at University of Findlay and Toledo. Believe there are several other Titans coaches who have ties to NW Ohio too. But bottom line, home run hire for Findlay. This was needed.
Long days, big dreams: The grind of a quality-control coach
Their vague title has a lot of specific duties, and those duties during the season eat away at any hope of a life outside the team facility.
They're in the NFL and making good money compared to the general population -- one coach for another team estimated the average quality-control coach makes between $100,000 to $150,000.
Maple_City_Fan
Well-known member
If Findlay is hiring Coaches like these, keep them in the TRAC.
Insane92
Location: South Jersey
The ones that I have known do not make nearly that much.Long days, big dreams: The grind of a quality-control coach
Their vague title has a lot of specific duties, and those duties during the season eat away at any hope of a life outside the team facility.www.espn.com
They're in the NFL and making good money compared to the general population -- one coach for another team estimated the average quality-control coach makes between $100,000 to $150,000.
irish_buffalo
Well-known member
The draw was the community of Findlay. Involvement in the NFL and college football are an absolute grind. Constant travel and zero time off. The old adage rings true, "you can make all the money in the world but you can never buy your time back." I've seen many instances of people walking away from the something more in monetary terms in order to slow down a bit. Especially with kids and a family in the picture. The town of Findlay is about as good as it gets. Far enough from any major private so your kids wont get poached. Great community with a nice university. Good facilities. I've heard many a coach say Findlay would be a dream job.
irish_buffalo
Well-known member
Ok? Tell us about all of the QC coaches you know? If he was not at $100,000 he was close.
Insane92
Location: South Jersey
Just adding an opinion to the conversation.
lightspeed84
Well-known member
I know several acquaintances coaching in the NFL from college ball, quality control coaches salaries can vary greatly some making peanuts some making 6 figures from my understanding.
2 of my buddies are QC in college and both make around 6 figures. I'd say NFL is at least 6.
TrojanBuc4
Member
Findlay has gone way downhill. They could possibly be down to D2 this coming year because enrollment is way down. Kids are leaving and going to the county schools. Honestly, if Findlay becomes a big D2, this will help them out tremendously in football.
Insane92
Location: South Jersey
And the schools I have been at QC's made less than $40,000 so everywhere its different.
irish_buffalo
Well-known member
I've heard the same but a good football program usually brings kids back.
Regardless, the community itself is a gold mine. Great place to live and raise a family (and be football coach
)irish_buffalo
Well-known member
Like most threads subtopics arrive and this is one of those instances. In college and pro alike you are only allowed X amount of coaches. So, the trend has been to hire "QC" guys who are really coaches. However, there are still some entry level QC folks who pick up trash, make sure the head sets work, etc... Those folks, college and pro, probably make in the $40,000 range. I have to believe Pees was not around to ensure the dry erase boards were clean and was probably in the $100,000 range. I also believe Findlay offers close to the same salary and the bigger draw...stability. Makes sense. Looks like a solid hire from afar.
Eh you lost me with that last sentenance. They’re better off being DI. DII is a monster when you have the CB pushing the privates up.
Nonetheless this looks to be a great hire for Findlay.
CC Track Fan
Well-known member
That interesting because the Courier says he has a masters degree and worked in advertising and marketing for 10 years in Denver area. I would think if the masters was in Education that would be a very important point to add. In the same paper the school was talking about cutting 7 teachers next year and many more teachers and administrators the following year if the levy doesn't pass. It would not be a good look and would hurt the chances of the levy passing if they create a position for him.
This article says that he has a Masters Degree in Education so that probably qualifies him to do something. I don't know about actual teaching but I'm sure the locals won't let his family go without food.
Well, there's always Marathon. ?
Dr. Frasier Crane
Active member
Just watch out for Liberty Benton. They tend to have some good athletes over the years "open enroll" at LB.
My buddies are in solid P5 schools. Both started out north of 80k. I'd say based on experience NFL is over 6 figures.
MAC schools, bad P5s or lower FBS I'm sure are the 40k range.
Pretty sure lower end MAC schools positional coaching jobs are like 80k alone so no way their QCs make more than 45k
Insane92
Location: South Jersey
Definitively makes a difference when you have the luxury of being at a P5 school with resources that's for sure.
Pretty staggering how much money flows into NFL/P5. At bare minimum, P5 schools get like 50 million a school for being in the B1G. Not to mention your own profits.
buccaneers2002
Active member
What makes you think that? Findlay is 20-29 in the TRAC since 2013, a league comprised primarily of D2 schools. They have a better chance at making the playoffs in D1.
eastisbest
Well-known member
R7 already very crowded. R2 a piece of cake with the right cows. DI is the place to be.
TrojanBuc4
Member
Better chance at making the playoffs, maybe, winning, no. Do you think in their region they are beating any of the Dublin's? Springfield? Whitmer? They played Dublin Coffman regular season for over a decade and only ever beat them once. Got the running clock put on them by Jerome in first round of playoffs a few years back. They beat Springfield once in the regional final and that was due to it being the best Findlay team in it's history. When is the last time they beat Whitmer in the TRAC? Have they ever?
Much better shot of making playoffs and winning in Region 7.