Derry set to finalize football coaching candidates list

By: Paul Schofield
Monday, May 18, 2020 | 1:11 PM

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Derry athletic director Brett Miller is finalizing the list of candidates for the Trojans’ football coaching position that opened when Tim Sweeney left to accept the same job at Baldwin last month.

Sweeney energized a program that was 0-10 and outscored by more than 50 points per game in 2013 before he took over.

He was 49-18 in six seasons at Derry.

“When we hired Tim, there were other candidates that had more experience,” Miller said. “But what the board liked was Tim’s passion for the game. That’s what we’re look for in a coach.”

Miller plans to submit the list of possible candidates to the athletic committee Wednesday to review.

Derry reached the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals in three of the past four seasons and the WPIAL finals in 2018.

“We hope to have someone in place by our June meeting,” Miller said. “Some of the candidates have head coaching experience, and others have been assistants. Tim set the bar high here. We hit a home run with him.”

Miller said the search has been hindered because Sweeney took the Baldwin job so late in the school year.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Derry Area