Schenck makes return after one-year hiatus

Mike Schenck watched every Fairfield football game a year ago. It was the first time in more than 36 years he wasn?t on the sideline.

Schenck said he ?would?ve been a fool not to take? the early retirement package following the 2009-10 school year, and with it came technicalities that prohibited him from coaching football ? something he had done at Fairfield since becoming an assistant in 1974 and taking over the program as head coach in 1989.

?It was very difficult to watch,? he said. ?It was difficult because I felt like those were my players ? kids I had worked with all the way up.?

After Jason Ganoe announced his resignation following one season as the Trojans? head man, Schenck, now free of the four-month grace period that prevented his re-hire last fall, was approved as the head football coach by the Fairfield Community School District Board of Directors Wednesday night.

?I don?t think there?s any question I feel very fortunate,? Schenck added.

The juniors and seniors who will lead the team this fall were freshmen and sophomores when Schenck was last running practice, but with only a one-year hiatus, there should be plenty of familiarity all around.

?One of the things that was difficult for Jason was that he didn?t want to come in and change anything. He felt that we had success in the past, he stepped in with our staff and allowed them to continue,? said Schenck. ?To me, it will be like coming back in and not missing that year. We can continue with same things we?ve had success with.?

Aside from defensive coordinator Tyler Miklo, the assistant coaching staff figures to be the same as it was left two years ago. But while his assistants continued to coach in 2010, Schenck spent his Friday nights sitting in the Trojan Stadium press box observing.

?Emotionally, you can pull yourself away. You start to look at the game for what it is,? he said. ?You see how important the fundamentals are. A lot of thought is dedicated to what offense you?re running or what trick plays you have, but the better team usually boils down to who is blocking and tackling.?

Over the next two months, Schenck will sort out the personnel he has at his disposal, which will go a long way toward what Trojan fans can expect to see this fall. Either way, those fans can now count on at least one familiar thing when the Trojans take the field Aug. 26 at Davis County.