NEW CASTLE —
The search is over at Neshannock High.
Fred Mozzocio was hired as Pat Cuba’s successor as head football coach of the Lancers. Prior to his appointment as Neshannock coach, Mozzocio served as an assistant coach at New Castle.
“There’s no doubt, I’m very excited about the opportunity and I’m looking forward to getting started and meeting the boys,” Mozzocio said. “The first thing we’ll do is we’ll get our conditioning program in place right away.
“We’re a little behind the eight ball in that respect because of the January hiring. Usually you like to get that started in December, but there’s plenty of time to catch up.”
Mozzocio does have a jump on having a portion of his coaching staff in place.
“I have filled that out somewhat so far. But I’m still working on that,” he said.
Mozzocio, 45 and a 1985 New Castle High graduate, has experience with the Neshannock football program. He coached the defensive line, the offensive line as well as coordinating the Lancers’ ground game from 2001 to 2004 under Rob Nogay, who is currently a co-athletic director with Bob Burkes at Neshannock.
“At that time, the program was pretty depleted,” Mozzocio said. “Rob did a great job of getting it back to respectability. Mr. Cuba did a nice job keeping it respectable and I’m going to try to build on what they established.”
The Lancers finished 5-4 in 2011 under Cuba, but missed out on the playoffs. Neshannock competes in the Big Seven Conference.
“I prefer the run game. We will be installing the spread offense,” Mozzocio said. “It will be similar to the offense we ran at New Castle.
“I’m pretty familiar with coaching in the Big Seven. That’s kind of a reason I threw my hat in to this situation; it’s a conference I look forward to competing in.”
Mozzocio coached under Frank Bongivengo Sr. at Shenango as well, which helped build his familiarity with the brand of football played in the Big Seven.
Mozzocio is married (Dawn) and the couple has three children — Fred Jr., Emily and Michael. Fred Sr. recently served on the New Castle School Board as well for the last eight years prior to stepping down late last year
“I feel I put in my civic duty; it’s time to give someone else a turn,” he said.
Mozzocio’s time has come to lead the Neshannock football program.
(E-mail: rponiewasz@ncnewsonline.com).
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Neshannock hires Mozzocio as football coach
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