In what is probably the largest turnaround in head coaches in recent years, eight of the 18 football squads in the Catholic High School League will be under new direction this fall.

However, that isn’t entirely true. Only one coach will be brand new and unacquainted with the challenges and expectations of playing football in one of the most competitive leagues in the state.

The others all have a relationship with the CHSL in their resumes, including three who were former head coaches. The remaining four were promoted within their schools’ football staffs to experience head coach responsibilities for the first time.

And, of the three former head coaches, one is going back to his former school.

Allow me to sort this all out.

John Calahan is the one returning to where he coached before, to Detroit Loyola, “back to where I belong,” he says. He guided the Bulldogs for eight years, from 2009 to 2016. In the last six seasons, few teams were as dominant: a 72-8 record, four Division 7 finals, a state championship in 2014, and six CHSL championships.

“I wanted some time off,” he says about leaving Loyola, but succumbed to the challenge that he could, maybe, somehow, “rebuild” the football program at New Haven High School.

“That didn’t work out (after a 3-6 season).” When he got a phone call asking if he was interested in coming back to Loyola, he jumped at the chance. “That’s where my heart is.”

Oscar Olejniczak is the new head coach at Royal Oak Shrine. For the last five years, he directed Detroit U-D Jesuit’s gridiron fortunes, making three appearances in state tournament playoffs, including a district championship in 2013. He succeeds the legendary John Goddard, who coached the Knights for 25 years (16 state tournaments in the last 19 years), and coached 49 years overall in the CHSL.

The third former coach is Joe Quesnelle, newly hired at Marine City Cardinal Mooney. He’s been around the CHSL since 1986. For the last 13 years, he was special teams coordinator and running backs and linebackers coach at Shrine. Before that, he was assistant at Harper Woods Bishop Gallagher and Harper Woods Notre Dame, and head coach at Detroit Holy Redeemer (1994-2002).

Dave Lawrence, the new head coach at Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard, brings 30 years’ experience on the sidelines, including the last nine with the Fighting Irish. Lawrence teaches theology and physical education at AAGR and is a permanent deacon at St. Patrick Parish in Brighton.

Scott Steward follows Joe D’Angelo, who coached Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood for six years. During that time, Steward served as defensive coordinator and assistant coach.

Matt Lewis takes over at Detroit U-D Jesuit for his first head coach position. A 2004 graduate and former quarterback at Warren De La Salle, he was an assistant coach of the Pilots from 2009-16. De La Salle won the Division 2 state title in 2014.

Jason Albrecht moves from defensive coordinator for the last five years to replace retiring Josh Sawicki at Waterford  Our Lady of the Lakes.

The entirely brand new head coach in the CHSL is Garrett Wenzelburger at Macomb Lutheran North. A native of Wisconsin, he graduated from Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, where he was a two-time first team all-state, all-area and all-conference selection and earned Lutheran High School All American honors. At Concordia University Wisconsin, he was named to All-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference First Team for the third straight season as a wide receiver.

On the other end of the coaching lifeline, George Porritt replaces Goddard as the dean of CHSL football coaches, starting his 30th year at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep. The Eaglets are looking at what has to be the toughest schedule in the state.

In the first three games, St. Mary’s, with an enrollment of about 480 all boys, meets three perennial powerhouses: on Aug. 24 against Macomb Dakota (enrollment 3,100) followed by East Kentwood (2,650) and then Mishawaka (Indiana) Penn (3,350). St. Mary’s is a combined 1-5 against this trio in the last three years.

The rugged CHSL Central Division should be a breeze after that.

Contact Don Horkey at [email protected].