Densmore

JEFFERSON TWP — Rob Densmore is back in the game.

The 1993 Seneca Valley graduate, who resigned as Butler High School head football coach with two games left in the 2017 season, has accepted the position of defensive coordinator at Knoch.

“Rob's excited, we're excited and the kids are excited,” Knoch coach Frank Whalen said. “I was looking for a defensive coordinator and Rob's name was at the top of my list.”

Densmore was 7-27 in four years as Butler head coach. He was defensive coordinator at Pine-Richland for 12 years under Clair Altemus and held that same position later at Freedom High School.

Densmore is a social studies teacher at Pine-Richland and has been on the teaching staff there for 20 years. He and his family live in the South Butler School District.

“A couple of guys approached me about maybe joining the Pine-Richland staff, but after I didn't get the head coaching job there and wasn't asked back as defensive coordinator, I didn't feel that was the place to continue my coaching career,” Densmore said.

“Knoch is a convenient place for me to go and Coach Whalen has already put a solid program in place. I'm impressed with how quickly he was able to get that done.”

The Knights were 4-5 this season, Whalen's first as head coach, and won their final two games.

With Densmore coming on board, Whalen will concentrate on running the triple option offense he instituted upon arriving at Knoch. Densmore's sole responsibility will be on the defensive side of the ball.

“He will not have to coach anything involving our offense,” Whalen said.

While Densmore specializes in running a 44 defense, Knoch used primarily a stack formation in 2017. That will change next year.

“We're just going to flip-flop,” Whalen said. “We were able to slide into a 44 at times this past year. Next year, we'll use the 44 as our base and we'll be able to slide into a stack.”

When Whalen contacted Densmore about the opening on his staff, the former Butler coach couldn't pass it up.

“It's just a good fit all the way around,” Densmore said. “I'm comfortable with it. They want to execute the same defense I want to run and it's a good staff over there.

“I get along with all of those guys. Knoch had a solid year under Coach Whalen and I just want to do my part in helping the program move forward.”