JEFFERSON TWP — Fifteen years ago, Brandon Mowry was looking for a way to eat up some of the 2,000 volunteer hours required for his sports management major at Slippery Rock University.

So the former Knoch football player decided to reach out to Knights' head football coach Mike King.

Mowry joined King's staff as a volunteer coach and in the time since has dabbled in just about every facet of running a footbal program.

“Let's see,” Mowry said before a short pause. “I coached the (defensive line), the offensive line for the past two years, linebackers, running backs, receivers.”

Now, after 15 years of an extensive apprenticeship, Mowry will run the whole thing.

Mowry, 34, was approved by the South Butler School Board late Wednesday as the Knights' head football coach.

“I've been here for 15 years. I live in the district. I'm not using this as a stepping stone,” Mowry said. “This is where I want to be.”

Mowry takes over for Frank Whalen, who spent the last two years as the Knoch coach after taking over for King.

Whalen resigned in late October because of his work schedule.

Mowry almost immediately tossed his hat into the ring for the open position.

“I had to talk it over with my wife (Tori),” Mowry said. “She gets it. She's a nurse and we have a 4-year-old and our life's crazy, but once she gave the green light, I was a go.”

Mowry was celebrating Evan's fourth birthday Wednesday when he found out he was hired.

“It was a pretty special day,” Mowry said.

Mowry already had a lot of responsibility in the program as an assistant under Whalen.

“He let me do a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff,” Mowry said. “The budget, a lot of that stuff, so it won't be a big transition for me.”

And neither will the Knoch offense.

For the past two seasons under Whalen, the Knights have run the triple-option attack.

That won't change under Mowry, who is a big proponent of that offense.

“Indiana used to run it years ago and it gave us fits,” Mowry said. “It's a pain in the butt to play against and I think that benefits us.”

Mowry will have a wealth of talent returning next year, including running back Matt Goodlin.

Goodlin set the single-season Knoch rushing record last season with 1,443 yard.

The offensive line also returns it core.

The key will be getting off to a faster start.

Knoch started 0-3 in 2018 and finished 5-5. In 2017, the Knight began 1-4 before a strong late push to end the campaign at 4-5.

“That kind of hurt us because we'd lose on the tiebreakers,” Mowry said. “We're doing stuff in the winter here and we will work in the spring all the way through the summer. Our kids are good and they work hard. They're smart. We're also getting more and more comfortable with the offense.”

Mowry said the impact King and Whalen had on him, more than just in coaching, cannot be overlooked.

“Both guys are very passionate and did things in their own way,” Mowry said. “To follow in the steps of two of my mentors ... is extremely gratifying.”