SLIPPERY ROCK — Come the new year, George Mihalik will be looking for a new offensive coordinator.

That’s something Slippery Rock University’s longtime head coach has never had to do.

Vic Campagna, SRU’s offensive coordinator in each of Mihalik’s 24 years at the helm, has announced his retirement. The move takes effect Jan. 1, 2012.

“I just feel like it’s time,” Campagna, 62, said. “I’m not sure how I’m going to handle it or even what I’m going to do.

“I don’t hunt. I don’t fish. Maybe I’ll miss coaching so much that I’ll be back in a year. Who knows?”

Campagna retired as a teacher at SRU four years ago. Mihalik and he have been on The Rock coaching staff together for 31 years, something almost unheard of in college football.

“I never desired to even look for a job elsewhere,” Campagna said. “I taught for 25 years at SRU and I’ve relished my time here.”

Mihalik said Campagna told him in the preseason that this might be his final year of coaching.

“I’ve known about this for a while, but it really hit home when Vic gave me his letter of resignation,” Mihalik said. “That was a pretty emotional time for both of us.

“I mean, 31 years ... Most marriages don’t last that long. We’ve gone through weddings together, children being born, deaths of parents. It’s way beyond football for us. It’s a life-long relationship.”

Mihalik described Campagna as “my associate head coach, my right-hand man.” Campagna handled plenty of administrative duties behind the scenes and was in Altoona earlier this week on a recruiting trip.

“He never officially had the title of associate head coach, but that’s what he was. His loyalty has been amazing,” Mihalik said. “I owe him a big public thank you for all he’s done.”

Campagna served as offensive coordinator through SRU’s run of four consecutive PSAC West titles from 1997-2000 and for the team’s co-division championship this season.

Campagna has been coaching football for 41 years. He coached at Portage High School for 10 years, the final five as head coach.

“That’s two-thirds of my life,” he said of his coaching career. “Retiring will be a major adjustment for me. I’m just going to take it day by day.

“My memories go back to my experiences with all of these coaches, the friendships we’ve made. Seeing outstanding groups of young men come in here, grow, mature and move on has been a real privilege.”

Paul Lueken, SRU’s director of athletics, described Campagna as a “true teacher and mentor to all of us.”

Campagna was Lueken’s first contact at the university when the latter was named athletic director.

“His love for the school and our student athletes, his loyalty, hard work and dedication, doing what was right always ... I’m gonna miss the heck out of the guy,” Lueken said. “He’s one of the good ones.”

The other four assistant coaches on the offensive side of the ball for The Rock — Bill Horsman, Joe Walton, Harry Jones and Phil Longo — are all part-time coaches.

Because the offensive coordinator is a fulltime position, Campagna’s replacement will likely be hired from outside the current staff.

“We’re going to organize a search and get somebody on board by the first of February, if we can,” Lueken said. “George will have plenty of input into that move.”

“Vic and I knew what each other was thinking practically all of the time,” Mihalik said. “We had a tremendous working relationship.

“Our friendship, of course, will go on. But next year will have a different feel to it, that’s for sure.”