Knoch Head Coach Brendan Mowry.

JEFFERSON TWP — After three seasons, Brandon Mowry is out as head football coach at Knoch High School.

The 2002 Knoch graduate was 8-19 during that time, but only 2-15 over the past two years.

“Naturally, I was upset when I first got the news,” Mowry said. “Things didn't go well for us last year (2020) in the COVID season, but there was a lot of craziness there.

“I thought we made some strides this year, though we didn't accomplish the goals we set out to do.”

Mowry was an assistant coach with the Knights for 15 years before taking over as head coach after Frank Whalen resigned following the 2018 season.

Knoch athletic director Kurt Reiser said the opening was posted Wednesday and there is no strict timetable for the hiring of a new coach.

“It's an important position and we want to make sure we get the right person,” Reiser said. “We're hoping to get a good response and if we do, we could start interviewing in December.

“By January, maybe February, we can have a recommendation to the board. But we're not operating under any such deadline or anything.”

Graduating with a sports management degree from Slippery Rock University, Mowry needed to give 2,000 volunteer hours of work as part of that major.

“I waited until my junior year and figured I'd better get moving on that,” he said. “I contacted “(then Knoch head coach) Mike King and expressed interest in joining his staff as a volunteer coach.

“Everything kinda took off from there.”

Mowry was a backup lineman for the Knights during his high school years and played for King.

He was a volunteer assistant for four years before becoming a permanent member of King's staff. He was on Knoch's staff when the Knights reached the WPIAL quarterfinals in 2007 and when the team went to Heinz Field for the WPIAL title game in 2011.

“Brandon's a good person. We thank him for his three years as head coach and all those years as an assistant,” Reiser said. “It's always difficult changing coaches — especially one who has been around as long as him — and this is nothing against him.

“We just feel like the program needs to go in a new direction.”

Knoch has not made the WPIAL playoffs since 2014. The program will drop down to Class 3A in the WPIAL next year.

“That will be a good thing for Knoch football,” Mowry said. “I wish I could be along for that, but I had a good ride here. I got to work with great kids and I'm grateful for that.”