Former Albany High, Lansingburgh and Catholic Central head coach Pete Porcelli has joined the coaching staff of Troy's Fighting Irish football team. Porcelli is seen here during an August 2009 practice at Albany High. (Photo by Tom Killips - The Record).

We received an email today from Ryan Job, Vice President of Troy's Fighting Irish, a semi-pro football team based in the Collar City.

Among the Irish's coaches this year will be offensive coordinator Pete Porcelli, who spent 2009 as the head coach at Albany High.

The team's first home game is set for June 26th.

I've pasted in the press release below, so all sics apply.

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Troy’s Fighting Irish Fill Coaching Staff, Seek League Title

April 5, 2010

By: Matt Bathrick – TFI Staff Writer

Troy’s Fighting Irish, a semi-pro team of the Northeastern Football Alliance, now have a full coaching staff for the first time since being established in 2007. The crew of ten coaches features five returning from last year’s staff, including new head coach Manny Everett. Everett, who played high school football at La Salle, spent last season assisting on offense for the Fighting Irish. After being named head coach during the off-season, he made it a priority to assemble a full cast of coaches for this season. He believes he has the right staff in place to move the team in the right direction.

“This year we should win this league,” Everett said. “We have every opportunity in front of us, starting with the coaching staff to the rest of the guys coming in.”

The key to success, according to Coach Everett, is that everybody on every level of the team is doing what they are supposed to do. “Managers manage, coaches coach, and players play,” he said. “That’s how it goes. All the players know that. That’s our motto this year.” Everett also is a firm believer in organization and structure, another reason he saw the importance of a full coaching staff.

The new head coach will have the support of two assistant head coaches – Shane Deichman on offense and O’Neil Keels on defense. Deichman, who played football in High School, assisted the Fighting Irish on offense last year. He says he is very excited about this season because of the group of people that has been put together. “We have a lot of great people involved in this organization,” he said. “I think we’re going to have a phenomenal football year.”

O’Neil Keels coached Pop Warner and high school football before joining the Fighting Irish as an assistant three years ago. He says he likes the direction this organization is headed. “I think we have a very good shot of winning the whole thing this year,” he said. “We have good coaches, different coaches, where one coach is not totally responsible for everything. I think we have a good variety of coaches this year.”

Carmine Casale is returning as the defensive coordinator from last year. The former four-year letter winner from Troy High School looks to bring a physical, pressure-heavy defense this season. “There are a lot of similarities to last year, but yet there are a lot of differences,” Casale said. “I’m really excited about the returning stars that we have from last year.”

There are three assistant coaches on defense – Scott Bennett, Bill Osterhout, and Joe McSweeney. Bennett, who says he’s coached football “ever since my son could strap on pads”, has coached at the high school level, most recently at Lansingburgh and Albany High. He says that what he expects of the defense is “to play hard constantly, give 110%, 110% of the time.”

Assistant defensive coach Bill Osterhout coached for ten years at the Pop Warner and high school levels, and says he has a Buddy Ryan style to bring to the team. “Play hard, play fast, and play nasty,” Osterhout said. “And don’t give up any points.”

Joe McSweeney worked with the offensive line last year, but will be working with the other side of the line this year on defense. The former Lansingburgh player believes Troy should have a good defense this year and that this season will be beneficial to the region. “We have a lot of local kids coming in here and it’s going to be a good thing for the area,” he said.

Pete Porcelli will be the new offensive coordinator for the Fighting Irish this year, and there is much excitement about his arrival. The former Arena Football League player has had success coaching high school football, including having a 67-19 record at Lansingburgh and going to the state championship in 2007. He says that though his style of offense may be different than others, he has confidence that it can work at Troy. “I’ve had a lot of success running the football,” he said. “So if we’ve got some backs that can run, and the linemen go where they’re supposed to go, I think we’ll be in the game.”

Assisting on offense will be Kashon Holmes and Adam Leibowitz. Leibowitz played and coached football in Canada. He says he is a coach who likes to focus on details, and getting the most out of players. “I like to work them hard,” he said. “No lack of confidence.”

Holmes coached under Porcelli at the high school level since 2002 and believes that the new offensive coordinator’s system is difficult to stop if the players “believe in what he does and then executes.” Holmes says, “Our style of offense is basically to be a disciplined unit and execute together. It has to be an 11-man unit.”

With a full coaching staff in place, Troy’s Fighting Irish are looking ahead with high expectations. They look to improve upon a 2009 season that went 6-7, including a 32-0 loss in the first round of the playoffs. The disappointing end to last year leaves the team eager for the season opener on June 12 against the Delaware County Rattlers.

What needed the most improvement from last year? “Communication,” said Coach Everett. “If the players play, and with communication, that equals teamwork in my eyes. Without those two, we can’t get anywhere as an organization or a team. And it starts with me.”

Everett believes he has excellent coaches around him on both offense and defense, and says the team’s first league title is their next step. The coaching staff agrees that there is reason to be excited about the team this season. “We need people to come out and support us and believe in the staff we have,” Everett said.

“We have everything in place this year.” He added, “People should be watching.”