COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Colerain athletic director Matt Stoinoff walked into his office Dec. 2 and noticed Carl Huber's coaching game plan sitting on his desk.
The Colerain head football coaching vacancy was posted early that Friday morning after former head coach Shawn Cutright announced the night before at the team banquet his intention to step down.
Stoinoff looked at Huber's plan and was immediately impressed with what the Colerain defensive coordinator proposed for the team, a high school program he grew up following since his days playing for the Little Cards youth organization.
"You know every coach has a plan, has a book," Stoinoff said Monday morning. "But, this one was different. It was detailed, pretty much from now until leading up to the season and during the season."
Huber, a Colerain assistant coach since 2015, will have an opportunity to implement that plan which includes the opportunity to help the team grow closer. The 30-year-old was named the Colerain head football coach early Monday afternoon.
"It's a great opportunity; I'm very excited," said Huber, a 2010 Northwest High School graduate. "I'm very thankful. Being a product of the Northwest Local School District this means a lot to me."
Huber, Colerain's dean of students, was one of more than 80 individuals who either applied or expressed interest in the head coaching vacancy, according to Stoinoff.
"What we looked for when you're talking 80 applicants all over the country - 15 big-name head coaches in the area - even people out of the country, it was interesting," Stoinoff said. "I created an outline. And in that outline it was very detailed of what we needed."
Stoinoff said Huber was the clear No. 1 choice for the school's search committee which spent five or six hours in discussion Jan. 5. Huber's vision was on display before school resumed this month, too.
"We spent two hours together at a restaurant during winter break," Stoinoff said. "And he wowed me. He has a plan and it is very, very impressive."
A handful of student-athletes and other family and friends were at the school auditorium in support of Huber on Monday. Huber was quick to point out that he wants to the focus on the student-athletes and the opportunities for their path to success.
"What we need is we need some energy back," Huber said. "We need some fun. We need some young blood. So we need some of the alumni to give back and come back and talk to the kids and tell them about the processes about when they leave and to trust the process now."
Huber's energy and the ability to connect with those on the team is certainly a strength according to those who know him well. Colerain junior defensive back Corey Myrick said Huber's energy is always evident before a game as the players get hyped before taking the field.
"He's just a great coach," Colerain junior tight end Ilia Gligorov said. "He pushes us to the most. He just means a lot to all of us. He just works us to the best we can. I don't know what else I can say. I'm speechless. I'm happy for him."
Huber played football and wrestled at Northwest before he continued his football career at Mount St. Joseph University and suffered a career-ending injury his freshman year. He enrolled in the United States Army Reserves and graduated from MSJ in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in education. He served six years in the reserves and finished as a sergeant.
Huber joined the Colerain High School staff as an intervention specialist and has been an assistant coach under former head coaches Tom Bolden, now at Lakota West, and Cutright.
Huber spoke at length about Colerain's tradition and the expectations for the football program every year.
"This program means a lot," Huber said. "Not just to me but to the kids that walk this building and to the community members. We live in an amazing community. We got so much support here and everybody rallies behind us."
Huber is expected to bring back some alumni to the coaching staff. Stoinoff can't wait for the anticipation of next season.
"We're going to have a young staff who is going to show you how to do it instead of tell you," Stoinoff said. "So we might have some coaches in the weight room banging weights with our kids. We're going to have coaches showing our running backs how to do it instead of just saying, 'Well you need to take two steps this way and come back.'"
Huber guided the Colerain wrestling program to the school's first Greater Miami Conference championship along with being named the conference and district coach of the year in 2022. He stepped down after last season and is the assistant wrestling coach this winter.
Outside of Colerain, Carl enjoys spending time with his wife, Sarah, and their daughter.
Colerain is scheduled to open the 2023 season at La Salle as part of a home-and-home contract between the two schools. Colerain (4-7 in 2022) has four consecutive postseason appearances.
