More than two dozen apply to be next Dover football coach
DOVER – It won’t be easy to replace a Hall of Fame football coach with 247 wins in 30 seasons at Dover High School. That isn’t stopping more than two dozen people from trying.
Superintendent Karie McCrate says 27 people have applied for the vacant head football coaching job at Dover.
McCrate expects to have a new coach by the end of January.
The School Board this week approved the resignations of 14 assistant and middle school football coaches. McCrate that is the standard practice to allow the new head coach to pick a staff. She would like to see the assistants return, calling them “a tremendous part of the program that’s been built in Dover.”
Dan Ifft in November announced his retirement from coaching and from the Dean of Students position at the high school. His Crimson Tornadoes had just made their 23rd state tournament appearance in his 30 seasons, winning playoff games against higher seeded teams Granville and Tri-Valley, before bowing out to Steubenville in the Sweet 16.
The Tornadoes will play in the Ohio Cardinal Conference in two seasons. A draft schedule on the district website shows matchups in 2025 with several OCC schools, including West Holmes, Ashland, Wooster, Mansfield Madison and rival New Philadelphia, along with games against Glen Oak, Steubenville and the Linsly School in West Virginia.