Football: New steps down as St. Viator's head coach

St. Viator will be looking for new football leadhership as Brandon New has announced his resignation as head coach.

New concludes a four-year run with an overall record of 17-22.

The Lions made the playoffs in the first and third years of his tenure.

They finished 5-5 in his first season, 2012, and qualified for the Class 6A postseason. The following season, St. Viator finished 5-4 but came up short of making the playoffs.

In 2014, the Lions were 5-4 in the regular season, but this time had the requisite playoff points and picked up a Class 5A postseason win before bowing out in the second round.

And then this fall was a struggle, as St. Viator beat Deerfield in Week 2 but fell short in its other games to finish 1-8.

"I've been doing this 17 years," said New, "and this year was just very frustrating. I don't know if we should have been a playoff team, but I don't think we really should have been 1-8, either.

"Anyway, to me there's not much difference between being 1-8, 4-5, or 5-4 and still missing the playoffs. Week 10, that's what you play for - another week to be together as a football family."

New's own more immediate family will be his focus for now, as he and his wife attend to a 7-month-old daughter. That will not preclude New from eventually following other opportunities in coaching.

He said he feels good about the state of St. Viator football, citing the sophomore team's 6-3 record and the freshman team's 8-1 mark.

"I just felt like it was time," New said. "I still love it - I love being able to make a difference for the kids, in football but also as a role model in life. It's not all about wins and losses, it's also about the relationships you can build."