Chamberlain shuffles football coaching staff

Posted Sep 24, 2011 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Sep 24, 2011 at 06:04 PM

Four weeks into the regular season and Chamberlain has made changes to its coaching staff.

Defensive coordinator Danny Persaud resigned at the request of head coach Joe Severino and has been replaced by offensive line coach Richard “Batman” Wood.

Wood, who coached Wharton for five seasons, leading them to the Class 5A championship game in 2002, was a Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker from 1976-84 and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

“It wasn’t about (Friday) night, it’s just bad timing,” Severino said. “It’s just stuff I had been considering for a while and I just couldn’t let it go on any longer.”

The team will stick with its 4-3 base defense adding a few tweaks.

Friday night’s issues was with the offense. Chamberlain (0-3, 0-1) dropped a Class 7A-District 7 matchup to Tampa Bay Tech, 38-14, turning the ball over eight times. The Chiefs were hit with numerous penalties, including one that called back a touchdown run which would have given Chamberlain a 21-7 advantage.

Wood will turn his attention to the defensive line, while offensive coordinator Jim Gee will take over as the offensive line coach.

Meanwhile, Severino said the changes will make the team and coaches more cohesive.

“I told them, hey, we have plenty of opportunities left,” Severino said of his talk to the team Saturday morning. “We have four district games and we’re capable of winning all of them and winning some of our other non-district games. We still have a lot of season left.”

Also, Chiefs RB Xavier Johnson had to leave Friday night’s game in the second quarter due to severe cramping. He received fluids intravenously on the sideline at Billy Turner Field and a second at St. Joseph’s Hospital. According to Severino, Johnson was due to receive a third fluid treatment Saturday following a team film session.

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