New grid coach Cuthbert looks to turn Wissahickon around
Wissahickon has had a revolving door of head football coaches recently. So Randy Cuthbert, who is the program's fourth boss in the last six years, is looking to build stability.
Wissahickon has had a revolving door of head football coaches recently. So Randy Cuthbert, who is the program's fourth boss in the last six years, is looking to build stability.
"It's sorely needed," said the 46-year-old, who will double as the school's athletic director. "I'm excited about the opportunity here. There's a ton of potential."
Cuthbert certainly has the experience needed to gradually place the Trojans, who last season went 1-9 overall and 0-7 in the Suburban One League American Conference, on the winning track.
The Chalfont native never lost a game while starring at several positions at Central Bucks West under coach Mike Pettine in the mid-1980s. As a 6-foot-2, 225-pound running back at Duke, he gained 2,790 career yards on the ground.
Cuthbert went on to play for two seasons in the NFL with the Steelers. His pro career was cut short in part because of knee injuries and concussions.
Cuthbert was in charge at C.B. West from 2001 to 2004. In 2004, the Bucks went 9-2 and captured the Suburban One American Conference title.
He left his alma mater to coach at Pennridge, where he compiled a 55-43 record and won a Suburban One Continental Conference crown (2012) in eight seasons. He was at District 11's Emmaus, outside of Allentown, the last three years.
Last season, Cuthbert guided the Green Hornets to a 7-5 record and top honors in the Eastern Conference.
"It was a great league, a lot of really good teams," he said.
At Wissahickon, where he started last Monday, Cuthbert has to be a steadying presence for a football squad that was in tatters last season.
In September, Paul Noon, who came over from Valley Forge Military Academy to lead the Trojans, and an assistant coach were suspended for alleged inappropriate comments to a player.
That did not keep Cuthbert, who taught AP statistics at Emmaus, from signing up for his fourth head coaching job. He said he also wanted the chance to be an athletic director again. He served in that role for two years at Pennridge.
Near the top of his to-do list as AD is refurbishing the weight room. "We're going to knock down a wall to make more space and also bring in new equipment," he said. "The equipment is kind of outdated."
Cuthbert, who is taking online classes to earn a doctoral degree in education and sports administration, enjoys watching his boys, Ryan, 17, and Kyle, 14, play sports at Pennridge. His immediate family also includes his wife, Jessie, and stepdaughter, Kylie, 10.
Ryan, a 6-1, 185-pound junior at Pennridge, has shined as a receiver and cornerback in football and a guard in basketball. "He's coming into his own," Randy Cuthbert said. "It's great to see."
Extra points. Prep Charter's Karamo Dioubate, a 6-4, 280-pound defensive end, returned home Saturday after taking official visits to Michigan State and South Carolina. Temple is the other school in the running for the lineman's services. . . . Bishop Shanahan defensive lineman Doug Costin committed to Miami of Ohio on Friday. The 6-3, 255-pounder had first pledged to Villanova. . . . Downingtown East tight end Cary Angeline, a USC recruit, will play for the U.S. under-19 national team against Canada in the International Bowl at 3 p.m. Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game will be shown on ESPN3. . . . Imhotep Charter sophomore two-way back Isheem Young has scholarship offers from North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Temple, and Wisconsin. Panthers teammate Yasir Durant, a 6-5, 340-pound offensive lineman, committed to San Diego State on Wednesday. . . . Neshaminy defensive end Harmon Yalartai and two-way back Denzel Hughes will play at Bloomsburg. . . . La Salle offensive lineman Jimmy Morrissey will be a preferred walk-on at Pittsburgh.
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