Holy Family, Coon Rapids hire new football coaches; Ryan Stockhaus resigns from head position at Osseo

The multiple head coaching changes at Cretin-Derham Hall this year might have generated the biggest headline of the football offseason, but changes at two Metro North conference schools and a private school should also be noted.

In January, Holy Family announced coach Dan O’Brien was stepping down “to pursue opportunities that will allow him to spend more time with his family.”

In late February, the school announced it hired Connor Wilkie as its new coach. The Fire finished the 2024 season 8-3.

Wilkie is an Andover graduate and the son of former Andover coach Rich Wilkie. He was a wide receiver at Southwest Minnesota State and was previously an assistant coach at Augsburg.

Hall of Fame coaches Dave Nelson and Jeff Ferguson, who went to Holy Family when O’Brien took the job, will remain on Wilkie’s staff.

“This program has made remarkable strides over the past two seasons, going from a rebuilding phase to a true contender,” Wilkie said in a statement when the school announced the hire. “My focus is on sustaining that progress by emphasizing discipline, relentless effort, and a team-first mentality. We have a strong foundation, and I’m eager to work with these athletes and coaches to push our program even further.”

Elsewhere, Coon Rapids, which finished 0-9 last season, hired former Andover assistant coach Chase Vasquez as its new coach, replacing Nick Rusin, who had the job since 2019.

Vasquez is a former player at Andover who played in college at St. John’s and Minnesota Duluth. He was an assistant coach at Andover in various roles since 2016. He is also a special education teacher and an a substitute teacher in the Anoka-Ramsey school district.

Meanwhile, Ryan Stockhaus, who has been the coach at Osseo since 2016, has stepped away from coaching to pursue his education administrative license.

“I’m working into more of a leadership role in our building,” Stockhaus told the Minnesota Star Tribune. He said the move gives him a greater opportunity to spend time with his children. “It’s been a great run here and it was a difficult decision, however the timing was right.”

Osseo finished the 2024 season 2-7.

Elk River’s Steve Hamilton was named Minnesota Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year at their annual Hall of Fame banquet Saturday.

Hamilton, who has coached the Elks since 2011, led the team to a 12-1 record and the Class 5A championship last November with a 33-24 victory over Alexandria in the championship game.

Hamilton has compiled a 112-44 record at Elk River and guided the program to seven state tournament appearances and state championships in 2016, 2022 and 2024.

The Football Film Federation is holding a sports technology convention with a football focus April 26-27 at the Cambria Hotel at the Mall of America.

The intent is to teach technology to all who wish to learn the skills to help a high school or college program, including hockey.

“While we have a football focus, it’s open to anyone considering helping a school or college,” said Chad Oslund of the Football Film Federation. “It’s an opportunity to teach the details of all forms of sports technology. Cameras, headsets, drones, Ipads and software.”