2-time state champion Joe Rossi resigns as South Fayette football coach

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, November 1, 2023 | 4:40 PM

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Joe Rossi says his wife, Karley, should teach a course for coaches’ wives. The Rossis have four kids, they’re all involved in sports, and he was often busy as South Fayette’s football coach.

“I’m watching her try to drive to Jersey on a Friday, come back on Saturday, drive the girls to lacrosse and soccer. It takes a toll, but she’d never have it any other way,” said Rossi, who has decided it’s time for him to focus more on family.

One of the WPIAL’s most-successful coaches is resigning after 22 seasons, including the past 17 with South Fayette, where he won four WPIAL titles and two state championships.

Rossi said he knew this was the right time, especially after seeing his son, Charley, play his first college snaps for Princeton last weekend. Rossi watched the game online from home but intends to see his son and three daughters, Julianna, Adelynn and Silvi, play sports in person more often nowadays.

His announcement on social media included photos with his children.

“Time for me to sit in the stands and be a football parent, a travel soccer dad, learn the game of lacrosse and watch another spread her wings in college,” Rossi wrote on X. “Most importantly, be a husband to the lady who let me live my dream for 26 years!”

The 48-year-old said this isn’t his retirement from coaching and predicted he’d someday be on a football sideline again somewhere.

His career record is 185-67.

After five seasons as Riverview’s coach, Rossi was hired in 2007 at South Fayette, where he won 159 games and celebrated WPIAL titles in 2010, ’13, ’14 and ’18. He also led the Lions to the state finals three times, winning consecutive PIAA titles in 2013-14.

It was a golden era for South Fayette football, which hadn’t won a WPIAL title since 1964.

“I’m super proud of those guys,” Rossi said. “It’s hard to win a state championship.”

The most remarkable win of Rossi’s tenure came in the 2013 state finals over Philadelphia power Imhotep Charter. South Fayette won, 41-0, against a team loaded with individual talent, including current Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore.

Rossi’s team was a heavy underdog but confidently pulled off one of the most lopsided wins in state championship history. Rossi said one of his favorite pregame memories from that day was offensive coordinator Andrew DiDonato asking how many points they’d need to win, and defensive line coach Tim Sohyda answering three.

“It held true,” Rossi said.

He was named the TribLive HSSN Coach of the Decade in 2020.

Two of his top quarterbacks, brothers Brett and Christian Brumbaugh, still rank among all-time passing leaders in WPIAL history. Brett Brumbaugh holds the WPIAL record with 11,084 career yards.

South Fayette finished this season 4-6 overall and 1-4 in the Allegheny Six.

As the school district grew, the team moved up three classifications in Rossi’s tenure, reaching Class 5A in 2020. The Lions won WPIAL titles at 2A and 4A.

Rossi is hoping to see his family win another WPIAL title this week. His oldest daughter, Julianna, is a senior and top scorer for a South Fayette soccer team that’s playing in the WPIAL finals on Saturday.

“She’s leading the team in goals,” Rossi said, “and I’m so excited for her.”

Thank You South Fayette! ????????
Time for me to sit in the stands and be a football parent, a travel soccer dad, learn the game of lacrosse and watch another spread her wings in college. Most importantly, be a husband to the lady who let me live my dream for 26 years! #AllHeart???????? pic.twitter.com/JVkbAeCLUi

— South Fayette Football (@rossisfcoach) November 1, 2023

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: South Fayette