New Carlynton coach Piccinini emphasizes clean slate

By: Nathan Smith
Wednesday, February 27, 2019 | 1:30 AM

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The Carlynton football program is starting a new era in 2019.

Rich Piccinini will take over as the Cougars coach this season. While the team has struggled recently, Piccinini knows what Carlynton can be.

He was the team’s offensive coordinator in 2001, the last time the team made the WPIAL playoffs.

“Some of the guys I coached then are now teaching in the school,” Piccinini said. “The area has a good football culture. There are a lot of tough players. But the enthusiasm needs to come back.

“I think the community wants be excited and involved with the football program.”

Piccinini has been coaching in Western Pennsylvania for more than 25 years. At the high school level, he has severed as an assistant coach at numerous schools. His resume includes stops at Keystone Oaks, Sto-Rox, Upper St. Clair and Seneca Valley.

He also had stints as a head coach with North Catholic (2003-05) and Peters Township (2011-15).

“I have picked up bits and pieces from everywhere I have coached,” Piccinini said. “I have coached at big schools and little schools. But football is football. Players all have the same goal. They want to win and play at the next level.”

He most recently completed a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Washington & Jefferson.

“It was a great experience,” Piccinini said. “I always wanted to give college football a try. Mike (Sirianni) is one of the best small-college coaches around, and his record proves it. All the assistants are great guys. At W&J, I learned a lot of things. I learned about running a program.

“But I wanted to get back to Friday night lights. It is an atmosphere I love.”

Piccinini played in high school at Keystone Oaks as a quarterback and defensive end. He was a defensive lineman for Duquesne. Piccinini said one of his main priorities is to help give his players a chance to play at the next level.

“One of my main jobs that I have excelled at is helping get guys into college,” Piccinini said. “I have a lot of college contacts. You need to have a good pipeline to help get your kids into a good college.”

Piccinini replaces Scott Yoder, who went 4-34 during his tenure.

Carlynton has gone 2-16 over the previous two seasons. The team has been combating youth over the span: The Cougars had only 12 seniors on the roster during the span.

The team should have experience on its side in 2019 and is set to return several multi-year starters. This includes seniors such as running back/linebacker Dallas Paolino, running back/linebacker Kaydin Mulkerrin, lineman Jackie Peterson and running back/safety Brandon Jones.

Piccinini recently had his first meeting with the players. The message was simple: change.

“We talked about how we want to do things,” Piccinini said. “We talked about our workouts and how to do them and the schemes we are going to run. I have been there before and want to bring it back to when Carlynton had some really good teams.

“On the same note, I want them to forget about the past. This is a whole new era. We want to respect the past but start something new.”

Tags: Carlynton