Football: Rob Dahl Steps Down as Brick Head Coach

Brick's Rob Dahl, who led the Green Dragons to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV title in 2013 and the Class A South crown and another playoff berth in 2014, said Thursday that he has decided to step down after four seasons for family reasons.

"I'm just looking to spend more time with family,'' Dahl said. "The goal was to put Brick Township football back on the map where coach (Warren) Wolf put it, and I feel we did that as a coaching staff. I'm very proud of the boys and the coaches, but this is a time when my family needs me, and I can't let it go on any more.''

Dahl, a Brick graduate who played for the legendary Wolf, led the Green Dragons to their first state title since 1994 in 2013 with a 26-15 win over Colts Neck that capped a 9-3 season. This past fall, the Green Dragons finished 9-2 and won their first division title since 2008 while reaching the Central Jersey Group IV semifinals. Brick went 27-16 in his four seasons at the helm, which came after the turbulent two-year tenure of Wolf's successor, Pat Dowling.

Dahl's departure creates the only opening in the Shore Conference right now, as all the other offseason vacancies have been filled. The Green Dragons will graduate an outstanding senior class led by two-time All-Shore first-team quarterback Carmen Sclafani, defensive back Ja'Quez Johnson, linebacker James Juliano and lineman Chris Kimbiz, but do return several talented players, including SSN second-team All-Shore wide receiver Ja'Sir Taylor and defensive lineman Dan Finelli.

"Coach Dahl was the greatest thing to happen to this program,'' said Sclafani, who played his last two years at Brick after transferring from Toms River North. "He wasn't just a coach, he was a father to all of us. He brought the best out in all of us, and he got all of us to play with heart.

"I could say a bunch of other things he taught us and sayings of his, but what is important is that he is living by the morals he always taught us. His family needs him. He was the heart and soul of the program, and will always be. You don't know how much we love that man."