FB: Warren Central names former mentor Tutsie as interim coach

By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor

Former Warren Central football coach Steve Tutsie has been named interim coach for the 2012 season after the departure of John Hart to a suburban Chicago school this spring.

The decision was announced May 31 by Warren Central athletic director Marques Clayton, who told indystar.com that he was “100 percent comfortable going with coach Tutsie (the Warriors’ coach in 2006 and 2007 who went 23-4 with an undefeated Class 5A state title season in ‘06) through this season and possibly beyond.”

For his part, Tutsie – a former standout wrestler at Decatur Central – told indystar.com his focus in the fall would be only on this particular season, the program’s 225 football players, the Warren support staff, and school administrators.

“The only place I've ever wanted to be is Warren Central, and the only job I've wanted to do is be the head football coach at Warren Central. This is a special place.”

Warren Central achieved national-ranking recognition a year ago in winning its first 11 games before falling 34-30 in its 5A sectional to eventual state champion Carmel – where former Warriors coach Kevin Wright is now the man in charge on the sidelines. The 46-year-old Tutsie had joined Wright's staff at the far-eastside Indianapolis school as defensive coordinator in 2001, and Hart OK’d him to stay on as an assistant so he could coach his son in youth football.

Hart resigned in April after citing irreconcilable differences with the principal, ending up in the northwestern Chicago suburbs at Huntley.

Another candidate was offered the Warren Central job two weeks ago, Clayton told indystar.com, but pulled his name out late in the process. Still, the Tutsie hiring makes sense to running back Shaquille Breeding, who will be a senior this fall.

“I've never known anyone that has had a problem with coach Tutsie, and he's helped everybody," Breeding told indystar.com. “He's got my back 100 percent. I'll fight with him any day.”