Don Horkey | Special to The Michigan Catholic

Bloomfield Hills — Brother Rice’s three-month search for a successor to renowned football coach Al Fracassa ended right along its own gridiron sidelines.

Dave Sofran, Fracassa’s longest-serving assistant coach, was named head football coach Jan. 24.

“I’m so happy he is getting this opportunity, and I’m sure he’ll be successful,” Fracassa said during an interview. “He’s one of my boys.”

Sofran, 35 — a  year younger than Fracassa was when he came to Brother Rice in 1969 —  graduated from Rice in 1996. He was a two-time all-state player for Fracassa as a standout quarterback, wide receiver and safety. He played football for four years at Northeastern University in Boston, where he started 44 consecutive games and was team co-captain.

He returned to Brother Rice after graduation in 2000 as the school’s first-ever alumni coordinator (currently, the director of admissions) and joined Fracassa’s staff as receivers and special teams coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2011 and assistant head coach in 2012.

In the last three years, he guided the Warriors’ offense in winning back-to-back-to-back Division 2 state football championships.

Expressing his gratitude for the “tremendous honor” of succeeding his “good friend and mentor,” Sofran said Fracassa has “taught me that caring for the people you coach and their success in life is more important than just winning. If we do things the right way and make sure that these boys become more complete men, the winning will come.”

Similar sentiments were echoed by other school officials.

“We had to make sure that we found someone who would not just demand excellence on the field, but would encourage excellence in the classroom, promote leadership in their communities and inspire them to be men of faith,“ said John Birney, the school’s president.

Bro. Michael Segvich, CFC, its principal, agreed. “I’m sure that the demands he puts on the students to compete off the field and in the classroom will continue in his new role.”

Athletic Director Regis Cavender added that while success on the field was important, success off the field was more important.

“We wanted to find a coach that understood the demands of the program’s success, but didn’t put winning over our mission of faith and character,” he said. “Dave has demonstrated this in the past and we know he will continue to be a leader in this school and a successful coach.”