Published: July 14, 2009 11:51 pm      

Penna Jr. faces numbers game as Ferndale coach

Tony Penna Jr. will spend plenty of time on the X’s and O’s once he begins his first camp as head coach at Ferndale High School next month.

Until then, the new Yellow Jackets coach will focus on a challenge that has faced the small Class A school for many years.

“The No. 1 priority is getting the kids out,” said Penna, who was hired as Ferndale’s athletic director, football coach and safe schools coordinator during a Monday board meeting. “I’m going to be in the school. I think that will give me an advantage that (former coach) Joe (Arcurio) didn’t have. I think that’s really important to running this program. I think that will help our numbers.”

Arcurio resigned last month.

The Jackets struggled through an injury-riddled 1-9 season as opponents outscored Ferndale by a combined 459-77 count last fall. The Jackets were 2-7 in 2007.

“I’m really humbled by the whole opportunity,” said Penna, whose father, Tony Sr., will join his staff as defensive coordinator. Penna Sr. has been athletic director at Johnstown and has assisted the Trojans staff.

Penna Jr. has been Johnstown High’s offensive coordinator the past four years and has been on the Trojans staff for eight seasons, including his time under former coach Bob Arcurio and current coach Kevin Marabito. Penna also spent seven seasons with the former Johnstown Vo-Tech program then coached by his father.

“It was hard for me to leave Johnstown,” Penna Jr. said. “Bob Arcurio and the board gave me so many opportunities there. Kevin Marabito was great throughout the whole process. He helped me out a lot.

“This is a chance for me to go back to where I’m from,” added Penna Jr., who attended Ferndale High as a freshman before finishing his high school career at Johnstown Vo-Tech, where his father taught and coached. “I’m familiar with the community and the pride in the program at Ferndale.

“But I became very close to the kids in Johnstown. It wasn’t a decision I came to easily. I’m excited to get started, though.”

Penna Jr.’s football resume also includes his season as head coach of the Johnstown Riverhawks professional indoor football team. He played at St. Francis University.

“I’m going to take a lot of the concepts I’ve used at Johnstown and incorporate them,” said Penna who will turn 35 on Saturday. “We’re going to be very multiple on offense; multiple formations, multiple sets. I believe in (using the) spread to run. My dad is going to run the defense. He’s coached against a lot of these guys for a lot of years. That will put me at a great advantage. We’ll be multiple on defense as well.”