ROCHELLE — Kyle Kissack has patiently waited for his opportunity to lead the Rochelle Township High School varsity football team. And after recently completing his 10th year as an assistant coach, Kissack will finally receive the chance to put his stamp on the historic program.

The Rochelle School District 212 Board of Education announced at its meeting Monday evening that Kissack will become the next head football coach for Rochelle. Kissack will be replacing current head coach and athletic director Kevin Crandall, who is scheduled to retire after the 2017-18 school year. Crandall has coached the Hubs for 24 years while compiling 201 victories and leading Rochelle to 18 postseason appearances.

“It’s an honor to be entrusted with the tradition of Rochelle football,” Kissack said. “It’s a humbling honor as well… This is something that has been a huge part of my life for a long time, so my family and I are honored to go to work for all the kids who call Rochelle football theirs, and for the past alumni who wore the Rochelle helmet proudly.”

Kissack’s coaching career began at Sullivan High School, where he worked as an assistant varsity coach and head junior varsity coach before moving back to Rochelle with his wife and his first-born daughter Bryn. The former Hub quarterback joined the Rochelle football staff in 2007, and he’s coached the defensive line, the offensive line, the outside linebackers and the running backs in addition to special teams during his tenure with the Hubs.

“I’m excited for him,” Crandall said. “He has strong roots in the program and I’m sure he’ll do an outstanding job. He’s honest, he works hard and he’s very thorough. I know he’ll have the kids prepared, and he has a passion for the game. I wish him all the luck in the world.”

Kissack was also head coach of the Rochelle sophomore football team that won the Northern Illinois Big 12 West title in 2016 before moving up to serve as Crandall’s varsity defensive coordinator during the 2017 season. Kissack said that working in different areas of the program has allowed him to develop his coaching skills.

“I’ve wore a lot of different hats in the program,” Kissack said. “I think it’s important for any coach to develop all of his or her skills. When you put all of your effort into developing one skill, you miss out on being a well-rounded coach, and I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Kevin over the last 10 years. He’s given me opportunities and put me in different spots to learn and grow, and I’m extremely thankful.”

Kissack played four years of football at Rochelle from 1995 to 1998 before graduating RTHS in 1999. He was the starting quarterback for the Hubs when they reached the state semifinals in 1998, and he earned a scholarship at Eastern Illinois University after walking on to play quarterback for the Panthers. He played his last college season in 2002 before graduating in December of 2003.

“The lessons you learn as a young high school player matter, and a lot of the lessons I learned led to earning that scholarship,” Kissack said. “Kevin’s influence on my life will remain long after he coached his last game, and for that I’m extremely grateful. I fondly reflect on our time spent together when I was a player at Rochelle, and I learned a lot of valuable lessons from him growing up.”

Even though there will be a new man heading the Rochelle football program in 2018, Kissack said he will look to build upon the long-standing tradition created long before his appointment as head coach. He also said he’ll look to be creative at the position while maintaining many of the traits that make Rochelle football successful.

“We’re going to build on the foundation of what Rochelle football is,” he said. “What we have as a community is very solid, and it’s our responsibility to grow that tradition and build on that. Moving forward, we’re going to make some adjustments on the inside that will produce some different looks on the outside… We have a plan moving forward, and we’re excited about where that plan will take us.”