He might be a Southsider, but 29-year-old Dan Harris already feels at home at Scecina

INDIANAPOLIS -- One of Dan Harris’ first priorities after he was hired as the football coach at Scecina was to make a connection to the past. Where else to start but to call Ott Hurrle, who retired in March after 32 seasons as head coach and nearly five decades on the Scecina staff.

The bridge was formed, from Scecina football past to present, over a two-hour lunch at Jockamo Pizza on the Eastside. “He was very supportive and open and honest about the warts and also the huge potential for success at Scecina,” Harris said of Hurrle, who led the program to two state championships, 12 sectional titles, eight regional championships and a 229-151 record during his coaching career.

Establishing that relationship was, and is, important to the 29-year-old Harris, an outsider, a Southsider from Roncalli. Hurrle very much wants to remain in the background and allow Harris to mold the program to his own shape. But just because Hurrle is retired does not mean he forgot anything about football.

Indiana high school football: Ott Hurrle retiring as Scecina football coach: 'I had a good, enjoyable 50 years'

“He’s on Hudl looking at film, doing 40, 50 minutes, an hour,” Harris said. “I make sure I text him updates and he’ll ask about certain kids. He wants to be around, just on the edges. I said, ‘Hey coach, you can be out here any time.’ But he kind of wants to leave it to me and put my imprint on it.”

You do not have to look far to find more than changes at head coach around the Scecina program. A new turf football field on the northwest corner of the campus allows the football team to practice on site instead of loading up in multiple vehicles and practicing at an elementary school as the team did a year ago with ongoing construction at Scecina.

“It’s been amazing not having to take five people in my car every day to practice,” said senior offensive lineman Noah Stuczynski, a Class 2A Junior All-State selection last year by the Indiana Football Coaches Association. “I’m not wasting gas, so my parents are definitely happier, too. It’s better to have those resources right on our campus.”

It is a little different vibe, too, according to the players. Harris describes his coaching personality as “a little bit goofy.” He allows music to be played during practice and likes to have fun in the weight room. Players did not know how to react at first.

“Coach Hurrle has his imprint everywhere here,” Harris said. “Kids are very disciplined, and they know how to work hard. But I’m young and dumb, so I like to make sure we’re having fun. I think the kids are starting to realize it’s OK to be goofy and have fun and hoot and holler – have some juice. It’s been a work on progress, but I think they are having fun but also working hard. It’s been a tough balance, but I think we finally hit it.”

After back-to-back 10-win seasons and a Class 2A semistate appearance in 2021, Scecina lost five of its final six games last season to finish 5-5. The Crusaders have a small senior class of just nine players but do bring back all-stater Stuczynski and senior Henry Weimer on the offensive line, junior running back Eric Montgomery (536 rushing yards, five touchdowns) and a good group of receivers in senior Wynton White and sophomores Tenauri Woods and Tristan Brown (28 catches, 275 yards, two TDs).

The biggest question mark on offense when Harris got the job was quarterback. Scecina graduated D.J. Mendez, a three-sport standout who was a finalist for Male City Athlete of the Year. But Mendez, before going on to Wabash to play baseball and football, has worked with senior Luke McDonald on making the transition from wide receiver to quarterback.

“It’s going good,” said McDonald, who last played quarterback in eighth grade. “D.J. and coach Harris are really helping me out with teaching me all my mechanics. (D.J.) knows a lot more than me. I think it’s coming back to me.”

Harris said the early returns with McDonald at quarterback have been promising. The defense has several returners, too, with Stuczynski (30 tackles, six tackles for loss, 3½ sacks), Orlando Ross (31 tackles, 3½ sacks) and Nick Bozzelli (54 tackles, five sacks) on the defensive line, Manny Romo (71 tackles, 10 ½ tackles for loss, 3½ sacks) and White at linebacker, and Joe Alarcon (30 tackles, two interceptions) and Tristan Brown in the secondary.

“When I first came in, there was a quarterback question,” Harris said. “We have essentially five to six offensive linemen and defensive linemen coming back. We have a few potential guys in the secondary. Quarterback was really the main question. Luke has owned every facet of what it means to be a high school quarterback. He takes command of the huddle, knows the scheme, gets kids lined up. Based on the past two months, we believe his potential is super high. It’s nice to have D.J. out here giving some wisdom, helping our kids get up to speed because we don’t have 10 or 12 coaches like some programs do.”

One of Harris’ top goals for the future of the program is building up the number of players on the roster. This year, the Crusaders will have around 35 to 40 players. “We’re trying to build retention of kids staying year to year,” Harris said. “Part of that is advertising Scecina so people understand what kind of gem we are in the city.”

Not that players Stuczynski and McDonald need that reminder. They grew up going to Scecina football games and attending school at feeder programs – Stuczynski at Holy Spirit and McDonald at Our Lady of Lourdes. When Stuczynski was in elementary school, he passed out water to Scecina players on the sideline.

“I’ve been around coach Hurrle my whole life and Scecina football,” Stuczynski said. “What really brought me here was the program and tradition and history and it was smaller school so I could play right away. It would mean everything to me (to have a successful senior season) because we were on a bit of a downslope last year. I think if we work, coach Harris can help take us where we need to be by the end of the year.”

During the moratorium week in early July, Harris said he looked over the portfolio for building a program he put together before taking the Scecina job. After playing football at Franklin College, he worked on staffs for seven years with Jason Simmons at Noblesville and Ben Davis. He estimates 95% of the pieces he wanted to put in place initially to build the program have come to fruition.

What does that mean for 2024 in wins and losses? There are no guarantees. But he has heard from Scecina alumni locally and as far away from Texas and California wanting to help any way they can.

“I’ve wanted to do this since I was with coach Simmons at BD,” Harris said. “Now here it is, and I’ve been able to do everything I’ve wanted for our program. You know what you are going to get here: tough kids, third and fourth generation Scecina families. Everyone wants to be supportive, asking, ‘How can I provide this or that?’ It’s been great. Even as a Southsider, everyone has open ears and open eyes on what I want to do so far.”

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649 .

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: He might be a Southsider, but 29-year-old Dan Harris already feels at home at Scecina