Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter
As of Monday, July 16, long-time Bluejay varsity football Defensive Coordinator Rob Klug has stepped in as interim head coach.
The move comes in the wake of the immediate resignation of former head coach Nick Sturm.
According to MAPS Athletic Director John Miller, on Friday July 20, Sturm advised district staff that he had accepted a position with the Stanley-Boyd School District.
Klug’s appointment to the head coach position came as a result of a staff and athlete meeting last Monday morning.
“After meeting with high school administration and the football staff we decided that, given the time of year and close proximity to the start of the football season, that continuity was in the best interest of our student athletes,” Miller stated.
“As a result, Klug has agreed to serve as interim head coach for this upcoming season, and the rest of the existing staff will play various roles for this season.”
Following Sturm’s resignation, Klug was heavily recommended by both coaches and staff, according to Miller.
A 2001 graduate of Merrill High School, Klug was a two-year varsity football starter as a defensive lineman, as well as a two-year varsity starter on the Bluejay baseball team.
Klug’s coaching career began in 2005 as a linebacker coach for the Jays under former football head coach Tom Tourtillott. Klug was promoted to the position of defensive coordinator in 2008.
Sturm took the program reins in the summer of 2012, following Tourtillott’s resignation and subsequent relocation to Rice Lake.
In his five-year tenure at the helm, Sturm compiled a 27-9 Great Northern Conference record. His teams never finished lower than fourth in the conference and clinched the GNC championship in 2014, with a flawless 6-0 finish. The Bluejays clinched a playoff berth every season under Sturm’s tutelage.
The Bluejay gridders kick off their 2018 season at Jay Stadium on Friday, Aug. 17, facing three-time Division 5 State Champions Amherst.