Dunn retires as football coach
Aaron Dunton
Issue date: 1/14/08 Section: Sports
Shortly after the Thunderbirds big victory over Fort Scott Kansas in the Valley of the Sun bowl, Dan Dunn, the head football coach verbally announced his retirement.
Athletic Director John Mulhern said, "The official papers have not been signed yet and the search for a new coach will not begin until it is official."
All indications are that the final papers will be signed within the next couple weeks.
Dunn has been on vacation in Idaho since the announcement of his retirement and was unable to be reached for comment.
Dunn began his coaching career at Paradise Valley high school as an assistant and later became the head coach of Chinle high school on an Indian reservation.
He was coming off his most successful season yet since he began again here at MCC back in 2003.
He was also the head coach for Mesa back in 1986, having been an assistant to the team the previous five seasons.
He would later go back and coach high school football for Payson and Mesa Red Mountain high before coming back to MCC in 2003.
Dunn was also the athletic director here at MCC from 2004 to 2006 before resigning to focus his attention on his duties as head football coach.
Mulhern later said, "The loss of Dan Dunn is huge to Mesa.
"The football team had a lot of momentum going that Dunn was apart of. Getting that momentum back with a new coach is going to be tough."
Though search for a new coach has not began yet, offensive coordinator Mike Jacobs is said to be in the running for the new head coaching position.
After being an assistant coach with Ohio State and Bowling Green, Jacobs was brought in this past offseason to anchor and change up the offense.
Statistically, he has drastically improved the offense from past seasons.
Athletic Director John Mulhern said, "The official papers have not been signed yet and the search for a new coach will not begin until it is official."
All indications are that the final papers will be signed within the next couple weeks.
Dunn has been on vacation in Idaho since the announcement of his retirement and was unable to be reached for comment.
Dunn began his coaching career at Paradise Valley high school as an assistant and later became the head coach of Chinle high school on an Indian reservation.
He was coming off his most successful season yet since he began again here at MCC back in 2003.
He was also the head coach for Mesa back in 1986, having been an assistant to the team the previous five seasons.
He would later go back and coach high school football for Payson and Mesa Red Mountain high before coming back to MCC in 2003.
Dunn was also the athletic director here at MCC from 2004 to 2006 before resigning to focus his attention on his duties as head football coach.
Mulhern later said, "The loss of Dan Dunn is huge to Mesa.
"The football team had a lot of momentum going that Dunn was apart of. Getting that momentum back with a new coach is going to be tough."
Though search for a new coach has not began yet, offensive coordinator Mike Jacobs is said to be in the running for the new head coaching position.
After being an assistant coach with Ohio State and Bowling Green, Jacobs was brought in this past offseason to anchor and change up the offense.
Statistically, he has drastically improved the offense from past seasons.
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