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| Carthage athletics photo |
Carthage athletic director Bob Bonn today announced the promotion of defensive coordinator Dustin Hass to head football coach.
Hass replaces Mike Yeager, who has been hired at NCAA Division II Tiffin. Tiffin did not make an announcement of the hiring, and Yeager is listed on the department website as "Assistant Coach."
"Dustin is poised to lead the Red Men to the next level through his creative football mind, ability to recruit, and capacity to relate to players and coaches," Bonn said.
Kyle Rooker was also promoted to assistant head coach and will continue in his role as offensive coordinator.
As coordinator and defensive backs coach, Hass spent the past four seasons transforming Carthage into one of the premier defenses in the nation. In 2017, the Red Men ranked in the top 20 among Division III teams in total defense and turnovers forced, sixth in defensive touchdowns, fourth in interceptions, and No. 1 in turnover margin.
Carthage also posted its first back-to-back shutouts since 1969, accomplishing the feat to open a season for the first time since 1921. Under Hass, the Red Men have had 14 defensive All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin selections, along with one D3football.com All-North Region selection in 2017.
"We have some excellent student-athletes here at Carthage and a top-notch football staff in place," Hass said. "I am excited to take the program Mike built to the next level. Carthage is a special place, and I am confident that we will bring pride to the Carthage students, faculty, and alumni through our efforts on the field, in the classroom, and in the community."
Hass began his coaching career in the Big Ten, as a graduate assistant at Indiana in 2010-11. He then moved on to Wooster, where he was an assistant coach for both football and track and field. Joining the Carthage staff in 2013, he initially oversaw the special teams unit.
A native of Oconto, Wisconsin, Hass was a two-year letterwinner as a quarterback for the Hoosiers. He graduated from Indiana in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in outdoor recreation and resource management and received his master's in kinesiology, also from Indiana, in 2011.
Hass and his wife, Jenna, live in Kenosha with their three children Tyler (7), Tessa (5) and Caleb (3).
"My family and I are extremely excited for the opportunity to be the next head football coach at Carthage," Hass said. "I want to thank Dr. Bonn, president (John) Swallow, and the Carthage community for the chance to represent this school on the football field and as part of the Kenosha community."
Yeager turned the program around in five-plus years. After going 1-9 during his first full year (2013), the Red Men posted back-to-back 7-3 seasons in 2016-17. The consecutive seven-win seasons were the first by the program since 2004-05.
Yeager accumulated a 23-30 record at Carthage, tying him for the fifth-most wins by a coach, behind Art Keller, Tim Rucks, Lewis Omer, and J. Arthur Baird.
"Mike Yeager and his staff did an incredible job building our football program over the past five years, and we wish him all the best at Tiffin," said Bonn. "One of his most significant contributions was creating a staff of outstanding assistant coaches. This has enabled us to immediately promote Dustin and Kyle from within."
Hass will make his head coaching debut at home Sept. 2, when the Red Men open the 2018 season against UW-Oshkosh at Art Keller Field.