GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Head football coach Lou Esposito is proud to announce the hiring of his first assistant, Steve Casula, who comes to Davenport from Colgate University and Western Michigan University. Casula, who will serve as the program's offensive coordinator as well as oversee the recruiting efforts, is a 2009 graduate of the University of Delaware.

"It is great to be re-united with Steve," said head coach Lou Esposito. "We spent time together at Western Michigan and I have great respect for him as a person and as a coach and we share a lot of the same philosophies. From day one on the job, I knew Steve was one I wanted to bring in to be a part of Davenport Football."

Steve joins the Davenport staff that will be in charge of leading the school into its first competition in the fall of 2016. Casula comes directly from NCAA DI Colgate University where he served as the tight ends and H-backs coach under head coach Dick Biddle. He also served the same position at Western Michigan during the 2012 season under head coach Bill Cubit.

"I am ecstatic to be able to come back to where my coaching roots started here in West Michigan, said Casula. "Michigan is a great state to recruit in and they have some of the finest high school coaches and programs that I have been able to recruit. Knowing so many of them already will help coach Esposito and I get a head start on building the program and using our knowledge gained from the schools we have been at will be a huge asset."

The Wilmington, Del., native was a student assistant for Delaware for two seasons under head coach K.C. Keeler where he worked primarily with the offensive line.  Casula also worked as an assistant at a pair of high schools to begin his career.  He was an assistant at Kennett High School during the 2007 season and an assistant at Delcastle during the 2006 campaign.Casula, who earned his master's degree from Western Michigan, earned all-state honors as a senior while a student at Delaware football power Salesianum High School and served as the team captain during his final season.

"It is very exciting to be able to help start the program here at Davenport, added Casula. "Our offense will be very physical in the way we play, we will be fundamentally sound from the ground up and we will be aggressive."

Esposito is eager to get started on the recruiting trail with Casula adding, "Our goal is to get out and "Be First" in everything that we do. When it comes to Steve as a coach, he is one that has a great offensive philosophy in that his goal is to control the ball, he pays attention to the little things and most importantly, he is very organized. I am excited to work with a good friend and one that I can totally trust."

Davenport University will play its first game in the fall of 2016.
 
Football Contact: Aaron Sagraves | 616-554-5045 | asagraves@davenport.edu
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