Imrie appointed as Falcons’ new assistant coach

In the last year, the position of assistant coach has been a revolving door for the Falcon football team.

After 11 years with the team, Assistant Coach and Defensive Coordinator Kevin Bullis resigned last November.

When he stepped down, the defensive coordinator position was filled by veteran coach Stan Zweifel, who was hired on April 3. Coincidentally, Bullis played college football for University of Minnesota-Morris for four years under Stan Zweifel.

In a press release from the time of Zweifel’s hiring, Athletic Director Rick Bowen was quoted as saying, “It is rare that an opportunity presents itself to hire a man of Stan Zweifel’s talents and abilities. Stan’s ability as a coach and a recruiter will reap immediate benefits to our football program.”

Stan Zweifel’s time with the Falcons was short lived. However, as he resigned on July 24, just under four months after he was hired.

In a telephone interview, Stan Zweifel said his resignation was “probably the toughest decision of my life.”

Stan Zweifel left UW-River Falls to become the athletic director at Beloit Memorial High School. He said the decision “came down to my last son [Mark] who is a senior at Whitewater [High School]. The Beloit job would allow me to see his senior year.”

Stan Zweifel has another son, Michael, who is a freshman plays wide receiver for the Falcons.

Michael Zweifel said in an e-mail interview that he felt a little bad when his dad resigned.

“I know it was harder on him than it was on me because he really wanted to coach me,” Michael Zweifel said.

Stan Zweifel’s replacement is former Falcon player Scott Imrie. Imrie played defensive back for the Falcons from 1993-96, playing in every game during that period. As assistant coach he will be responsible for coaching the defensive backs and working with the other assistants on coordinating the defense.

Since 2001, he has been the head coach at Delavan-Darien High School and has taught agriscience there since 1997. He received his undergrad degree from UWRF in agricultural education and his masters in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in athletic administration.

Imrie was hired quickly, just four days after Zweifel resigned.

“There was a coaching vacancy late in the summer which created an emergency hire situation. The athletic department was aware of my reduced contract situation at my previous school, and the fact that I was seeking a full-time position. Everything seemed to work out,” said Imrie in an e-mail interview.

Head coach John O’Grady said that it has been understood since the hire that it was only for this year, but that he “sure would like to [keep Imrie past this year].”

“He’s been a guy we’ve had an eye on for a number of years,” he said. “The hire has been fantastic because for the ten years that Imrie coached in high school, he’s been coaching a defense similar to the one at UWRF,” O’Grady said.

“I actually played against coach Imrie back in high school, so I knew him already and his high school teams were always very well coached. He coaches on the defense and I play offense so he never really coaches me, but I know he is a great coach.”Michael Zweifel said