Familiar face takes over for Metamora Football

The new Head Football Coach, Jared Grebner, applauds his defense's efforts during his time as
defensive coordinator during the 2019 season. PHOTO / CHRISTOPHER LEE

METAMORA - Not since the fall of 1989 has the Metamora Redbirds had a head football coach other than Pat Ryan. That has changed. This past Thursday evening, pen was put to the paper to officially name defensive coordinator Jared Grebner as its next head coach.

Grebner, a 1997 graduate of Metamora High School, has been making contributions to the Redbird football program in multiple facets. It started as a player, when he was both a quarterback and safety. After a collegiate football career at McKendree University (Lebanon, IL), Grebner returing to Malone Field as an assistant coach, eventually becoming the defensive coordinator in 2010.

When asked about what it means to hear his new official title, he says it's a fulfulling of a goal.

"It's definitely a dream come true. I just feel very fortunate right now."

Grebner says that the response has been humbling, and he is appreciative of every bit of it.

"There's been a lot of support from the community, Coach Ryan, and athletes alike."

Now, Pat Ryan was the head coach of the Redbirds from 1990-2019. That totals out to 30 seasons, 2 state titles, and 268 wins. Ryan is also an IHSA Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer. Coach Grebner easily agrees, that's not exactly small shoes to fill.

"Oh, absolutely, it's definitely big shoes to fill. There's been a lot of great coaches in their own right, from Marty Stromberger to John Helmick to Pat Ryan. All of the coaches, not just me, we're trying to carry on that legacy."

A legacy indeed. The program will be in its 75th season in 2020, having accumulated an exact record of (526-206-14) thus far. Coach Grebner says that all that tradition, piled on top of being part of it for so long, makes the anticipation build that much more for the fall of 2020.

"It's an aspiration of anybody's. To be a part of this great school, the wonderful athletes, it definitely adds to everything."

Now, as mentioned, Jared Grebner had served as the defensive coordinator from 2010 until this past season of 2019. He says that right now, there's no true way to tell if his defensive mindset will come into the program any more than it already has.

"Right now, we're all kind of taking things one step at a time. We'll see where we go."

He added that during this curent time of the outbreak of the coronavirus, COVID-19, it makes it difficult at times to take those steps, but he feels that despite the virus keeping people isolated, progress is being made within the program.

"One thing that I am doing, slowly but surely, is meeting with the coaching staff individually. I just want to get everybody's thoughts and ideas out on the plate."

Brad Marshall was a teammate of Grebner's, both at Metamora and at McKendree. He says that he saw qualities early on in their time knowing each other that led him to see a future coach in him.

"Jared was always a student of the game. He just soaked everything in like a sponge. When he was in the spotlight, he was always quick to give credit elsewhere because for him, it was always about the team first."

Marshall, who was a defensive tackle and offensive guard for the Redbirds, adds that he wasn't surprised at all when he'd discovered who the next head coach would be.

"He continues to display the natural-born leader qualities. The same work hard mentality and have fun attitude that made him successful."

Marshall continued that you can see the impact that Pat Ryan has left in the case of Coach Grebner, of course, but in multiple other cases as well.

"The fact that there are so many former Metamora players coaching at MTHS and elsewhere is a testament to the impact Coach Pat Ryan has had on players over the years and the extensive knowledge and the love of the game that he has passed on."

Now the program does have exceptional success and tradition, having only missed the playoffs 3 times since 1993. However, one of those three was as recent as 2019, last season. Grebner says there's no true way to know if the lack of a playoff appearance last year motivates the team any more than they already were.

"I just know that this team coming up wants to create their own identity. They've created their own goals, and are working right now to meet those goals. We'll take it day-by-day."

The Jared Grebner Era will begin 160 days from today (3/21/20), on Friday, August 28th, as the Redbirds will play host to the Irish of Peoria Notre Dame.

Jared Grebner runs up-field from the quarterback position for a touchdown during the 1996 4A State Championship game against New Lenox (Providence Catholic). He'd run for 65 yards on 16 carries, as well as go 4-8 passing with 51 yards and 1 touchdown, and even returned a pair of kickoffs as well, totaling 24 yards. PHOTO and STATS / IHSA ARCHIVES