Peters brings in Plack as new football coach

When TJ Plack interviewed for the position of head varsity football coach at Peters Township earlier this month, he wanted to emphasize that he was ready for the challenge.
The task would be taking over a football program that had just two winning seasons and only one playoff win over the last 15 years.
Despite having a good record of developing athletes who go on to play at the college level, Peters Township’s program hasn’t had much of a winning culture. It’s been six years since the Indians had a winning record.
Plack was confident his past prepared him to be the one to return winning football to McMurray and now he’ll officially get his chance.
The 42-year-old was approved as the Indians’ head football coach at Monday night’s school board meeting.
Plack, who is a special education teacher at the high school, takes over for Rich Piccinini, whose job was opened last month after back-to-back 2-7 seasons. Following five years as the head coach at South Fayette, Plack spent four seasons as an assistant at Peters Township under Nick Milchovich.
“I’m really familiar with the atmosphere and the student body here,” Plack said. “It is going to be a challenge, but I wouldn’t have taken the job or interviewed for it if I wasn’t walking these hallways every day and saw kids I thought should be coming out for the team, or understanding what kind of kid we have at Peters Township. The kids all work hard. I know we can build something here.”
Only 27, the South Fayette graduate was hired by his alma mater as head football coach one month before the 2002 season. He went on to lead the Lions to a 30-18 record with three playoff appearances in five seasons. After missing the playoffs with a 5-4 record in 2006, he was replaced by Joe Rossi, who has led the program to three PIAA championship appearances and three WPIAL titles.
Plack spent the past two seasons as Milchovich’s offensive coordinator at Ringgold, calling plays for a program that won three WPIAL playoff games and averaged 31.7 points per game during that span. The Rams beat perennial powers Thomas Jefferson and West Mifflin this fall under Milchovich, and reached the WPIAL semifinals in 2014.
When Plack was hired as a teacher in the district in 2007, Milchovich added him to his coaching staff at Peters Township, where the Indians steadily improved over four seasons. Plack went on to work as an assistant coach under Jeff Metheny at Bethel Park before going to Ringgold.
“He’s a good football coach, a tireless worker,” Milchovich said. “He’s ultra-prepared and he’ll do a great job at Peters. I’m happy and excited for him. It’s a big loss. He’s someone that on Saturday mornings, he was there when it was still dark.”
For Plack, being a head coach again required the perfect circumstances, particularly a job opening at the district in which he works. A steep challenge lies ahead, including Peters Township competing in the PIAA’s sixth classification next fall, but he believes his time at South Fayette and the knowledge gained as an assistant have prepared him for the task.
“I’m excited for the challenge,” he said. “I want to get started and get the weight program going. I’m happy to be at Peters Township. I couldn’t ask for a better place. I love the administration there. I’m very familiar with the kids at Peters Township and it’s just a great opportunity.”