FRANKFORT ― The architect of Frankfort’s most competitive program is now taking the reins in resurrecting a football program that has gone dormant.
Frankfort baseball coach Andy Dudley will now become the school’s head football coach after one season under former head coach Justin Kinzie.
Dudley’s increased responsibilities come after longtime former athletic director Ed Niehaus retired earlier this year. Newly appointed AD Jeff Irwin stepped in, and Kinzie announced his resignation on Nov. 4 via X after just eight months with the Hot Dogs.
“I know the longer I’ve coached, the longer I’ve realized that coaching comes down to building culture,” Dudley said. “Focusing on the things we have control over, and that’s true for both baseball and for football. That is the truth. The second part is, I have a tremendous group of experienced coaches already on board for me now.”
Dudley has coached for 24 years and won four sectional titles in baseball, including the program’s second regional title in 2023.
Now he takes over football that endured its second consecutive 0-10 season and has hired its third coach in three years.
Frankfort hasn’t had a winning season in football since 2009.
“A big part of the job is understanding what it takes to establish the kind of climate we are looking for, for our athletes,” Dudley said. “We want to have a culture where guys are doing things the right way, and that’s the universal truth. It doesn’t matter if you’re coaching baseball, football or teaching in the classroom. Understanding what it means to set standards for kids to follow, to do things the right way, to work hard and control the things they have control over.”
Dudley now has a runway to build the program to his liking while Frankfort has a known name in the community leading its football team.
“We are going to focus on the things we have control over,” Dudley said. “We have control over our effort, our attitude, how we respond to adversity and how we treat each other. Those are things we have control over. And if we do those things and we have good football coaching, then the rest will take care of themselves.”
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@jconline.com, on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Frankfort baseball coach Andy Dudley adding football coach duties after hiring
Reporting by Ethan Hanson, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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