Photo courtesy of Danny Ventura/Boston Herald

When Everett football coach and athletic director John DiBiaso retired last month, I wrote a piece chronicling his great career at Everett. I mentioned in that piece that I didn’t think this was going to be the last we were going to see the legendary coach on the sideline. Well, I was right.

DiBiaso was introduced in a press conference (little over the top if you ask me) yesterday as the new head football coach at Catholic Memorial. The 61 year old DiBiaso takes over for Brent Williams. Williams guided the program last season as interim head coach following the departure of former coach Dennis Golden. Williams did a terrific job, leading the Knights to the D1 South Sectional final before losing to Xaverian.

My initial reaction to the DiBiaso’s hiring is mixed. I think it is a great hire short term. DiBiaso is a winner and he has credibility. The players will buy into what he is selling and the school will attract more talent. Catholic Memorial will be better. How much better? Time will tell but there is no reason to believe they can’t compete for a state title moving forward.

That being, Catholic Memorial is also not Everett. While the school has had it’s fair share of division one talent in recent years, the program has not consistently attracted the type of talent necessary to compete with Xaverian and the rest of the Catholic Conference. DiBiaso can sell himself but he is also going to have to sell the school. It is easy to sell a public school that consistently wins. Selling a catholic school that is competing against Xaverian, St. John’s Prep and B.C High is a completely different animal. DiBiaso will have his work cut out for him.

DiBiaso said all of the right things in his two and a half minute speech yesterday. He donned a CM cap and jacket and even wore a matching shirt and tie. He promised to give his players all he’s got and that his goal was to bring a state title to the school. All of that sounds good but CM is not Everett. DiBiaso will have to prove that he can win in the smallest school in division one. While I don’t doubt that he can, it will take some time. Unfortunately for him, the expectations will be through the roof. It will take time. Will CM buy in long enough for them to win a Super Bowl? Time will tell.