FOOTBALL COACHES
Greg Debeljak
Head Coach
Greg Debeljak, after serving 15 years as an assistant coach in the local college ranks, was named Case's head football coach on March 24, 2004.
Debeljak coached the Spartans to an undefeated 10-0 regular season in 2007 and Case's first-ever postseason appearance and first outright University Athletic Association title. In 2007, Debeljak and his coaching staff received the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year award after the Spartans finished the season ranked 15th in the nation. That same year, Debeljak was also selected as one of five finalists in Division III for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award.
A graduate of nearby Mentor High School, Debeljak served as the Spartans associate head coach/offensive coordinator for three seasons before being named to the head job. In those three years as the offensive coordinator, Case posted their first back-to-back-to-back 500-plus seasons (5-5 in 2001, 6-4 in 2002, and 5-5 in 2003) since 1986.
Prior to coming to Case, Coach Debeljak spent 12 years as an assistant (1988-2000) at his alma mater, John Carroll University (JCU). At JCU he was a graduate assistant his first two seasons, before working eight years as the quarterbacks and receivers coach. Before Debeljak's final season at John Carroll, he was promoted to the offensive coordinator position.
Debeljak graduated in 1988 from local John Carroll University where he played both football and basketball. He transferred from Akron to John Carroll after his freshman year because he missed playing football. As a football player at JCU, he lettered four times, once as a defensive back (earning second team All-PAC honors), twice as a quarterback and once as a receiver. As a basketball player, he helped lead the Blue Streaks to a pair of President's Athletic Conference titles and still holds the school record for assists in a single game with 13.
At Mentor High School, Debeljak was named first team All-County, first team All-Conference (Old Greater Cleveland Conference) and Most Valuable Back as a senior quarterback in 1982 when he threw for 990 yards for the Cardinals. He was second team All-County as a junior. Debeljak also was a three-year letter winner in basketball and was selected an All-Conference guard twice. From there Debeljak attended the University of Akron (1983-84) and was a member of the Zip's varsity basketball team.
Marcus Macalla
Defensive Coordinator & Assistant Head Coach
Marcus Macalla joined Case in 2001 after serving as Kenyon's defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. Macalla played outside linebacker at Baldwin-Wallace College and earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and health and physical education in 1994. He also received a master's in education, with an emphasis on chemical dependency and substance abuse, from John Carroll University.
Macalla served as an assistant coach at JCU for three seasons where he dealt with defensive ends, linebackers, and special teams. Before Kenyon, Macalla was at Hamline University, where he coached wide receivers and also coached track. He also coached football and track at North Olmsted and Wickliffe High Schools.
Dereck Slesh
Offensive Coordinator
Dereck Slesh came to Case in 2001 and the 2004 season marks his first as the offensive boss. Slesh spent the previous three seasons at Case as the defensive coordinator.
He attended Hawken High School where he was an All-State football player his senior season (1983). He played football and baseball while at Marietta College where he received a BA in business management in 1988. He also earned a MBA from Cleveland State University in 1996. Prior to his arrival at Case, Slesh spent three seasons (1996, 1997, 2000) on the John Carroll University coaching staff as well a stint as the Benedictine High School business manager/treasurer (1997-2000). He was also the head coach at Benedictine (1998-99) and spent five seasons on the Beachwood High School staff (1990-95). Slesh began his coaching career at his alma mater, Hawken, in 1989.
Spartan Part-Time Assistants
Mickey Iliano -- Offensive Line
Jim Michals -- Outside Linebackers
James Rosenbury -- Runniing Backs
Ben Taylor -- Defensive Line
Mike Jones -- Corner Backs
Ryan Jones -- Wide Receivers
|