So, who’s the heir apparent?

When Bob Lutz stepped down on Monday as the Ironton Fighting Tigers’ head football coach after 39 seasons, the immediate thought process turned to a successor.

Filling the shoes of Ohio’s all-time career leader in high school football victories may seem to be a lot of pressure, but not with the candidates already on the football coaching staff.

I doubt any of Ironton’s fans expect Lutz’s successor to duplicate his numbers, but believe me, the list of candidates are more than capable of getting the job done at a high-level that Fighting Tiger fans have become accustomed.

At the top of the list is Mark Lutz, nephew of Bob Lutz. Mark Lutz, known to the coaches and friends as “Hammer,” has a razor-sharp football mind much like his uncle.

As a player, Hammer was the Associated Press Ohio Division III state Player of the Year in 1988 when he helped Ironton to a state runner-up on what may have been the best Ironton team during the Bob Lutz era.

Mark played at Marshall before an elbow injury put him on a medical red-shirt.

Since graduating from Marshall he has been on the Ironton staff and has assumed many of the day-to-day responsibilities as well as working upstairs in the “crow’s nest” during games.

If it isn’t Mark Lutz, how about another Mark as in Mark Vass.

Vass — also a former Ironton quarterback who led Ironton to the playoffs on two different occasions and a member of the 1989 state title team — knows the game inside-and-out. He has an outgoing personality but he is a hard-nosed individual who can handle the tough situations on and off the field.

Vass shared play-calling duties when he was an assistant at Portsmouth West, but he usually got the responsibility in the more important games.

Although no one really thinks of these two others possibilities, I know from a life-long association that Mike Burcham’s sons Bart and “Red” are more than qualified. Mike is also retiring after spending 38 seasons at Bob Lutz’s side and he has taught his sons well.

Oh, don’t worry about any problems in the ranks. The coaches on this staff are very close and they all work well together. There won’t be any jealousy no matter who gets the job.

The key for whoever takes the job is the cooperation and freedom they will get to operate their program. The head coach doesn’t need a bunch of interference or constant instructions from the superintendent or the school board.

This group of coaches is not a bunch of rookies. They have been taught well and they know what to do, so let them. I know them well and I can say first-hand they are very astute individuals who can take the program and not skip a beat.

Mike Burcham said it best.

“Bob and I have talked. We’ve got a good bunch of coaches here. And I mean all of them. They know the game and they know what to do,” said Burcham. “And Bob and I will be around. If they have any questions, we’ll be right here.”

Like always, it’s a team effort.

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Jim Walker is sports editor of The Ironton Tribune.