Providence has fired coach Tyler Plantz in the middle of the football season.
Doug Ternick, the Providence athletic director, sent the Sun-Times the following statement on Sunday:
“Providence Catholic High School is announcing a transition in the leadership of its football program as we move in a new direction. The Celtics thank Coach Tyler Plantz for his time and service as head coach and for his commitment to our student-athletes and football program since 2022. We are grateful for his contributions to Providence Catholic and wish him and his family all the best in the future.”
It is extremely unusual for a high school to fire a football coach during the season.
Providence, a Catholic League school in New Lenox, is currently No. 5 in the Super 25 rankings and undefeated this season. Plantz, a former Notre Dame football player and Providence graduate, led the Celtics to the Class 5A state title game last season. He went 35-19 as head coach.
“Coach Nissen is an experienced leader who knows our student-athletes, our coaching staff and our program,” Ternik said. “Our focus is on providing our players with stability and support as they continue through the season. We are confident in Coach Nissen’s ability to step into this role and lead our football program during this transition.”
Nissen was recently a successful head coach at St. Laurence. He led the Vikings to the Class 4A state title game in 2023 and was 35-28 in six seasons.
Plantz did not respond to a request for comment. He graduated from Providence in 2010 and Notre Dame in 2014. He began his career in South Bend as a walk on, but moved up to special teams and earned a scholarship for his senior year. Plantz was on Brian Kelly’s coaching staff at Notre Dame before taking the job at Providence in 2022.