John Holecek’s return to coaching Loyola after three years away is noteworthy. Yet, another significant change is the addition of Danny Schaechter as offensive coordinator. Schaechter’s background is unique, having coached Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. His experience in crafting a pass-heavy offense is showing positive results for unbeaten Loyola.
Holecek appreciates the transformation Schaechter brings to the team. “Catholic League was iso, power, counter — old-school football. This is not. A lot of different personnel packages, and it’s just not a traditional Catholic League grind — run, run, play-action,” he said. Loyola, with a 3-0 record, ranks No. 5 in the Chicago Tribune’s high school football top 25. They are set to face No. 3 Brother Rice in a CCL Blue division showdown, gunning for their fourth Class 8A state title in five years.
Schaechter faced immense pressure when meeting eighth grader Caleb Williams and his father, Carl, to convince them to join Gonzaga. Alongside head coach Randy Trivers, Schaechter demonstrated his offensive strategy on a whiteboard. “Caleb was going to be special whether or not he ever met me or was coached by me,” Schaechter stated. This collaboration was fruitful, with Gonzaga winning a thrilling 46-43 conference championship game over DeMatha, capped by Williams’ 53-yard Hail Mary touchdown.
“The message was just the ‘never give up’ mentality,” Schaechter explained, reflecting on that memorable match. As he transitioned to Loyola, Schaechter brought insights and experiences to share with his new team. Though humble, as Loyola junior quarterback Matthew Lee noted, Schaechter’s track record speaks volumes. “We’ve seen some highlights of Caleb. Obviously, he produced a great quarterback, but he’s pretty humble about it, I’d say,” Lee remarked.
Schaechter’s journey began in Northbrook. After playing high school football at Glenbrook North and gaining experience as a student assistant at Illinois State, he joined Trivers at Leesburg High School in Florida. Following Williams’ move to college, Schaechter returned to Illinois, joining Libertyville. His high-powered offense there laid the groundwork for his current role at Loyola. “Honestly, what I’m running now, I wish I ran that with Caleb because he would have crushed with it,” Schaechter admitted.
Loyola’s previous season was challenging, marking their first losing record since 2002. Matthew Lee shared quarterback duties with Dominic Maloney, who now plays safety to maximize team dynamics. “(Maloney) is one of those kids you’d pick first on the playground,” Holecek noted.
With Holecek, Schaechter, defensive coordinator Pete Devine, and former head coach Beau Desherow, Loyola is poised for success. The Ramblers aim for more state titles in the future. Schaechter remains connected with former players, including Williams, expressing mutual respect. “In high school, he gave me everything he’s got, and he knows I love him, and I know he’s got love for me, and that’s all that really matters at the end of the day,” Schaechter said.