Semrau: Cosgroves enjoying move back to Madison

Dennis Semrau  —  8/29/2008 9:48 am

MIDDLETON -- Thursday was a big night in the Cosgrove family household.

But it wasn't just because Madison Edgewood opened the 2008 prep football season with a convincing 35-0 victory over Sauk Prairie in a nonconference game.

It was a successful homecoming for senior Connor Cosgrove, who moved from Madison to Lincoln, Neb. the summer before he entered eighth grade after his father, Kevin, left the University of Wisconsin where he was the defensive coordinator for a similar job with the Nebraska Cornhuskers football program.

But what was more important, though, was that Kevin and Connor Cosgrove were able to share a huge smile and hug after the game.

"The most important and special thing is for him to be able to coach his son and be out there with his son," said Edgewood coach Al Minnaert of Kevin Cosgrove, who is serving as a consultant and volunteer assistant coach for the Crusaders this fall. "Coaching at the college level, they don't get to see their families a whole lot."

Minnaert knows from experience the joys of not only being able to watch his sons play high school football, but serve as their coach, too. His son, Alex, played for him for four years and is a sophomore placekicker at Winona (Minn.) State. Al's youngest son, Mario, a senior, is in his second season as Edgewood's starting quarterback and placekicker.

"It's an exciting feeling to see your son playing and you hope everything goes well," Al Minnaert said.

Click here to read the game story from the Wisconsin State Journal and click here for the box score.

Despite his four-year hiatus to Nebraska, Connor Cosgrove said it feels like he never left.

"I kept in touch with a lot of people but it's great to be back," said Connor, who started at cornerback on defense against Sauk Prairie and had several reps on offense at wide receiver and also returned kicks. "When I was in grade school, my brother used to pick on us a lot. It was great to see those guys again and get to play with them."

Cosgrove said he kept in touch with several friends; including senior teammates Corey Elfman, Sam Zimmer and Tim Longo, which made his transition this summer smoother, too.

Elfman, who plays running back and linebacker for the Crusaders, said he was happy to have his elementary school friend back for their senior year of high school.

"I was excited to hear he was coming back. But at the same time, I was sad for him because he had a lot of good friends in Lincoln he had to leave behind," Elfman said. "It's got to be really hard to switch schools your senior year."

Cosgrove's transition back to Madison, though, couldn't have gone any smoother.

"We got him in our summer conditioning program so he got to know all of the guys in the weight room," Elfman said. "For the most part, he was with us all summer long."

Connor's only disappointment -- one that was shared with his teammates -- was that Edgewood would not be playing Verona this season. The Wildcats moved into the Big Eight Conference beginning with the 2008-09 school year.

"We went to school together at Stoner Prairie and Savanna Oaks in Verona," Elfman said of Zimmer, Cosgrove and several of their teammates. "We're all disappointed we won't be playing Verona."

That drew a smile from Kevin Cosgrove, who won't be coaching college football for the first time in 28 years but is happy his son was able to make such a quick transition back to his roots.

"We came back because we knew it would be an easy transition to come back to Madison," said Cosgrove, who was let go by Nebraska last fall after four seasons in Lincoln.

But while Kevin Cosgrove is taking a break from his passion -- coaching college football -- the look on his face as he watched the Crusaders warm up before Thursday's game spoke volumes of how much fun he has been having spending time with and coaching Connor and his teammates.

"In Lincoln, I got to see Connor play a little bit. Same with Clint when he was playing, I'd see a game here and there. But not like this," Kevin Cosgrove said. "It was something I always wanted to do. I'm very fortunate to be able to do it this year so I'm going to make the most of it."

Cosgrove, who will be in the press box communicating with Al Minnaert via headset during games this season, downplayed his own role in the successful season-opener.

He preferred to discuss the positive impact the move back to Madison will have on Connor.

"I'm going to be here for almost everything. I'm trying to be here for as much as I can. There will be some times I need to go out and do some research and some networking but for the most part I'm going to be here all the time," Cosgrove said.

Yet it would be difficult to argue that the older Cosgrove doesn't have an impact on the team and its potential for success this season.

"Having him around has been great, just every little thing, special teams, defense, even offense, he makes an impact on," Edgewood assistant coach Jeff Gifford said. "Things you don't think about, he will stop and break it down and teach you something new every day to make our team better. He takes it to a new level."

Elfman agreed.

"It's great to have Mr. Cosgrove back. He's got a lot of experience and everyone has got a lot of respect for him," Elfman said. "To have coach Cosgrove and coach (Roger) Knight -- who played for coach Cosgrove at the UW -- working with our defense is great. They can get us all pumped up and ready to go."

But Gifford said it is obvious how much fun Kevin Cosgrove has been having just being part of the Edgewood family.

"He loves being out there with Connor, being able to watch him and still coach," Gifford said. "And our coaches are his new football buddies, too."

Edgewood athletic director Chris Zwettler is also pleased to have the Cosgrove family is back in the fold.

"It was a good move for them and for us. We were excited about them coming back," Zwettler said. "Kevin's having fun coaching Connor and is loving life right now."

Connor said that he and Mario Minnaert have discussed being the sons of two respected and life-long coaches and the positive impact it has had on their relationship with their fathers.

"I told him we have to stick together," Connor said with a smile. "We get to watch film with our dads and talk football. I love having my dad around. I love learning from him. He's there every single day and that's great. He's always there to help me out."

Mario Minnaert said that parallels his shared experiences with his own dad.

"We have a special bond because we are both coaches' kids," Mario said. "We talk about stuff like that. It's something not everyone can experience. There are a lot of things that go on at home that my teammates don't really see. Dad is talking about practice every night and looking at film and that creates a special bond."

While Kevin Cosgrove expects to be coaching at the collegiate or professional level next year, he said he doesn't regret taking a break to take advantage of an opportunity that is rare for members of his profession.

"I wanted an opportunity to coach one of my sons. I never had that let alone have the opportunity to watch him play," he said. "That was very limited. It's just nice being around him all the time. I'm having an enjoyable time."

The feeling is mutual for Connor.

"It's been great. My family's been great. We're a close family. The transition has been easy," he said. "My dad made it out for a few games in Lincoln but he'll be able to see more games this year. I love having my dad around. It's the best time in my life."

Dennis Semrau  —  8/29/2008 9:48 am