“ Playing college football meant everything to me,” he said.“ As a kid growing up, you see yourself playing as long as you can. Usually, kids have the dreams of playing in the NFL. I didn’ t reach that level. When you get older you realize, whether it’ s Division I, Division II or Division III, you’ re blessed to play college football no matter what. I give all glory to God for that for being blessed with the abilities I had to play college ball. It was great and the connections that you make through college ball is amazing.”
After finishing his playing career, Lawler decided to come back home and return the favor of coaching at the high school level. He began coaching at Charlestown, where he initially was the middle school offensive coordinator while helping out the varsity as well.
In his second year, Lawler got called up to be the OC for the CHS junior varsity while also taking on the job of assistant OC and quarterbacks coach for the varsity. During that season( 2022), the Pirates went 9-2 and averaged 38 points per game.
CHARLESTOWN QUARTERBACK BRENDAN LAWLER ATTEMPTS TO BREAK A TACKLE DURING THE PIRATES’ 17-14 FIRST-ROUND SECTIONAL LOSS TO NORTH HARRISON ON OCT. 21, 2016.( NEWS AND TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO)
Lawler became the OC in 2023, when Charlestown finished 6-4 and averaged 35.5 points a contest.“ The season was pretty solid, but it was underwhelming,” he said. That was when opportunity knocked for the former Red Devil in the form of new Jeff head coach Joseph Washington III.
“ We got connected and we talked back-and-forth,” Lawler recalled.“ At first, I wasn’ t asking for a job, it was more of us talking back-and-forth. When it came up that the offensive coordinator position was available, I decided to make the move up to( Class) 6A football.”
In Lawler’ s first season on the Red Devils’ sideline, Jeffersonville made a huge turnaround--- going from 0-10 to 6-4. The 26-year-old is entering his second year at JHS.
“ The reason why I coach is because I feel like growing up, not a knock on any coaches I had growing up, I felt like I didn’ t have a coach like myself,” Lawler said.“ There wasn’ t much guidance on how to get to the college level when I was coming out of high school. I didn’ t know what I was doing as I was trying to reach out to schools and went to a couple of camps. To coach kids now, they get to see a coach help them and the rest of our staff; it shows them that we love them. To see that happening in a community that raised me is a blessing. I want to coach the rest of my life, God willing.
SEPT / OCT 2025 NEWS AND TRIBUNE SPORTS MAGAZINE PAGE NO. 9