Home is where the hash marks are

When Triton football’s Brandon Neseth stepped onto campus in 2022 to begin his tenure as the Cobras’ head coach, he was already familiar with the program he was taking over and the act he had to follow.
The successes of previous head coach Don Henderson’s Cobras teams were something he remembers reading about in the local papers he would deliver just miles away down Highway 14 in Byron.
“Byron’s close enough to Dodge Center. I’ve always kind of appreciated the history of high school football ever since I was a young kid when I would deliver the Rochester Post Bulletin. I would see these articles about Triton football and I always had an appreciation for this program,” said Neseth.
After beginning his career as the head coach for Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart Schools 140 miles away from Byron, Neseth began to inch back toward his old stomping grounds when he accepted a job to be the head coach for United South Central in 2016.
Neseth’s Rebels saw immediate success under his leadership, earning a trip to state in 2018 along with setting multiple school scoring records, but the seasoned head coach knew he couldn’t turn down an opportunity to come back closer to home for both his family and his football aspirations.
“I grew up in Byron, but my folks live in Mantorville and my family, we always wanted to come back to live closer to the Rochester area. So when the position opened up, we chose to move,” said Neseth.
Accepting the position also meant accepting life under the microscope when it came to football success.
Prior to Neseth’s arrival, Triton was undergoing a shift from Henderson to Mike Ellingson — a duo that coached the Cobras to three state titles with Henderson at the helm and the latter as his defensive coordinator.
Henderson finished his career with Triton in 2016 after 31 years as head coach, amassing a 251-84 record — good for 27th all-time in the state.
“I think that’s why it was so appealing when the job opened up because I know about Triton’s history… It was definitely not a rebuild. It was the type of program where I thought there were small things that we could do to maybe improve what we were doing. Some of it was weight room stuff, or passing game improvements like passing leagues in the summer. It was the kind of program where, when I got here, I thought they were really close. I just saw the opportunity to hone in on some little things to get us over the edge,” said Neseth.
In just two short years, Neseth’s improvements have rewarded the Cobras with a state tournament berth after taking down WEM 52-20 in the Section 2AA championship game.
Another feat of his arrival includes beating Caledonia for the first time in school history, giving the team a win that Neseth believes lit a spark in his athletes.
“I think the confidence after that win really elevated us to where we’re at right now,” he said.
Self-admittedly, Neseth would say he is more of an offensive-minded coach and that his scheme is flexible to best utilize the athletes in the program.
“We can’t recruit a certain student-athlete, we have to build our offense for who we have. We have our base offense and it doesn’t change from year to year, but we do make adjustments for the skillsets we have at certain positions. That being said, I am a firm believer that with the weather in Minnesota, you have to be able to run the ball come playoff time,” said Neseth.
Yet, schemes aside, what he really hopes to be remembered as is a mentor for athletes who share a common love for the game.
“I had a real appreciation for the coaches that I had when I was in high school. Kerry Linbo, my basketball coach and offensive coordinator in football, and my head coach at the time John Austinson were big influences. I want to be able to be that role model for the kids in our program that they were for me growing up,” he said.
While Neseth has settled into his new role — albeit in colors he may never have seen himself donning as a youth — the memories made in his new home are ones he can share with the same guys he once called gridiron foes.
“I played high school football at Byron so it was fun competing against Triton and having some of those memories. A couple of the guys on our staff I actually competed against in high school,” said Neseth with a laugh.
The Cobras will take on Chatfield in the Class AA state quarterfinals at Hastings High School on Thursday, Nov. 7.
Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.