When it does, a legend is on his way out.

Thirteen-year head coach Brent Brown is retiring from his physical education teaching position at the end of this school year and also stepping down as the leader of the Cardinals.

At last week’s Board of Education meeting, Randolph named Nate Armella the new head coach.

The last time Randolph moved on from a football coach was in 2012 when 34-year head coach Pat Slater retired with a 214-98-4 record after his final of three state championships — the Cardinals also won in 2005 and 2009.

Brent Brown compiled a record of 77-37 in 13 seasons as Randolph’s head coach. File photo courtesy of Mike Frame

“It’s a lot of pressure. Those guys are big names around Randolph football. If it wasn’t for Brownie, I probably would not feel ready for this,” Armella said Monday evening. “Him taking me under his wing when I got there, he’s kind of groomed me and helped pave the way for this. It was always talked about, I was going to take it over at some point.”

The Cardinals didn’t miss a beat when Brown took over as he led the team to their second and third straight New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D titles, going 25-1 in Brown’s first two seasons at the helm.

“The kids respond to him,” Armella said. “They love him.”

Brown’s first season ended with a 42-13 rout of Chester in the state final at the then-Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

“When you have kids that are as talented as these guys, it makes things a whole lot easier,” Brown said at the time.

Brown’s second season ended with one of the most memorable high school football games in local history when the Cardinals beat Chester again, this time 48-41.

Trailing 27-6 at halftime, Randolph rallied and capped the comeback when senior quarterback Brady Morrison scored on a 5-yard keeper with 26 seconds remaining.

“You’ve got to give credit to those guys,” Brown said after the program’s fifth state title, “because I don’t remember, I don’t think ever in 25 years, being down like that going into halftime of any game, let alone the state championship game. These kids were not going to quit. We made a couple of adjustments to slow them down a little bit, barely, but it was enough to come back. The momentum changed.”

Brown’s third sectional title ended with a loss to Oakfield-Alabama/Elba in the Far West Regional in 2021 and his fourth — and final — sectional victory was followed by a win over the same O-A/E team in the 2022 Far West Regional before the Cardinals lost to eventual state-champion Tioga in the semifinals.

Brown’s final game on the sideline came in this fall’s Section VI Class D semifinals when the Cardinals fell to Franklinville/Ellicottville 32-6.

In 13 years as head coach, Brown compiled a record of 77-37, including four Section VI championships and three Far West Regional titles.

“When I came in, he basically gave me no choice. I was kind of an offensive guy coming in, I thought. He told me I had to learn defense,” Armella said. “I’m glad I learned it that way. Now I’ll take over the offense. When you start on the defensive side, it definitely helps you out.”

Armella was a 13-year assistant coach on Brown’s staff. A 1999 Jamestown High School graduate, the 43-year-old Armella has called Randolph’s defense for all 13 of those years.

“I’ve been around great coaches, first the Jamestown crew and then I played football at Edinboro with Lou Tepper, one of the top coaches around at that time,” Armella said. “Then I had a stop at Iroquois with Frank Payne — (Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton assistant coach) Chris Payne’s brother, as a volunteer assistant.”

Armella was hired at Randolph in 2007, filling the physical education spot of Slater. After coaching jayvee with Kevin Hind early in his career, Brown promoted Armella to defensive coordinator upon taking over the program in 2013.

“Brownie kind of took me under his wing and taught me his defensive scheme. That’s what I implemented at the jayvee level,” Armella said. “When he took over he brought me up.”

Class D will look a little different in Section VI this coming fall. Clymer/Sherman/Panama, the defending state champion, will move up to Class C. Newfane and Allegany-Limestone will be newcomers in the league.

“The league looks a little different. You lose C/S/P and there is a lot of roster turnover with some of the teams,” Armella said. “There are a lot of unknowns there, but I think we have a pretty good group of guys coming back.

“It’s exciting,” he added, “I feel like I’m ready.”