McMahon today named former player A.J. Albano as the head coach of its football team. Albano replaces another former player, Joe SantaLucia, who was asked by athletic director Joe Madaffari to step down at the end of the 2009 season.

Albano, who played at McMahon under current Darien head coach Rob Trifone from 1997 to 2000, was the defensive coordinator the past three seasons at Darien.

Why did Madaffari give the head coach to a 20-something? For one, Madaffari felt Albano, who is also the head wrestling coach at Greenwich High School, is someone who acts well beyond his age.

“He’s enthusiastic, he’s knowledgeable, and I think he’s going to be the perfect match for us,” Madaffari said during halftime of the McMahon-Westhill boys basketball game tonight. “He knows Norwalk, he knows the area, and I feel he’s going to make a change here.”

Madaffari did take Albano’s head coaching experience with Greenwich’s wrestling team into consideration, too, though it’s a different sport. He feels that leadership will transfer into success with McMahon football.

Comments left on one newspaper blog post about the hiring claimed Albano got the job because his father, George Albano, is the assistant sports editor at The Hour. I disagree. I’ve known George since I worked at The Hour in 1995, and I’ve never offered either of his sons a position as a blogger.

A.J. Albano is a talented coach, and he’s shown success as a coordinator and as the coach of another sport. If you don’t believe it, look at how Greenwich has improved on the mat, and how the Blue Wave’s defense was able to dominate in 2008 and 2009.

Let’s put it this way, too: If Trifone had called the Darien athletic director John Keleher in the offseason with his resignation, Keleher would have probably hired Albano in a heartbeat. Trifon is not going anywhere, and Albano is one of the best young head coach candidates we’ve seen around here in a long time.

At Albano’s age, we’re talking someone who could spend 30 years at McMahon and still not be ready to retire.