Jody Karam had a regret.

After resigning from the Liberty wrestling job following the 2018-19 season, Karam suddenly felt the void in his life this past January when he told Liberty athletic director Fred Harris that he made a mistake.

That point was only exacerbated in February as he watched the District 11 dual tournament in Memorial Gymnasium.

Karam, Liberty’s all-time leader with 362 career wins, wanted to be out there on the floor giving guidance, but instead was bound to being a spectator.

Now, he’ll get that opportunity again, as Karam was approved to become the eighth head coach in Easton’s illustrious history after being approved this week.

He takes over a program that finished 7-7 last season and is going through the very public dismissal of fired head coach Jamar Billman.

Karam, who spent 26 years leading the charge at Liberty and three more at Delaware Valley Regional, is plenty prepared to walk into a new situation and lay the groundwork.

“I think any parent wants the best situation for their kids,” said Karam, “and I think once they see what I have planned for the program, they’ll be happy to be a part of this. We all need to be a unified group.”

Karam’s teams were always known for being tough, in great shape and being able to squeeze out the most of every wrestler in the program. Coming back to Easton, his alma mater, Karam understands what it means to be a Red Rover, but may have not understood the magnitude of his appointment.

“It’s crazy right now,” he said. “My phone hasn’t stopped ringing for days. I knew all about Easton’s wrestling tradition and culture from before, but I never knew it was this big.”

The biggest obstacle Karam will be dealing with currently is the coronavirus pandemic, which will be making his job tougher to meet with the team initially and building rapport. He’s also in the process of assembling his staff, which will feature longtime head coach Steve Powell, as a volunteer assistant.

Karam will remain as a teacher at Liberty, as well as a successful real estate agent for Morganelli Properties. Handling those duties, as well as being back in the wrestling room makes his life feel whole again.

“I say my son [Sage] drives 220 mph in a race car and I like to live my life at the same speed,” said Karam. “I like having a lot to do, and waking up every morning with a purpose, but after being out of coaching for a year, I knew this was my purpose in life. This completes me.”