Curt Fitzpatrick named Head Coach at Colgate

[Go...gate]

2023 National Division III Coach of the Year and 2023 National Champion at Cortland State (NY).

45-5 in last five years.

I'm surprised, but I certainly wish him Godspeed.

[DFW HOYA]

"National" searches are more regional in the PL:

2024: Curt Fitzpatrick from Cortland St. (45 miles)
2024: Dan Curran from Merrimack (53 miles)
2023: Kevin Cahill from Yale (175 miles)
2022: John Troxell from F&M (90 miles)
2019: Dave Cecchini from Lehigh via Valpo (120 miles from South Mountain)
2018: Joe Conlin from Yale (65 miles w/o traffic)
2014: Rob Sgarlata from...across the hall

[ngineer]

"National" searches are more regional in the PL:

2024: Curt Fitzpatrick from Cortland St. (45 miles)
2024: Dan Curran from Merrimack (53 miles)
2023: Kevin Cahill from Yale (175 miles)
2022: John Troxell from F&M (90 miles)
2019: Dave Cecchini from Lehigh via Valpo (120 miles from South Mountain)
2018: Joe Conlin from Yale (65 miles w/o traffic)
2014: Rob Sgarlata from...across the hall

Agreed, it is almost always someone from within a 3-4 hour drive radius and for various reasons, I suspect. I would think most schools want someone who is 'familiar' with their culture and expectations in dealing with the 'balance' between football and academics. A lot of coaching candidates usually do not come with a lot of experience having to deal with the various strictures PL imposes on its athletic programs. And, while all of the recently hired HC's came from with such radius, I note that some, such as Lehigh's Cahill, had coaching experience in a variety of regional and academic institutions, i.e. Maine, Murray State, UT-Martin.

[Go...gate]

Admins - would you please merge the two threads on this subject or, in the alternative, delete this one?

Many thanks.

[Easton13]

Really great hire. His work at Cortland was nothing short of miraculous. For perspective, he has more than 50% of Cortland's D3 playoff wins all-time. The 2023 Stagg Bowl victory is one of the greatest upsets in D3 history.

Nice to see Colgate take a big swing.

[DFW HOYA]

Agreed, it is almost always someone from within a 3-4 hour drive radius and for various reasons, I suspect. I would think most schools want someone who is 'familiar' with their culture and expectations in dealing with the 'balance' between football and academics. A lot of coaching candidates usually do not come with a lot of experience having to deal with the various strictures PL imposes on its athletic programs. And, while all of the recently hired HC's came from with such radius, I note that some, such as Lehigh's Cahill, had coaching experience in a variety of regional and academic institutions, i.e. Maine, Murray State, UT-Martin.

I suspect it's less about academics and more about recruiting. Other than Georgetown, PL teams rely on a regional base of recruits (NY/NJ/PA) and there may be concern that bringing in a candidate from the South or Midwest who doesn't know the difference between Emmaus and East Stroudsburg South puts those relationships into question.

Put another way, if Mike Elko got a deal to go to Holy Cross instead of Texas A&M, would we be concerned that he can't recruit on academics?

[Go...gate]

I suspect it's less about academics and more about recruiting. Other than Georgetown, PL teams rely on a regional base of recruits (NY/NJ/PA) and there may be concern that bringing in a candidate from the South or Midwest who doesn't know the difference between Emmaus and East Stroudsburg South puts those relationships into question.

Put another way, if Mike Elko got a deal to go to Holy Cross instead of Texas A&M, would we be concerned that he can't recruit on academics?

Colgate recruits nationally and has for many years - certainly since the 1970s. The present roster shows players from twenty-one states and two from Canada. We have thirteen players from Ohio, seven from New York, six from Illinois, five from Texas, three from California, Indiana and Pennsylvania, two from New Jersey, Connecticut and Georgia, and one apiece from Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin, Utah, Tennessee, Maryland, Massachusetts, Kansas and Oklahoma. I can't speak for the other conference members but perhaps others can.

[DFW HOYA]

Colgate recruits nationally and has for many years - certainly since the 1970s. The present roster shows players from twenty-one states and two from Canada. We have thirteen players from Ohio, seven from New York, six from Illinois, five from Texas, three from California, Indiana and Pennsylvania, two from New Jersey, Connecticut and Georgia, and one apiece from Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin, Utah, Tennessee, Maryland, Massachusetts, Kansas and Oklahoma. I can't speak for the other conference members but perhaps others can.

I'm not doubting that, but the PL schools have a particular recruiting focus in these three states; by contrast, the lack of scholarship support has shut out Georgetown from many of the NY, NJ, and PA talent pools. In 1996, 52 players on the Georgetown roster played high school ball in either PA, NY or NJ. In 2024, just 17.

[Go...gate]

I'm not doubting that, but the PL schools have a particular recruiting focus in these three states; by contrast, the lack of scholarship support has shut out Georgetown from many of the NY, NJ, and PA talent pools. In 1996, 52 players on the Georgetown roster played high school ball in either PA, NY or NJ. In 2024, just 17.

12 at Colgate in 2024.

[DFW HOYA]

12 at Colgate in 2024.

Do you see this as a trend? Are the fewer good players in the region, fewer that are Index-compatible, or are players simply being picked off by other programs?

There's a good and bad to national recruiting: sounds great for admissions, but coaches don't build relationships with programs that could help identify future talent down the road. At the University of Texas, 71 players are in-state and coaches are concerned that the portal is eating into in-state recruiting. No, Colgate isn't Texas, but I was curious how you would see Fitzpatrick addressing this, coming from a program which had all but four players coming from NY?

[Go...gate]

Do you see this as a trend? Are the fewer good players in the region, fewer that are Index-compatible, or are players simply being picked off by other programs?

There's a good and bad to national recruiting: sounds great for admissions, but coaches don't build relationships with programs that could help identify future talent down the road. At the University of Texas, 71 players are in-state and coaches are concerned that the portal is eating into in-state recruiting. No, Colgate isn't Texas, but I was curious how you would see Fitzpatrick addressing this, coming from a program which had all but four players coming from NY?

That is why I have some reservations. Ed Sweeney had a similarly limited background/resume and a one-dimensional offensive system. He went 6-26-1 between 1993 and 1995 and was truly overmatched.

[Kramden]

That is why I have some reservations. Ed Sweeney had a similarly limited background/resume and a one-dimensional offensive system. He went 6-26-1 between 1993 and 1995 and was truly overmatched.

Agree. Not going to help Colgate’s recruiting effort. I would have preferred they look at an FBS assistant/coordinator for his first head coaching job than a D3 coach but not sure the Administration really wants to improve the program, they are happy playing in their little PL safe space.

[Gater]

Fitzpatrick was #29 on ESPN's Top 30 Coaches who will define the next decade of college football. He grew up going to Colgate practices. On paper, he's pretty close to the perfect hire.33570

[ngineer]

I know Cahill's focus from day one was to recruit heavily throughout the NE corridor, and very heavy on a 100 mile radius of Lehigh's campus. Not to say he/Lehigh was not going to "go national" when they could (and they did), but the time/cost of recruiting is a significant factor and being able to focus within a drivable area is a plus, both for the school and the family, considering the quality of high school football in our region. We still have our focal points, nationwide (north Georgia/Carolinas, FL, Tex, Calif, and midwest). Also, as someone else noted, being able to establish a relationship with local regional coaches pays being dividends. Fitzpatrick certainly has a nice resume, and from all accounts is the type of guy who looks to establish a relationship between the school and the recruit and his family. Being regional, he brings with him already established relationships regional high school coaches. Will be interesting to see who he brings with him from Cortland or from prior familiarity. While I want my Mountain Hawks to sustain their upswing and create another streak of successful seasons, I also want to see the PL become stronger overall wherein we are regularly fighting with everyone in the League for the top spot as opposed to just 2 or three teams.

[Go...gate]

Fitzpatrick was #29 on ESPN's Top 30 Coaches who will define the next decade of college football. He grew up going to Colgate practices. On paper, he's pretty close to the perfect hire.33570

One can only hope.