UNH Coach Sean McDonnell Takes Medical Leave of Absence
Aug 27, 2019 6:50:41 GMT -5
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Post by td128 on Aug 27, 2019 6:50:41 GMT -5
Coach McDonnell is widely regarded as a class act aside from being a legendary coach. On behalf of all the Friends of Crusader Football, I welcome sending our prayers and hopes for a quick and full recovery.
New Hampshire football will begin the 2019 season without the person who's synonymous with the program, 21st-year head coach Sean McDonnell.
McDonnell, 62, has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team for health-related reasons, UNH athletic director Marty Scarano announced Monday night.
Associate head coach Ricky Santos, who starred as a quarterback under McDonnell, was named the interim head coach. The Wildcats, who finished 4-7 last year, kick off the new season on Sept. 7 at Holy Cross.
"Our entire department is aligned in doing everything to support Sean with the intent of getting him back to coaching his program," Scarano said. "This will be the ultimate team effort; the administration, coaching staff and most of all the student-athletes will give everything we have to support (Sean's wife) Jenny and Sean during this challenge."
McDonnell has a 154-95 career record, including 98 CAA Football wins to rank third all-time in the conference. He guided the Wildcats to the FCS playoffs in 14 straight seasons from 2004-17, winning an outright CAA title in 2014 and four other divisional titles in the league. He's one of three two-time recipients of the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the FCS coach of the year.
McDonnell played defensive back at UNH from 1975-78 and later assisted under his college coach, Bill Bowes. When Bowes retired in spring 1999, McDonnell succeeded him as the Wildcats' head coach.
Santos was a Columbia assistant coach the last three seasons before he joined McDonnell's staff in March for the second time. He ranks seventh in FCS history in passing yards (13,212) and third in touchdown passes (123), and earned the 2006 STATS FCS Walter Payton Award as national offensive player of the year.
"UNH football is in great hands with Ricky Santos as its interim head coach," Scarano said. "Ricky will carry on the principles that Coach Mac has instilled in our nationally recognized program to ensure the team maintains its standard of achievement both on and off the field."
New Hampshire football will begin the 2019 season without the person who's synonymous with the program, 21st-year head coach Sean McDonnell.
McDonnell, 62, has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team for health-related reasons, UNH athletic director Marty Scarano announced Monday night.
Associate head coach Ricky Santos, who starred as a quarterback under McDonnell, was named the interim head coach. The Wildcats, who finished 4-7 last year, kick off the new season on Sept. 7 at Holy Cross.
"Our entire department is aligned in doing everything to support Sean with the intent of getting him back to coaching his program," Scarano said. "This will be the ultimate team effort; the administration, coaching staff and most of all the student-athletes will give everything we have to support (Sean's wife) Jenny and Sean during this challenge."
McDonnell has a 154-95 career record, including 98 CAA Football wins to rank third all-time in the conference. He guided the Wildcats to the FCS playoffs in 14 straight seasons from 2004-17, winning an outright CAA title in 2014 and four other divisional titles in the league. He's one of three two-time recipients of the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the FCS coach of the year.
McDonnell played defensive back at UNH from 1975-78 and later assisted under his college coach, Bill Bowes. When Bowes retired in spring 1999, McDonnell succeeded him as the Wildcats' head coach.
Santos was a Columbia assistant coach the last three seasons before he joined McDonnell's staff in March for the second time. He ranks seventh in FCS history in passing yards (13,212) and third in touchdown passes (123), and earned the 2006 STATS FCS Walter Payton Award as national offensive player of the year.
"UNH football is in great hands with Ricky Santos as its interim head coach," Scarano said. "Ricky will carry on the principles that Coach Mac has instilled in our nationally recognized program to ensure the team maintains its standard of achievement both on and off the field."
