FB: Liberty League

[Bartman]

Just picking one game this week:

Hobart(31) v Sasquatch (28) .   Ted Baker told me 😎

[IC798891]

If anyone ever wrote a book about Northeast college football coaching trees, I'd definitely read it.  Speaking of, I know there are big Bob Ford and Al Bagnoli coaching trees, but what about Jim Butterfield?  Does he have a similar coaching true?  (Given all his success, I have to imagine he does!)

I don't think Butterfield has a big one, beyond two obvious guys: Welch and Boyes. I guess it kind of depends how much a brief stopover counts. Dan Macneill at Cortland, for example, was a coach at IC for, a year. Dave Murray was a GA for a year and then had his career. But I don't think of them as IC guys

Mike Welch actually probably has the biggest branch, as his former OC Brian Angelichio, has been an HFL position coach forever.

[Bartman]

If anyone ever wrote a book about Northeast college football coaching trees, I'd definitely read it.  Speaking of, I know there are big Bob Ford and Al Bagnoli coaching trees, but what about Jim Butterfield?  Does he have a similar coaching true?  (Given all his success, I have to imagine he does!)

I don't think Butterfield has a big one, beyond two obvious guys: Welch and Boyes. I guess it kind of depends how much a brief stopover counts. Dan Macneill at Cortland, for example, was a coach at IC for, a year. Dave Murray was a GA for a year and then had his career. But I don't think of them as IC guys

Mike Welch actually probably has the biggest branch, as his former OC Brian Angelichio, has been an HFL position coach forever.

Mike Cragg , HC for Hobart for 23 years had a 157-62 record for the Statesmen. His coaching offspring includes 3 current D3 head coaches..... Hobart HC Kevin Dewall (OC for the two final eight teams and recruited Ali Marpet), Scott Yoder current HC for Shenandoah(DC for 2012 Final 8 team) and Jon Drach current HC for Union( OC at Hobart before becoming HC at Wilkes).
Mike Cragg was  elected to the Hobart Hall of Fame and also coached the Hobart tennis team to three LL Championships.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

[Oline89]

If anyone ever wrote a book about Northeast college football coaching trees, I'd definitely read it.  Speaking of, I know there are big Bob Ford and Al Bagnoli coaching trees, but what about Jim Butterfield?  Does he have a similar coaching true?  (Given all his success, I have to imagine he does!)

I don't think Butterfield has a big one, beyond two obvious guys: Welch and Boyes. I guess it kind of depends how much a brief stopover counts. Dan Macneill at Cortland, for example, was a coach at IC for, a year. Dave Murray was a GA for a year and then had his career. But I don't think of them as IC guys

Mike Welch actually probably has the biggest branch, as his former OC Brian Angelichio, has been an HFL position coach forever.

Mike Cragg , HC for Hobart for 23 years had a 157-62 record for the Statesmen. His coaching offspring includes 3 current D3 head coaches..... Hobart HC Kevin Dewall (OC for the two final eight teams and recruited Ali Marpet), Scott Yoder current HC for Shenandoah(DC for 2012 Final 8 team) and Jon Drach current HC for Union( OC at Hobart before becoming HC at Wilkes).
Mike Cragg was just elected to the Hobart Hall of Fame and also coached the Hobart tennis team to three LL Championships.

Also worth including Nate Milne, head coach at Muhlenberg, who played under Coach Cragg for 4 seasons

[Bartman]

Good catch Oline. Also, Chad Martinovich (Yellow jackets HC) was a Hobart player under Hobart DC  Cragg, That makes 5 current D3 Head Coaches that either played for or coached under Mike Cragg. Not too shabby.

[Ice Bear]

Wishing everyone and their families a Happy Thanksgiving! I'm grateful for all of you.

[UfanBill]

Happy Thanksgiving to all you "Board Members" and your families.

The Bob Butterfield coaching tree includes Utica coach Blaise Faggiano. He is a 1993 Ithaca College graduate. He played on Butterfield's 1991 championship team. Interestingly the article Unionpalozza referred to, and a great read, (https://www.utica.edu/college-community/utica-stories/longtime-coach-blaise-faggianos-coaching-tree-growing) gives credit to former UAlbany head coach Bob Ford as Faggiano's mentor not Butterfield. Ford hired Faggiano as a graduate assistant following his playing days for the Bombers. He coached at Albany 1993-94, back on Butterfield's staff as DC in '95-'96 and at St. John Fisher as DC from '99-2007 before taking the Utica H/C job in 2008. Here's a PDF file listing Faggiano's coaching tree. https://uticapioneers.com/documents/2024/7/9/Coaching_Tree__1_.pdf  I'd say it's a pretty impressive list.

[IC798891]

Interestingly the article Unionpalozza referred to, and a great read, gives credit to former UAlbany head coach Bob Ford as Faggiano's mentor not Butterfield.

That's because Faggiano wasn't on Butterfield's staff. Butterfield retired after the 1993 season.

At least that's how I've always interpreted a coaching tree — not guys who played for you, but were your assistants.

[XREDDRAGON77]

Larry Czarnecki was an IC hammer.  Believe he played under Butterfield and then made his way to Cortland as a HC. While at Cortland, was loved and revered! Later on, he came back and served as a great positional coach, coordinator, and outstanding guy in general.

[Machiavelli]

Happy Thanksgiving! On the coaching tree conversation, maybe I'm a little partial, but the 3 below came up under Coach King at RPI:

Brian Surace - Line Coach and OC for RPI from 1999-2004 under Coach King. HC at FDU-Florham for almost 2 decades now.

Paul Lapolice - QB/receivers and OC under Coach King from 1997-1999. Went to the CFL in 2000 where he's had 2 HC stints and has won 2 Grey Cups.

Matt Patricia - played for Coach King and started his coaching career at RPI. Went on to win 3 Super Bowls with the Patriots and was the HC for the Lions.

Pretty impressive group right there.

[NEd3ALUM]

Welch may have the bigger tree then Butterfield as previously stated. Welch himself is part of both the Butterfield and Ford trees.

Glenn Caruso - HFC @ St. Thomas
Brian Angelichio - NFL POS. coach
Mark Raymond - HFC @ Williams
Mark McDonough - DC @ Williams
Mark Ross - Previous DC @ Bloomsburg
Mike Hatcher - Cornell WRs
Dan Puckhaber - HC @ SLU
Jack Mrozinski - HC @ Hiram
Mike Cerasuolo - HC @ Springfield College

[jdex]

Larry Czarnecki was an IC hammer.  Believe he played under Butterfield and then made his way to Cortland as a HC. While at Cortland, was loved and revered! Later on, he came back and served as a great positional coach, coordinator, and outstanding guy in general.

The late 'Czar' was indeed a great guy in many ways. Played under 'Butts' on national championship team. Was teammate of Jerry Boyes we believe. Both were on IC coaching staff. Boyes in the mid-80s nearly became Cortland head coach before taking Buff State reins and turning around that program. Larry Czarnecki died way too early following the death of his son.

[stlawus]

Since we're doing the coaching tree history (which I am currently thoroughly enjoying to read after destroying my waist line, happy Thanksgiving to all) I figure I'd sprinkle some SLU history. The most noteworthy head coach was of course Andy Talley who guided the Saints to the final four in 1982.  A few years before he had Mark Whipple on staff as a grad assistant who had head coaching stints at Brown and UMass (x2), as well as QB coach for the Steelers team that won Super Bowl 40.  Mark Ferrante, the QB for the 1982 final four team,  succeeded Andy Talley as HC at Villanova where he remains as HC today and is preparing for the first round of the FCS playoffs. 

Lots of good lore in the SLU football annals.  In the early 70s a few basketball players were screwing around in the bleachers before a practice watching the football team practice when one of the players loudly declared he could punt further than anyone on the field.  The basketball coach at the time, Bob Sheldon, overheard said player make this proclamation and told him he better put on some pads and punt a few balls or else practice would not be pleasant.   The player obliged, padded up and proceeded to boom balls over the field.   Thus the career of Giants Ring of Honor member Dave Jennings was born.

[Bartman]

" The player obliged, padded up and proceeded to boom balls over the field.   Thus the career of Giants Ring of Honor member Dave Jennings was born."

Great story about Dave Jennings, SLU '74, also played as a wide receiver , I know because I played against him. As a Giant fan, I enjoyed his punting career.

[Jonny Utah]

If anyone ever wrote a book about Northeast college football coaching trees, I'd definitely read it.  Speaking of, I know there are big Bob Ford and Al Bagnoli coaching trees, but what about Jim Butterfield?  Does he have a similar coaching true?  (Given all his success, I have to imagine he does!)

I don't think Butterfield has a big one, beyond two obvious guys: Welch and Boyes. I guess it kind of depends how much a brief stopover counts. Dan Macneill at Cortland, for example, was a coach at IC for, a year. Dave Murray was a GA for a year and then had his career. But I don't think of them as IC guys

Mike Welch actually probably has the biggest branch, as his former OC Brian Angelichio, has been an HFL position coach forever.

As mentioned above, not all coached with Butterfield but played for him. 

A lot of Butterfield guys were also Bob Ford guys as well (Welch).  Tony Wise might be the biggest. Stlaws also forgot Brian Angelichio who is an SLU grad who coached at Ithaca and is now the TE coach/Passing game co for the Vikings (I think he was a GA in 1993 but may have been 1994 when Butterfield was gone).  Also in Minn country is Glen Caruso the HC at St. Thomas (IC 1996). Mike Sirianni (W&J head coach) was a GA under Butterfield in 1993.  Mike Cerrasulo (Springfield HC) was a GA that same year (1993).  Dave Murry (Hamilton HC and former Alfred and Cortland HC) coached at Ithaca in the 1980s.  Former Cortland HC Dan McNeill also coached at Ithaca in the early 1980s.