Holy Cross: where 2-9, 3-9 and 4-8 gets you a 3yr extension

[Sader87]

WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross Athletics and head football coach Tom Gilmore have agreed in principle to a three-year contract extension, it was announced by athletic director Nathan Pine. The new contract will keep Gilmore on Mount St. James as head of the football program through the 2018 season.

"I'm pleased to publicly share the extension of Tom's contract as our head football coach," said Pine. "The extension reflects our confidence in Coach Gilmore, his leadership and his dedication to our student-athletes and this program. He has laid a solid foundation for the future of our program and I look forward to working with him to achieve success at all levels."

The Holy Cross football team currently has two classes of scholarship student-athletes, following the Patriot League's decision to allow football scholarships beginning in the fall of 2013. Coach Gilmore and his staff are currently recruiting the third scholarship class, which will arrive on campus next fall, and the program will reach the Patriot League limit of 60 scholarships in the fall of 2016. The Crusaders will return 15 of their 22 starters next season, including nine players who were members of the scholarship freshman and sophomore classes.

A two-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, Gilmore just concluded his 11th season at Holy Cross in 2014. He owns an overall record of 60-64 during his time with the Crusaders, including a 35-31 mark in conference games. Gilmore's squads have posted winning records in seven of his 11 seasons, including a 2009 campaign in which Holy Cross went 9-3 overall, won the Patriot League championship, advanced to the NCAA Playoffs and finished the year ranked 14th in the nation.

Four of Gilmore's players have earned All-America honors over the last 11 years, with the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year coming from Holy Cross in four of the past 11 seasons. Gilmore has also led the Crusaders to four victories over ranked opponents.

"I am very appreciative of the commitment and support that Nathan Pine and Holy Cross have shown me," said Gilmore. "I am dedicated to returning Holy Cross to the top of the Patriot League, and look forward to many successful seasons in the years to come."

IMO...the new AD's hands were tied, HC is smack dab in the middle of returning to scholarship football, improvements in schedules, facilities etc Extension was granted to sort of settle the storm clouds hovering ovah Fitton Field.

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

But undefeated in the playoffs!!!!!

[2ram]

if he keeps it up, we'll see 5 wins, 6 wins, and then 7 by 2018.

[Ivytalk]

if he keeps it up, we'll see 5 wins, 6 wins, and then 7 by 2018.


That's progress! Maybe 11-0 by 2021!

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Gilmore should give Jake a Christmas card this year.

[Go Green]

Gilmore should give Jake a Christmas card this year.

Was thinking the same thing. Can't help but wonder if Gilmore leveraged the Columbia vacancy with HC....

Free market and all that. Oh well.

[Bisonator]

Hey at least you won't have to worry about those poorly attended and way to long playoffs. :D

[ngineer]

Well, there goes my Plan A for Lehigh's new DC...

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

I don't understand this at all. This does nothing to improve HC or PL football imo....xeyebrowx

[crusader11]

I don't understand this at all. This does nothing to improve HC or PL football imo....xeyebrowx

Worry about the bang up job Andy C is doing at Lehigh sans Dave C.

I'm confident that, given the necessary support which seems like is happening with Pine, Gilmore will be fine at HC.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Worry about the bang up job Andy C is doing at Lehigh sans Dave C.

I'm confident that, given the necessary support which seems like is happening with Pine, Gilmore will be fine at HC.

+1

[Pard4Life]

I thought Gilmore was on the hot seat?

[RichH2]

Worry about the bang up job Andy C is doing at Lehigh sans Dave C.

I'm confident that, given the necessary support which seems like is happening with Pine, Gilmore will be fine at HC.A tad off 11.D was our problem this past season ,not O. O,just could not keep up with all the pts D gave up.xbawlingx

[Franks Tanks]

I'd rather play for Gilmore instead of Coen. Also why in the world would Gilmore come back to be the DC at Lehigh? You guys are delusional sometimes. Kevin Kelly got hired as the DC at Ball State, and Gilmore has a better resume.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

I'd rather play for Gilmore instead of Coen. Also why in the world would Gilmore come back to be the DC at Lehigh? You guys are delusional sometimes. Kevin Kelly got hired as the DC at Ball State, and Gilmore has a better resume.

We'll see where we are 12 months from now. Lehigh, Lafayette and Holy Cross are all must step up their game next year....

[Lehigh'98]

A tad off 11.D was our problem this past season ,not O. O,just could not keep up with all the pts D gave up.xbawlingx

did we watch the same games? Offense was a huge problem this year. Almost getting blanked by Lafayette the biggest game for decades should be a red flag, but look at almost any game leading up to that. We couldn't keep the horrific D off the field. Shafinsky got worse and the play calling was terrible.

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

did we watch the same games? Offense was a huge problem this year. Almost getting blanked by Lafayette the biggest game for decades should be a red flag, but look at almost any game leading up to that. We couldn't keep the horrific D off the field. Shafinsky got worse and the play calling was terrible.

What did they do to produce 30 points the week before against Colgate? I did not see a single play of that game. The Raiders came back the next week and beat Bucknell. No one came close to holding Lehigh to a single digit point total like Lafayette did. The 'Pards did have a good D but 7 points? The one thing I noticed against the HC and Lafayette was below average line play. Shaf was running for his life at tines against HC. Nunes went out early against HC iirc.

Folmar will have a spring practice with hopefully a group of healthy QB's. Poutier getting all the reps last spring did not help matters given the change over in staff....

[Lehigh'98]

What did they do to produce 30 points the week before against Colgate? I did not see a single play of that game. The Raiders came back the next week and beat Bucknell. No one came close to holding Lehigh to a single digit point total like Lafayette did. The 'Pards did have a good D but 7 points? The one thing I noticed against the HC and Lafayette was below average line play. Shaf was running for his life at tines against HC. Nunes went out early against HC iirc.

Folmar will have a spring practice with hopefully a group of healthy QB's. Poutier getting all the reps last spring did not help matters given the change over in staff....

the issue was that the offense got worse as the season went on. The Colgate game was probably their only highlight this year. I know it's easy to think this is just a one off year because they were so bad, but the trend is what is scaring a lot of people. To not even be competitive against Laf is very worrisome. Also, offense is not simply about yards and points, it's making the big plays when needed most. Looking at the Yale and Monmouth games, we didn't do that at all. Will they get better? I hope, but from what I see it may take a few years. Back on topic, Gilmore had done nothing to deserve his contract.

[ngineer]

I'd rather play for Gilmore instead of Coen. Also why in the world would Gilmore come back to be the DC at Lehigh? You guys are delusional sometimes. Kevin Kelly got hired as the DC at Ball State, and Gilmore has a better resume.

I said it was a 'dream' didn't I?

[Sader87]

The old adage "timing is everything" probably applies here.

HC is in the middle of transitioning to schollies, schedule upgrades have been made, facilities are about to improve etc etc

With a relatively new AD, I think the feeling was we can't afford a coaching change at this point.

Speculation is that there may be clauses to buy-out the last couple years of Gilmore's contract if things don't improve in the next year or two.

[ngineer]

The old adage "timing is everything" probably applies here.

HC is in the middle of transitioning to schollies, schedule upgrades have been made, facilities are about to improve etc etc

With a relatively new AD, I think the feeling was we can't afford a coaching change at this point.

Speculation is that there may be clauses to buy-out the last couple years of Gilmore's contract if things don't improve in the next year or two.

Sounds reasonable.

[Go...gate]

The old adage "timing is everything" probably applies here.

HC is in the middle of transitioning to schollies, schedule upgrades have been made, facilities are about to improve etc etc

With a relatively new AD, I think the feeling was we can't afford a coaching change at this point.

Speculation is that there may be clauses to buy-out the last couple years of Gilmore's contract if things don't improve in the next year or two.

Agreed.

[carney2]

Gilmore: 21-36 for the past 5 years with two winning seasons = 3 year extension.

Tavani: 21-35 for the past 5 years with no winning seasons = job for life.

The Patriot League where no one is held accountable.

[ngineer]

Gilmore: 21-36 for the past 5 years with two winning seasons = 3 year extension.

Tavani: 21-35 for the past 5 years with no winning seasons = job for life.

The Patriot League where no one is held accountable.

Not so. It's just that winning is not a criteria.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I picture it like this:

League: "We are singled out by the NCAA for great APR scores"

Presidents to ADs: "Keep up the good work"

ADs to coaches: "Keep up the good work"

[Sader87]

The league sucks....sorry.....worst thing that evah happened for Holy Cross football and basketball.

[Lehigh'98]

The league sucks....sorry.....worst thing that evah happened for Holy Cross football and basketball.

Reminiscing over a few drinks again?

[citdog]

The league sucks....sorry.....worst thing that evah happened for Holy Cross football

Finally 87 and I agree on something.........

[crusader11]

The league sucks....sorry.....worst thing that evah happened for Holy Cross football and basketball.

But, you do think that the PL is currently the best league for HC football, correct?

Will be very interesting to see in two seasons, after each PL team save for Georgetown has four classes of scholarship players, where the league stacks up against the CAA, SoCon, MVFC, et al.

[Sader87]

I think the PL is a the "best fit" for HC football right now. The CAA has become too "Southern based" amoungst other things and the other league options in the Northeast are less appealing than the PL.

The league though in general has marginalized HC football and basketball ovah the past 25+ years. There are just too many limitations put on the programs by the PL to let those teams flourish and/or be successful to a great extent. People in Massachusetts largely don't care for FCS football but they really don't care about the teams HC has played both inside the PL and OOC for most of the league's existence.

On paper, HC in the PL for football could be successful. It has all the ingredients: a good game-day facility, a schedule that plays OOC schools like Harvard, Yale, UNH, BC etc, a local fan-base (potentially) in a city were HC could be the only show in town ala NDSU in Fargo etc etc etc but I'm not sure if the PL's hierarchy really want that sort of football success in general.

[Pard4Life]

The league sucks....sorry.....worst thing that evah happened for Holy Cross football and basketball.

You could make the case for Lafayette too... we had very good teams, in nearly all sports, in the 80s. Example A is women's basketball. I don't think they had a losing season until the early 90s, plus several 20+ win seasons. Since the PL era, they have been above .500 only once.

[Pard4Life]

But, you do think that the PL is currently the best league for HC football, correct?

The Big East is... DUH! xnodx

[Pard4Life]

I picture it like this:

League: "We are singled out by the NCAA for great APR scores"

Presidents to ADs: "Keep up the good work"

ADs to coaches: "Keep up the good work"

Exactly. Lafayette celebrates the APR feat. True, it is important. But we SUCK. Every sport in 2013-14 had a losing record. That APR feat should come with a major *.

[Sader87]

In many ways, the Ivy and Patriot League schools suffah the sins of the rest of D1 football and basketball.

For every scandal that comes about at another D1 school (UNC, Ohio St, the U etc) the NCAA can then countahbalance that negative PR by pointing to a Princeton or a Colgate and say "Well, these D1 schools in the NCAA are doing it the right way."

[citdog]

In many ways, the Ivy and Patriot League schools suffah the sins of the rest of D1 football and basketball.

For every scandal that comes about at another D1 school (UNC, Ohio St, the U etc) the NCAA can then countahbalance that negative PR by pointing to a Princeton or a Colgate and say "Well, these D1 schools in the NCAA are doing it the right way."

Yep y'all are just like jesus. It is laughable how the pl and ivy overstate their importance to one another. Your football STINKS and you are the ONLY ones who don't KNOW it.

[Sader87]

I'm not saying the Ivies and PL schools are saintly and graduate all moral examplars for society....clearly they don't as we've seen on Wall St, DC etc etc but the NCAA can sort of hide behind these schools (and many others doing it the "right way") when they are hit with these academic and/or criminal scandals that hit some of the usual suspects.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Yep y'all are just like jesus. It is laughable how the pl and ivy overstate their importance to one another. Your football STINKS and you are the ONLY ones who don't KNOW it.

http://crossports.com/

Log onto this site and I think you'll find a lot of people who agree with you. Many of us are fed up with being "Ivy League Light".

The Patriot League is to FCS football (SoCon, Big Sky, CAA, MVFC, Southland etc.) what Missouri Valley basketball is to the Big 5. Essentially, we're also-rans, or "mid-major" for this level.