Thursday, December 22, 2011

Nebraska AD and former Head Coach Tom Osborne on The Drive at 5:30 today

Nebraska AD and former Head Coach Dr. Tom Osborne joins Aaron Marks on The Drive at 5:30 today to discuss new CCU Head Coaching hire, Joe Moglia, and the match up between the Gamecocks and Cornhuskers in the Capital One Bowl

Press Release
ESPN Radio 93.9 The Team

Earlier this week Coastal Carolina University made an unexpected move by hiring former CEO of TD Ameritrade, Joe Moglia, to be its 2nd head coach in the history of the program. The move has sent a variety of emotions through the local community as Moglia has not been a college football coach since 1983.

In 2008, Moglia made the decision to leave his position as CEO of TD Ameritrade and called up University of Nebraska Athletic Director Dr. Tom Osborne about his desire to be a head football coach. Dr. Osborne invited Moglia out to a practice to sit in and see if this was something he was serious about pursuing.

When Moglia made the decision that this was in fact where he wanted the next step in his life to go Dr. Osborne introduced Moglia to head coach Bo Pelini. The two hit it off and an agreement was made for Moglia, just like Osborne did in his first two years at Nebraska, became an unpaid assistant and assumed the role of Executive Advisor to the Head Coach.

In this role he would assist Coach Pelini with teaching players the life skills necessary to be successful in life outside of football. In addition, Moglia would have the opportunity to reconnect with today's football schemes and how to run a successful college football program. According to Osborne over the next 18 months Moglia attended every practice and every meeting held by the University of Nebraska coaching staff.

In 2010 Moglia received Nebraska's prestigious U.S. Grant Sharp Admirals Trophy for Leadership and Service present by the student athletes. In that same year he made the move to his first head coaching position with the Omaha Nighthawks in the United Football League.

Dr. Osborne, Coach Pelini and the rest of the Nebraska staff feel fortunate to have had Moglia as part of their staff for a year and a half and feel he brings the skills necessary to be a successful college football head coach.

Earlier this week Coastal Carolina University made that a reality. Today on The Drive with Aaron Marks on ESPN Radio 93.9 The Team, in Myrtle Beach, SC Nebraska Athletic Director Dr. Tom Osborne will join Aaron for about 12 minutes at 5:30 to talk about this move made by CCU. Osborne will give his thoughts and opinions as an AD and former coach at the Division I level on the qualifications Moglia brings and why he feels he brings a positive outlook and a pedigree of success to the program.

Tune in today on 93.9 The Team (the flagship station for Coastal Carolina University) to hear Dr. Tom Osborne give his thoughts and insight. He will also discuss the match up between the South Carolina Gamecocks and his Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Capital One Bowl next month.


Aaron Marks is the host of The Drive which airs 4-6 p.m. Daily on ESPN Radio 93.9 The Team. He also serves as the Sports Director for the station handling all programming decisions and works closely with Coastal Carolina University, and the University of South Carolina.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

CCU Hires New Head Football Coach, Joe Moglia

Coastal Carolina Names Joe Moglia Head Football Coach
 
CONWAY – Joe Moglia, former head coach of the United Football League’s Omaha Nighthawks, has been hired as the head football coach at Coastal Carolina University, President David DeCenzo and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek announced Tuesday in a press conference held at Adkins Field House.
 
“I am excited to have a man like Joe Moglia lead our football team,” DeCenzo said. “His proven success on and off the football field will be a great asset to Coastal Carolina University, its football program and our community. His passion for the game and its players, his knowledge of the game, and his strong desire to succeed are perfectly aligned with the mission of our athletics program. He has all the ingredients that will take our football program to waters uncharted.”
 
“There are consistent words of praise from those whom I have talked to about Joe such as ‘successful,’ ‘leadership,’ ‘detail-oriented’ and ‘organized,’” Yurachek said. “Most importantly, it was made clear he has the skill set to be a great head coach with a passion for molding student-athletes into men. I am excited for each of our student-athletes who will learn from the life and professional experiences that Joe will share with them as our head football coach.”
 
Moglia, who will begin his 20th year as a coach in the 2012 season, is also Chairman of the Board for TD Ameritrade, a position he has held since 2008.
 
“I cannot imagine anything more rewarding in helping 18-22 year olds become men through football,” Moglia said. “To have that opportunity at Coastal Carolina University is truly an honor. I am grateful to Dr. DeCenzo and Hunter for this opportunity.”
 
Moglia, who coached the “Stars Team” at the 2011 Eastham Energy College All-Star Game, spent this past fall coaching the Nighthawks in the third year of the UFL’s existence. Moglia’s team led the UFL in passing offense, sacks, tackles-for-loss, punt returns and blocked kicks. Also, the Nighthawks produced the 2011 UFL Defensive Player of the Year, Stuart Schweigert. Moglia joined an elite roster of UFL head coaches including Dennis Green, Jim Fassel, Marty Schottenheimer and Jerry Glanville.
 
From 2009-10 Moglia served as Executive Advisor to the Head Football Coach at the University of Nebraska in preparation for achieving his original lifelong pursuit, being a collegiate head football coach. In his two seasons at Nebraska, the Cornhuskers won two Big 12 North championships and played in the Holiday Bowl each season. In 2010, Cornhusker football student-athletes elected Moglia to receive Nebraska’s prestigious U.S. Grant Sharp Admiral’s Trophy for Leadership and Service.
 
Moglia has been inducted into two high school halls of fame and the Omaha Business Hall of Fame while receiving the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, Columbus Citizens Foundation Leadership Award, National Italian American Foundation Special Achievement Award in Business, American Institute for Stuttering Lifetime Achievement Award and National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame’s Man of the Year.
 
Moglia is the only person to publish books on both football and investing, including “The Key to Winning Football: The Perimeter Attack Offense” (1981) and “Coach Yourself to Financial Success: Winning the Investment Game” (2005), while contributing to numerous national football coaching journals. He has also been a keynote speaker at the 2011 American Football Coaches Association (“It’s About Being a Leader”) and 2010 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (“Leadership in a 24/7 Stress Filled Environment”).
 
Moglia served as TD Ameritrade’s Chief Executive Officer for seven years (2001-08). Under his leadership, the company had a 500 percent return on investment, and the firm’s market cap increased from $700 million to $10 billion. Prior to joining TD Ameritrade, Moglia spent 17 years working with Merrill Lynch (1984-2001).
 
Before entering the business world, Moglia was a football coach for 16 years. He won two Ivy League championships as defensive coordinator at Dartmouth (1982-83), set defensive and special teams records at Lafayette (1978-80) and turned around two high school programs.
 
He has served on the board of several not-for-profit and educational organizations, including STRATCOM Consultation Committee, Creighton University, Fordham Preparatory School, National Italian American Foundation, Omaha Chamber of Commerce and Boy Scouts of America.
 
Moglia graduated from Fordham University with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1971, earning Dean’s List recognition and acceptance into Omicron Delta Epsilon (National Economic Honor Society). He went on to receive his Master of Science degree in education from the University of Delaware in 1974 and holds honorary doctorate degrees from Fordham University (Humane Letters) and Bellevue University (Commerce).
 
Moglia is married to the former Amy Harvey. He has six children: Kelly, Kim, Kara, Kevin, Johnny and Jeff.
 
 
What they are saying:
 
“Joe came to me a couple of years ago and spoke to me of his passion for coaching. He obviously was very successful, but expressed to me that the most meaningful time of his life was when he was a college coach. Joe wanted to be a part of our program and really used that time to get up to speed on the collegiate game. Joe is a great leader, a great communicator and has great work ethic. He also is very organized and detail oriented. He spoke several times to our student-athletes and was a great influence on them while being an excellent motivator as well. Most importantly, Joe Moglia knows football and will put together a great staff.”
- Tom Osborne, University of Nebraska Director of Athletics
 
“Joe Moglia can coach. He is 100 percent dedicated to the game, his players and coaches. He really wants to succeed and his biggest asset is his leadership ability. Joe can coach football at any level, any place.”
- Tom Olivadotti, 21-year NFL coach
 
“Joe was a fantastic head coach of the Nighthawks. I have no doubt he will be incredibly successful leading the Coastal Carolina program to new heights. We are excited for him and the University.
-Rick Mueller, Omaha Nighthawks General Manager

Friday, December 9, 2011

Head Coach David Bennett "Reassigned" by University President and Athletic Director today

Coastal Carolina’s David Bennett Relieved of Head Football Coaching Duties

CONWAY – Coastal Carolina University President David DeCenzo and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek announced today that David Bennett has been relieved of his head coaching duties, effective immediately, and he will be reassigned to another position within the University.

“This was, to date, the hardest decision I have had to make as President of this institution,” DeCenzo said. “However, following an exhaustive review and assessment of our football program, I have concluded that new leadership is necessary to direct our program toward its goals. We will be forever grateful to David for shepherding our program from its beginning and developing our student-athletes into responsible members of our community”   

Bennett is the only head coach Coastal’s football program has known, coming to Conway in 2002 and laying the foundation for the 2003 season, the Chanticleers’ first year of competition. Bennett compiled a nine-year record of 63-39. However, the Chanticleers were just 29-28 over his last five seasons, including a 15-12 mark in Big South Conference games.

“I was asked to complete a thorough evaluation of our football program that included a review of all on and off the field areas associated with the program,” Yurachek said. “Upon finalizing this evaluation, it was decided that a change of leadership was necessary for our football program to continue to grow and achieve the level of success that is reflective of the investment the University has made in the program.

“A search for our new head coach will begin immediately with an aggressive timetable. I anticipate a significant level of interest from candidates across the country,” Yurachek said.

Bennett owns a 16-year career head coaching record of 126-56, including a 63-17 mark in seven years at Catawba College prior to starting the Coastal Carolina program.

Bennett led CCU to four Big South championships (2004, 2005, 2006 and 2010) and was named the league’s Coach of the Year twice (2004 and 2010). He led Coastal to the Big South’s first and only NCAA at-large playoff berth in 2006, while earning the league’s first NCAA automatic playoff berth in 2010.

President David DeCenzo’s Comments at Press Conference
December 9, 2011
Members of the press, thank you for being here this evening. With me are Hunter Yurachek, Athletic
Director of CCU, and Wyatt Henderson, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Let me get straight to the
point. After many conversations and much deliberation, I have decided that it is time to make a change in
the leadership of our football program. Earlier today, I informed David Bennett that he is no longer the
Head Coach of Chanticleer Football, effective immediately. I am reassigning David to a position in the
university to be determined.
It is a fact that this University could not have hired a better coach or a better person – and I emphasize
“person” – to begin our football program than David Bennett. We may not have won a national
championship on the football field but there is not a head coach of any sport at any university in the
nation that does a better job of shepherding and developing his players into responsible members of the
community than David Bennett.
While his accolades are well earned, as president I am held accountable by a variety of constituencies to
answer these questions: Is our football program headed in the right direction? Is it helping the university
in its long term strategic direction? Is the University getting a good return on the significant investment
we have made in the facilities and the operations of the football program? I have spoken at length with a
sizeable number of students, faculty, staff, trustees, supporters, donors, alumni, former football players,
and members of the community. Additionally the Director of Athletics has provided a thorough
evaluation of our football program. It was made quite clear to me that the energy and vitality appear to be
gone from our football program and that a change is needed.
It is true that we had a winning record this season but the record shows that the competitive stature of our
program has diminished significantly against peer FCS opponents. Our expenditures in football, quite
frankly are not resulting in a return on our investment. Of the 125 FCS schools, our spending on football
operations is easily in the top 20. With that investment, we expect to annually place in the top 20
programs, with sights set on competing consistently for the FCS playoffs and national championships.
That is simply not happening.
In addition, when you look at our record over the past five years, we have beaten only 3 teams that had
winning records. Our attendance at games has fallen sharply; we sell about 50 percent of our available
tickets. It is imperative that we find a way to create excitement around our program, attract more fans to
Brooks Stadium, and increase our revenues to offset our expenditures.
This was, to date, the hardest decision I have had to make as President of this institution. Upon reviewing
all the information I had gathered about the current state of our football program, I could do something or
I could do nothing. I have chosen to do something. The status quo is unacceptable. I want to be
accountable to the University community and to our supporters. I also want to be fiscally responsible for
the funds we invest in that program.
I have, therefore, decided to make this change in the leadership of Chanticleer football. Ultimately this is
about what is in the best interest of Coastal Carolina University.
Our Director of Athletics will shortly commence a search for our Head Coach and Director of Football
Operations.
Thank you.