Sources close to the team tell me the players have been notified that Al Bagnoli will be officially announced on Monday as the new Head Coach of Columbia Football.
As soon as I know the time and the place for the announcement, and hopefully a news conference, I will publish that here.
I know he bashed me publicly two days ago, (and he had to do it to please certain folks), but I thank Rick Taylor for the role he has played in finally getting Columbia to make the commitment to winning in football.
UPDATE: Sources tell me that in addition to Rick Flanders as defensive coordinator, John Audino will be brought in as offensive coordinator.
This is not a youth movement to be sure, but Columbia now has the most experienced senior staff perhaps in Ivy history.
Audino has been head coach at Union since Bagnoli left there in 1992. He's had many coaching positions including a stint as an assistant at Columbia from 1977-81 under Bill Campbell and Bob Naso.
In the meantime, perhaps this is a good time to re-read a post I wrote about what Bagnoli's coaching prowess means in this league. I wrote it 3 1/2 years ago as the lead for my Ivy season preview.
Percy Haughton
It might also be a good time to do some historic reading about the legendary Percy Haughton.
Bagnoli is following a path created by Haughton when he came out of retirement to lead Columbia football in 1923. Haughton was a national champion three times with the Crimson before joining the Lions and instantly making the program a winner.
Sadly, Haughton died midway through his second season at Columbia, and we certainly hope that part of the story isn't repeated.
But if the Bagnoli hire proves that the CU administration is as serious about football as it was 92 years ago, then maybe we've already won.
18 comments:
He certainly has a track record of winning, which is very encouraging. The fact that he knows what it takes to win in the league and his ability to recruit makes this a great hire. Other than getting the current Harvard coach, I think this makes great sense.
Thank God Jake's blog did not scare Bagnoli off like it has so many prior recruits! Ha Ha! Way to go Jake!
Best FB hire in the last 50 years...whether it translates to wins or not remains to be seen...but you can't knock the AD Home Run hire
Do you think Al felt sorry for us after all those 4th quarters in which he
broke our hearts with cleaver coaching? Or did they make him an offer he couldn't refuse?
Either way- this is incredibly wonderful news!
Be still my heart!
Jaw has hit the floor. Unbelievable turn of events. Of course this does not mean instant success for the program but Bags' priceless senior experience and success is light years ahead of anything the program has had in decades.
It will also be interesting how the new staff will go about reshaping the program. It can't all be about the money. To me, this indicates Bags didn't leave Penn as a man fulfilled. He clearly feels the need for further accomplishment instead of sitting behind a desk in an athletic dept. He had me fooled (based on his last presser with Penn).
Rick Flanders looks like a good choice for DC, has a great resume including #1 scoring defense in FCS for two consecutive years. I hope Al can bring in Keith Clark for OC, then it would really be full steam ahead.
Wow, to bring in Audino after his length of stay at Union indicates an overdue payday for the man. I have no problem with that. That's the type of coaching talent the program needs.
Is it ironic that I am the default choice to be Al's wingman?
I still am stunned. I have never been so optimistic about CU football since I was a player. I honestly believe there is no way Bagnoli takes this job to collect a pre-retirement paycheck. He wants to cement his legacy as the greatest coach in Ivy history.
If Bagnoli brings Columbia a championship, he would go down as a legendary coach and will be a first ballot to the College Hall of Fame. He would have done what no one has been able to do in the last 50 years.
I see these guys taking this opportunity as the challenge of a lifetime!
Do you think Al felt sorry for us after all those 4th quarters in which he
broke our hearts with cleaver coaching? Or did they make him an offer he couldn't refuse?
Either way- this is incredibly wonderful news!
Be still my heart!
Al's legacy is secure. But he looks like a young 62, he may have begun to feel stale at Penn, he is highly competitive, he must have been impressed by what he has seen and heard, and finally, if he turns this around by definition he becomes the greatest coach in Ivy history, surpassing even Little, Cozza, Blackman and Murphy.
Sincere thanks to Jake Novak for bringing about this chain of events culminating in these great hires. No honest person can dispute that. If there were no Jake's blog, do you think we'd be celebrating now?
Do you think Bollinger would have done this if his hand wasn't forced? He came here THIRTEEN YEARS AGO,
promising to correct football's atrocious record, and did nothing. After another 0-10 season last fall, Bollinger said Mangurian would stay and perhaps would benefit from
Consultant Rick Taylor's suggestions.
The only false note the last few days is Taylor's lie, no doubt with the permission of Bollinger or at his behest,
that Jake has harmed the football program. Jake has
SAVED the program.
When Bollinger retires in a couple of years, let's be vigilant and make sure his successor does not reverse the positive actions just taken. They were a long time coming but I still want to thank Pres. Bollinger for finally taking them. Also our new AD Pilling for his part.
And thanks to Jake again for making it happen.
I'm intrigued what the composition of the team will look like in 2-3 years. Penn recruited really tough athletes. They had a personality of aggression topped with talent (still do). Will the team look like Penn in Columbia uniforms? I wouldn't complain. It would be very curious though.
John Audino is a fantastic hire- great coach and great recruiter-
John Audino is a great person. Played on a Notre Dame national championship team and has done a fine job at Union. Really good move!!!
Damn I am happy. Nicely done
John Alex '89
This is by far the most astonishing development in CU football since World War Two. It's a great and ballsy move by Bagnoli, but as has been written if he succeeds he will be consecrated for all time. What's more, if he succeeds I think the whole atmosphere of the school could change hugely for the better. It's hard to imagine, because it's never happened before.
Mitch S 68CC
Really hope that John Audino comes through- he should have been offered the Head job at Columbia years ago.
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