Lafayette College Men's Football

John Troxell ’94 is in his fourth season as the Fred M. Kirby II '42 Head Football Coach at Lafayette College.  Year three at the helm involved Troxell leading Lafayette to a second straight season finishing at .500 or better for the first time since the 2008-2009 seasons. The 2024 Leopards received national recognition, reaching No. 14 and No. 17 in the AFCA Coaches and Stats Perform polls, respectively. The Maroon and White featured an offense that was second in the Patriot League in passing and rushing. Defensively, the Leopards ranked first in the Patriot League in turnovers, collecting 23 in 12 games. Saiku White ‘25 and rookies Mason Kuehner and Sean Kinney were recognized nationally. White was chosen as an AP FCS All-America First-Team Defense and Stats Perform All-America Third-Team after a season in which the senior led the team with 87 tackles and snagged three interceptions. He was also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the best defensive player in the FCS. Kuehener was named to FCS Football Central 2024 Freshman All-America First-Team while Kinney secured his spot on the Sports Network Freshman All-America Team.  In addition, eight members of the Maroon and White garnered All-Patriot League laurels, headlined by first-team members White, Gabe DuBois ‘25 and Jamar Curtis to go along with five second-team honorees. In just his second campaign on College Hill, he guided the Leopards to a Patriot League championship for the first time in a decade. Lafayette ran to a 9-3 record that surpassed the single-season win total from the previous 40 years. The Maroon and White jumped back into the top 25 polls for the first time since 2009, entering the rankings after a win at No. 11 Holy Cross that snapped the Crusaders' 18-game conference winning streak. Lafayette ascended to as high as No. 16 in the rankings and finished at No. 19 in the AFCA Poll and 21st in the Stats Perform poll.   The 2023 season saw Billy Shaeffer, Curtis and White garner All-America status. Shaeffer was named to the final three in the nation for the Buck Buchanan Award after leading the conference with 10 sacks (the second-most ever in a season at Lafayette and 10th in the nation) and 21.5 tackles for loss (fourth in the nation). Curtis was tagged as a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, finishing second in the nation in rushing (1,460 yards) to set a new Lafayette single-season rushing record. White helped guide a defense that led the Patriot League in scoring defense, rushing defense and red-zone defense.  Shaeffer, Curtis and White were three of 12 Leopards were named to the All-Patriot League teams. Jaylon Joseph earned Patriot League Rookie of the Year honors (the 12th in program history) and was selected as a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award. Troxell was the Patriot League Coach of the Year and singled out as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year after the swift turnaround.  Troxell was re-introduced to the College Hill community at a press conference on Dec. 14, 2021. He is the 29th coach in the program’s history, third who is an alum, and took over prior to the 2022 season. Troxell began re-shaping the program in 2022, guiding the Leopards to a third-place finish in the conference standings, despite an offense that was significantly affected by injuries. Lafayette opened the season with a shutout of Sacred Heart in Troxell's debut and added conference road victories over Bucknell and Colgate before wrapping the season with a home victory over archrival Lehigh. The Leopards also took NCAA quarterfinalist Holy Cross to the wire in a 24-21 final. In 2022, Troxell saw Malik Hamm earn Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors, as the conference's first five-time All-Patriot League selection, before signing with the Baltimore Ravens.   Troxell came to College Hill after a 16-year head coaching stint at Franklin and Marshall College where he molded the program into a consistent winner. Prior to his arrival at the Lancaster, Pa. school in 2006, F&M had managed one winning season in the previous 13 campaigns. Four years later, after a full recruiting cycle, the Diplomats finished with a 9-2 record and continued to climb, subsequently reaching the postseason on nine occasions. Troxell was twice named the Centennial Conference Coach of the Year winning most recently in 2017 and in 2009 when he was also a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year national award. The program’s high-water mark came in 2017 when the team was 10-1 and captured its conference championship. That season kicked off a span from 2017-21 when Troxell and Franklin and Marshall posted a cumulative mark of 31-13. In his 16 seasons, Troxell posted a 92-67 overall record, ranking second in career coaching wins at the school where he coached 111 all-conference selections. Alumni engagement was integral to Troxell’s success at Franklin and Marshall and has been an important factor in his successful return to College Hill. He developed a mentoring and internship program utilizing the alumni network and played an integral role in mobilizing the group behind the construction of a $19.6 million football stadium project. Troxell has been a key ingredient in program rebuilds at each of his stops, and his time on College Hill as an assistant coach on Frank Tavani’s staff was no exception. He served various roles as the running backs coach, recruiting coordinator and special teams coach from 2001-05. His selection as the recruiting coordinator in 2003 helped kick off a stretch of three straight titles for the Leopards in 2004, 2005 and 2006 that coincided with the program’s first three NCAA FCS Playoff appearances. As an assistant at Lafayette, he mentored 2004 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Joe McCourt '05 to a record-setting career. McCourt, the 2001 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, concluded his career as Lafayette's and the Patriot League's all-time leader with 50 rushing touchdowns and was second on the school's all-time rushing list with 4,474 yards while earning All-America honors in 2002 and 2004. He also mentored Brandon Stanford ’06 who set the current Lafayette single-season record for punt return yardage and ranks 11th in career receiving. Prior to Lafayette, Troxell was part of a dramatic reversal at Muhlenberg College from 1997-2000 under head coach Mike Donnelly. He served multiple roles, working as the special teams coordinator (1997-99), quarterbacks coach and wide receivers coach (1997-2000) and offensive coordinator (2000). Muhlenberg progressed from a 1-9 season in 1997 to the Eastern College Athletic Conference title with a record of 9-2 in 2000. In 2000, under Troxell’s tutelage, the offense ranked 22nd in the nation and led the Centennial Conference in total offense (427.8 ypg) while averaging 31.0 points per game. Troxell joined the Muhlenberg staff after serving as an assistant coach for three seasons (1994-96) at Columbia University under head coach Ray Tellier, beginning his career path of coaching at elite academic institutions. In 1996, Troxell oversaw a secondary that recorded the third-best passing defense in the country. The turnaround tendency first showed itself at Columbia in 1994 when the Ivy League school recorded its first winning season in 23 seasons. An 8-2 mark and the program’s best finish in 15 years followed in 1996. His first extended stint on College Hill came as a student-athlete from 1990-94, when he earned his bachelor’s degree in government and law. Troxell was the starting free safety on the Leopards’ 1992 Patriot League Championship team and received the Unsung Hero Award as a senior. He completed his master’s degree in sociology and education in 1997 while on staff at Columbia. The 52-year-old Troxell is native of Phillipsburg, New Jersey. He and his wife, Pamela, have two daughters, Summer and Capri. updated 2/13/25

Ryan Roeder enters his fourth campaign as the wide receivers coach at Lafayette. In 2024 starters Elijah Steward and Carson Persing led the receiving corps. Steward’s 635 receiving yards led the Leopards for the second straight year, helping him earn back to back selections to the All-Patriot League Second-Team, despite missing parts of five games with a foot injury. In week two at Monmouth, Steward hauled in 15 passes for 244 yards, 42 of which came on a go-ahead touchdown to give Lafayette the lead with 36 seconds remaining. Persing paced the team with 53 receptions for 463 receiving yards while starting 11 games.  In 2025, Roeder’s receivers will feature a deeper group with more athleticism. Returning starters Steward and Persing will again be joined by soph. Mason Kuehner, who started four games as a rookie,  with new additions in Lehigh Valley rookies Matthew Scerbo Jr. and Caleb Newsome, who highlight a talented freshman class. In 2024, Roeder returned three starters in Steward, Persing and Chris Carasia. Steward led Lafayette in receptions as a sophomore, making 52 grabs for 738 yards and five touchdowns on his way to All-Patriot League Second-Team honors. Steward was seventh in the conference in receiving, helping guide the Leopards to their first Patriot League title in a decade. Carasia added five TD grabs while the rookie Persing had three touchdowns and also served as the team's holder.  A native of Bethlehem, Pa., Roeder worked two seasons on the Penn State football staff as a defensive analyst in 2021 and an offensive analyst in 2020. Prior to his time in State College, Roeder spent seven years (2013-19) with the New York Giants working with the wide receivers, tight ends and quarterbacks. His last FCS coaching job was as the tight ends coach at Princeton (2010-12) where he was also charged with the kickoff and punt return units. In 2009, Roeder coached the wide receivers at the University of Rhode Island, helping All-CAA wide receiver Shawn Leonard lead the CAA in touchdown receptions. From 2006-08, Roeder was an offensive graduate assistant at Temple University. That followed stops as the running backs coach at the University at Albany in 2005 and as the assistant offensive line coach at Holy Cross in 2004. Roeder graduated from Albany in 2002 with degree in communications and psychology. He later earned his master’s degree in educational administration from Albany in 2009. Roeder was an All-Northeast Conference quarterback in 2002 when he served as a team captain and led Albany to the 2002 NEC title and an ECAC championship. Roeder and his wife, Megan have two daughters, Lucie and Callie, and a son, Jack. Roeder’s brother, Jason, is the head football coach at Freedom High School in Bethlehem. Updated 2/25

Mike Saint Germain '07 begins his fourth season as the Leopards’ defensive coordinator. He oversaw the linebackers for his first three seasons and will take over coaching the defensive line in 2025.  The Maroon and White defense in 2024 returned its leaders, and they delivered. Saiku White ‘25 racked up a team-high 87 tackles on his way to being named All-Patriot League First-Team. Gabe DuBois ’25 joined White on the All-Patriot League First-Team after collecting 52 tackles and 12 pass breakups. Together, White and DuBois intercepted six of the teams’ conference-leading 23 turnovers. Defensive lineman Tyree Morris earned All-Patriot League Second-Team with 65 tackles and two sacks.  In 2024, the defense ranked first first in the league for turnovers gained (17), team sacks per game (3.08), team tackles for loss per game (7.0), scoring defense (23.3), rushing defense (123.1) and red-zone defense (.735). Lafayette’s defense was of critical importance in capturing a Patriot League title in 2023. The Leopards led the conference in scoring defense, rushing defense and red-zone defense. Linebacker Marco Olivas led the group, finishing third on the team in tackles (74) on his way to becoming a three-time All-Patriot League First Team selection. Fellow All-League honoree Billy Shaeffer was one of three national finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the national defensive player of the year. Shaeffer, who secured All-America honors, paced the team with 83 tackles for a Patriot League-best 21.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks (0.83 per game tied for 10th in the nation).  In 2024, Preston Forney (73 T, 8 TFL) returned to an inside linebacker spot to help to guide the linebacker corps along with senior classmates Reggie Thomas and Tim O'Hearn.  Saint Germain's defense was the standout unit for the Leopards in 2022, finishing second in the Patriot League in team defense (21.7 ppg) while leading the conference in rushing defense (111.0 ypg). The Leopards were led by five-time All-Patriot League selection and two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, Malik Hamm. Damon Washington, DaRon Gilbert, Jyaire Stevens and Marco Olivas joined Hamm in earning All-Patriot League honors.   Prior to returning to College Hill, Saint Germain, coached three seasons as a defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Kutztown University under head coach Jim Clements. He presided over one of NCAA Division II's top defenses in 2021, helping Kutztown to an 11-2 record, a PSAC championship and a trip to the Division II national quarterfinals.   He joined the Kutztown staff prior to the 2019 season after spending four seasons at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. While at VMI, he coached three position groups: defensive line in 2015-16, outside linebackers in 2017 and inside linebackers in 2018. He also served as the recruiting coordinator from 2015-17 and finished his tenure there as the special teams coordinator in 2018. Saint Germain spent the 2014 season on College Hill, mentoring as a defensive assistant coach under Frank Tavani. Prior to that, he was an offensive assistant coach at Virginia from 2012-13 under Scott Wachenheim who was on the Virginia staff as the offensive line coach.   His collegiate coaching career began at Franklin and Marshall on Troxell’s staff from 2009-11 when he coached the defensive line and helped the program to consecutive winning seasons and ECAC Bowl game appearances in 2009 and 2010. Saint Germain was the program’s video coordinator in 2010-11 and helped oversee special teams. Saint Germain’s coaching start began at his alma mater Morristown High School where he coached the offensive and defensive lines and tight ends. A three-year letterman on College Hill, Saint Germain broke into the starting lineup as a sophomore in 2004, clearing the way as the Leopards amassed over 200 yards per game on the ground. As a junior, he was the only Leopard on the offensive line to start all 12 games when the team threw for a league-best 244.3 yards per game. Saint Germain earned All-Patriot League First-Team honors. Lafayette won the Patriot League championship and advanced to the NCAA FCS playoffs in 2006, Saint Germain's senior season. He started every game and repeated as an All-Patriot League First-Team pick. He continued to accumulate postseason awards, garnering All-America First-Team honors from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and CollegeSportingNews.com, All-America Third Team honors from the Associated Press and Football Gazette and an All-ECAC First Team nod. He graduated in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in history. Saint Germain then completed his playing career in 2008 with the Austin Wranglers of the Arena Football League's developmental AF2 league.  Saint Germain is married to his wife, Stephanie, and the couple has a son, John, and a daughter, Lucy.  Updated 4/25

Meade Clendaniel is in his fourth season in Easton where he coaches the safeties and the team's specialists.  The safety positions were occupied by Saiku White ‘25 and Neriyan Brown ‘25, both of whom were reliable pieces in the Leopards’ defense. White earned a spot on the All-Patriot League First-Team after a season that saw him finish with a team-leading 87 tackles and three interceptions. Brown racked up 41 tackles and managed an interception and a sack. The 2023 Leopards led the Patriot League in scoring defense, rushing defense and red-zone defense. The play of the defensive backfield was integral to Lafayette winning a conference crown for the first time in a decade. Clendaniel mentored rising senior and team captain White, who finished second on the team in tackles (77) and grabbed a team-best four interceptions. White captured All-Patriot League First-Team status and Associated Press Third-Team All-America honors. In 2024, Clendaniel welcomed White back into the fold in a leadership role, alongside Brown who made a career-high 44 tackles in 2023. Clendaniel coached DaRon Gilbert to All-Patriot League First-Team honors in 2022. Gilbert made 54 tackles (35 solo) while grabbing an interception and defending four passes in his senior season when he started every game. The Leopard defensive unit finished second in the Patriot League in team defense (21.7 ppg) while leading the conference in rushing defense (111.0 ypg). Clendaniel previously coached three seasons on John Troxell’s staff at Franklin and Marshall and the last two as the program’s defensive coordinator. Prior to F&M, Clendaniel coached for six seasons at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio where he was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. That followed a 13-year stint at Davidson.   At Davidson, Clendaniel helped guide three players to I-AA Mid-Major All-America first-team status and coached a two-time Academic All-American. From 2002-05, he mentored four consecutive Pioneer League South Defensive Player of the Year honorees. In his first season there in 2000 as the defensive coordinator, Clendaniel helped guide the team to its first undefeated (10-0) season in the program’s history. His first Division I coaching experience came from 1998-00 at Princeton where he coached the safeties, outside linebackers and special teams while also serving as head coach of the junior varsity squad. Clendaniel’s first coaching foray came at his alma mater West Chester University from 1995-97 when he was an assistant coach working with the secondary, special teams, running backs and recruiting efforts. Clendaniel played fullback from 1992-95 at West Chester, helping capture PSAC East Division titles in 1992 and 1994 and finishing with a degree in biology with a focus in ecology. Updated 2/25

Kevin Baumann enters his fourth season on College Hill as the assistant head coach and offensive line coach. His third season on College Hill led Baumann to deploy six different combinations on the offensive line to compensate for injuries. Midway through the season, Baumann found the winning combination, solidifying the trenches with Ryder Langsdale (LT), Brian Baucia (LG), Sean Kinney (C), Reed Collins (RG) and Sean Wilson (RT), a combination that started the final six games of the season. Lafayette ranked second in the Patriot League for passing and rushing offense. Despite the injuries, the offensive line helped churn out 1,529 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, including a second-straight season with a back rushing for 1000-plus yards.  In 2025, Baumann returns four of five starters, led by Baucia who has started 33 games over three seasons. Year two in Easton was a memorable one for Baumann and his offensive line which employed the same starting five for all 12 games. In pursuit of a Patriot League championship, the offensive line played an integral role in helping sophomore running back Jamar Curtis set a Lafayette single-season rushing record and finish second in the nation in rushing. All-Patriot League First-Team selections Mike Barr and John Olmstead provided experience at center and right guard, while returners Langsdale, Collins, Baucia and Matthew Sherer all contributed significantly. In 2024, Langsdale (LT), Baucia (LG) and Collins (RT) returned as starters. In year one on College Hill, Baumann coached an offensive line group that was short on numbers and experience, as two freshmen starting the bulk of the games and one lineman made the move from defense.   Baumann previously coached for 13 seasons at Franklin and Marshall under current Lafayette head coach John Troxell. While there, he mentored 35 players to All-Centennial Conference honors. The 2017 squad was a high-water mark for Troxell and Baumann, showcasing a potent offense which registered one of the most prolific seasons in program history. That team finished third in school history in total yards in a season (4,312) and most touchdowns (50) on its way to a conference title. Prior to Franklin and Marshall, Baumann spent three seasons at Hofstra, coaching as the assistant defensive line coach in 2006 and the tight ends coach in 2007. He took over the program’s recruiting coordinator role in 2008.   In 2005, Baumann worked in the Patriot League as an assistant offensive line coach at Fordham University under head coach Ed Foley. He began his coaching career at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania where he spent one season as the offensive line coach.   A native of Flint, Mich., Baumann graduated from Defiance College in 2003. He was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District IV selection. Following a 2001 season in which his team won the Heartland Conference and advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs, the offensive lineman earned the first of two All-Heartland Conference First-Team selections after a second-team selection as a sophomore. Baumann was also a two-time Don Hansen’s Football Gazette All-Region choice.   Baumann is married to his wife, Karyn, and the couple has a daughter, Emma, and a son, Matthew. updated 2/25

T.J. DiMuzio begins his fourth season on College Hill as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. DiMuzio’s third season as head play caller saw the offense have success in a multitude of categories. Quarterback Dean DeNobile had a career year as a member of the Maroon and White, throwing for 2,000 yards and surpassing the 4,000-yard mark as a Leopard. In addition to his personal accolades, DeNobile ranked as a top quarterback in the Patriot League, sitting at third for passing touchdowns (14), second in passing yards per game (201.4) and third in passing efficiency (130.0). Towards the end of the season, rising sophomore Jason Penza saw snaps as a dual-threat option in DiMuzio’s offense, scrambling 28 times for 171 yards. Lafayette’s passing attack ranked second in the Patriot League and was assisted by the conference’s second best ground game that managed 1,529 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground. Running back Jamar Curtis was a finalist for the Walter Payton award, given to the best offensive player in the FCS. He managed seven 100-yard rushing games in 2024, helping him lead the Patriot League with 1,139 yards. The 2023 season was good to DiMuzio, as DeNobile had a breakout campaign and helped lead the Leopards to a Patriot League title and FCS Playoff berth. The All-Patriot League Second-Team selection threw for 20 touchdowns and completed 67 percent of his throws while rushing for 180 yards and six touchdowns. He was named the Patriot League's offensive player of the week on three occasions, leading the Leopards to a 9-3 finish and the program's most wins in four decades. Lafayette's offense employed a balanced attack in 2023 spurred by Curtis, a Walter Payton Award finalist. The All-American finished second in the nation in rushing (132.7 ypg) and set a Lafayette single-season rushing record with 1,460 yards while adding 15 touchdowns. For the season, Lafayette ranked ninth in third-down conversion percentage (46.5), seventh in fourth-down conversion percentage (71.4) and 15th for fewest passes intercepted (6).  DiMuzio's first season saw him utilize three quarterbacks: rookie Ryan Schuster and upperclassmen Ah-Shaun Davis and Rent Montie. Schuster won the starting job coming out of camp in 2022 and was the Patriot League Rookie of the Week the first three weeks of the season before an injury in week four ended his campaign.  DiMuzio previously coached for eight seasons at Monmouth University under Kevin Callahan, joining as the wide receivers coach in 2014 before being promoted to the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach in the winter of 2019.   His two seasons as the Monmouth quarterbacks coach saw him mentor Tony Muskett to consecutive All-Big South First-Team honors. In 2021, Muskett and the Hawks averaged 32 points per game while Muskett threw for a league-best 2,651 yards and 25 touchdown passes. That followed a rookie year in which he earned HERO Sports' Freshman All-America status, finished fifth in the voting for the Jerry Rice Award and was named the Big South Offensive Freshman of the Year.   In his six seasons coaching wide receivers, DiMuzio coached an All-Big South First-Team selection in every season, including consensus All-American Reggie White, Jr. who set Monmouth and Big South records for career receptions and yardage while earning three consecutive all-league honors. In addition to White, DiMuzio coached former NFL tight end Neal Sterling (2014) who starred for the Hawks at wide receiver and became Monmouth’s second NFL draftee.  Prior to Monmouth, DiMuzio served as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Widener University while also working as the quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator. He led an offense that ranked first in the MAC in total offense, scoring offense, passing offense, third-down conversions, first downs and completion percentage. DiMuzio coached an All-American wide receiver and a conference rookie of the year.   Before Widener, DiMuzio spent four seasons at Bowling Green University first as a defensive graduate assistant working with the defensive ends in 2009-10. In 2011, he was elevated to director of player personnel and also served as the assistant special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator.   DiMuzio coached the tight ends at Hofstra University in 2007, preceding a two-year coaching stop at his alma mater, the University of Delaware. He coached the wide receivers in 2008 and running backs in 2007. During that two-year span, DiMuzio coached All-American and Walter Payton Award finalist Omar Cuff in 2007 and All-Colonial Athletic Association wide receiver Aaron Love, who set Delaware’s all-time reception record in 2008. In 2007, Delaware went 11-3 and played in the FCS National Championship game. In 2006, he graduated from Delaware where he played quarterback and was a member of the 2003 national championship team. He worked as a student assistant at Delaware during the 2005 season. The Pennington, N.J. native earned a master’s degree in athletic administration from Bowling Green in 2012. Updated 2/25  

 Anthony Johnson starts his fourth season on College Hill as the program's running backs coach. In 2024, the running game picked up right where it left off. Jamar Curtis collected 1,139 yards on the ground with 16 rushing touchdowns, both of which paced the Patriot League. Curtis was an All-Patriot League First-Team selection and a finalist for the Walter Payton Award for the second consecutive season. Troy Bruce added 390 yards and five touchdowns on 78 carries. What the running back corps, namely Curtis, did in 2023 was integral to the Leopards claiming their first Patriot League title in a decade. Curtis put up historic numbers, setting a Lafayette single-season rushing record with 1,460 yards and finishing second in the nation in rushing (132.7 ypg) while punching in 15 touchdowns. The All-Patriot League First-Team selection was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which is given annually to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football. Curtis pulled in All-America Second-Team honors from the Associated Press, AFCA and Stats Perform. Before coming to Lafayette, Johnson completed three seasons as the running backs and tight ends coach at Shippensburg University where he also spent time as the running game and recruiting coordinator. Johnson mentored a group of running backs that included All-PSAC Second-Team performer Luke Durkin, who finished the season ranked sixth in the PSAC in rushing yards (918) and rushing touchdowns (10) despite not having a carry in the first three weeks of the season. It was the most single-season rushing yards by an SU player in five seasons. Among the tight ends, Johnson coached D2CCA All-American David Balint III, who set single-season school records for receptions (64) and receiving yards (755) by a tight end. Balint III became the first SU tight end in more than 40 years to finish a season as the team’s leader in receptions. Prior to arriving at Shippensburg, Johnson worked as the offensive coordinator and the director of football operations at his alma mater, Salisbury University, where he was on staff on three occasions. In 2018, he was a finalist for Footballscoop.com’s Division III Coordinator of the Year award, helping direct Salisbury to the top rushing offense in NCAA Division III, averaging 348.5 rushing yards per game.   Johnson, who coached the running backs and kick returners at Central Connecticut State in 2016, also spent five years at Cheyney University. He was the offensive coordinator there for four seasons and then took over head coaching duties in 2014.   A native of Prince George’s County, Md., Johnson graduated from Salisbury in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies specializing in physical education before earning his master’s degree in post-secondary education in 2010. Johnson was an All-Atlantic Central Football Conference (ACFC) performer and Offensive Player of the Year in 2006. He won two ACFC titles and made a pair of NCAA Football Playoff appearances. In the summer of 2024, Johnson participated in the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Washington Commanders. Updated 2/25

Tyler Noll starts his fourth season in Easton as the tight ends coach under head coach John Troxell. Noll employed a pair of Lehigh Valley products in Dallas Holmes ‘25 and Ethan Hosak at the tight end position for the 2024 season. Holmes collected an All-Patriot League Second-Team selection after snagging 12 receptions for 112 yards and three touchdowns. In 2025, Hosak is likely to step into a starting role after a sophomore campaign that saw him make nine catches for 65 yards and three touchdowns. On the path to winning a Patriot League title, Noll worked with three-time All-Patriot League First-Team selection Mason Gilbert during the 2023 season. Gilbert finished his final season on College Hill with 20 receptions for 229 yards and two touchdowns and was a key element in the Leopards' potent run game. Noll also guided Gilbert's 2022 season, when he hauled in 15 catches for 174 yards and a touchdown.  In 2024, Noll oversaw Holmes, who made eight grabs for 160 yards and two touchdowns in 2023, playing in 12 games with one start against Princeton. Noll spent five seasons at Randolph-Macon College, working as the tight ends coach in his first season (2017) and as the wide receivers coach from 2018-21. He took over the role of passing game coordinator in 2019, was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2020 and then offensive coordinator in 2021. Each season at Randolph-Macon he oversaw the punt return team.   In his tenure at the Ashland, Virginia school, the team rang up a 39-9 overall mark and captured conference titles in 2018 and 2020. The 2021 Randolph-Macon offense ranked in the top 20 nationally in six statistical categories, including points per game (41.5), yards per game (461.4) and rushing yards per game (251.7).   Noll previously worked under Troxell at Franklin and Marshall College in the 2015 and 2016 seasons – first as the wide receivers coach and then as the running backs coach and retrurn game coordinator.   He broke into college coaching at Ithaca College, working as the wide receivers coach for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, both of which yielded conference titles.   A native of Nazareth, Pa., Noll was a four-year member of the Dickinson College football team and earned a bachelor’s degree in Policy Management in 2013. Noll, and his wife, Stefanie have a daughter, Chloe and a son, Camden.  Updated 2/25

Hired in March of 2025, Theo Franks is in his first year as an Offensive Quality Control Coach. On game days, Franks is responsible for charting offensive play calls, identifying defensive schemes and coverages and assisting with situational strategies. His duties during the week leading up to games include studying the opponent for the week and help in guiding practices, including team drills.  Prior to Lafayette, Franks served as an Offensive Quality Control Analyst at George W. Hewlett High School, where he analyzed offensive plays calls to identify formations and offensive tendencies. While working for the team, Franks improved game planning and play calling.

Jeff Sejour '06 is in his fourth season coaching at Lafayette, and is one of three Lafayette alums on John Troxell's coaching staff.  The 2024 season led Sejour to oversee the return of Gabe DuBois ‘25 and A.T. Ntantang ‘25, each of whom started every game for the Leopards. DuBois was one of Lafayette’s three All-Patriot League First-Team selections after tallying 52 tackles, 12 pass breakups and three interceptions. Ntantang collected 28 tackles while breaking up one pass and recovering a fumble. Sejour’s second season on College Hill was a memorable one, as Lafayette won its first Patriot League title since 2013. The 2023 installment led the Patriot League in scoring defense, rushing defense and red-zone defense. The play of the defensive backfield was integral to Lafayette winning a conference crown for the first time in a decade. Sejour oversaw significant progress of starters Ntantang and DuBois, both of whom returned to Easton for the 2024 season. Ntantang registered 22 tackles on the year for 2.0 TFL, while DuBois made 44 tackles, forced a forced fumble and recovered another. In 2022, Sejour helped push the defense to finish second in the Patriot League in team defense (21.7 ppg) while leading the league in rushing defense (111.0 ypg). Prior to returning to College Hill, Sejour spent the 2021 season on the staff at Franklin and Marshall as the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach. Before joining that staff, he served as the head coach and defensive coordinator at Flint Hill School in Oakton, Va. Sejour coached at VMI from 2018-19, working with the linebackers and secondary while also serving as the video coordinator. That followed stops at Howard University in 2017 as the linebackers coach and Bridgewater College (Va.) in 2016 as the secondary and junior varsity coach. He also spent time coaching football, track and field and basketball at Fairfax, T.C. Williams and James Madison high schools. At Lafayette, Sejour was a dual-sport athlete, competing in football and track. He played defensive back for a pair of Leopard Patriot League championship teams (2004 and 2005). Sejour was also captain of the track and field team and secured a Patriot League title in the triple jump before competing professionally in track and field for three years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in neuroscience. In the Summer of 2025, Sejour participated in the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. Updated 9/25

Donavon Nathaniel is in his second season on the Lafayette football staff, coaching the defensive line in 2024 before taking over the outside linebackers in 2025.  Nathaniel’s first season on College Hill oversaw the significant progress of Jaylon Joseph, Tyree Morris and the defensive line. Morris was second on the team in tackles (65) and racked up five tackles for loss with two sacks. Joseph, who was coming off of a 2023 campaign in which he was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, accounted for 20 tackles, seven tackles for loss and a sack. Nathaniel comes to Lafayette from the University of Kansas football program where he spent the 2023 season as a defensive graduate assistant coaching the linebackers. Nathaniel coordinated opponent and self-scouting along with assisting with techniques and game strategies under Kansas head coach Lance Leipold. The Jayhawks finished with a 9-4 record and claimed a victory over UNLV in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.  Prior to that, Nathaniel worked as a defensive graduate assistant at Georgia State in the Sun Belt Conference, mentoring the defensive line and outside linebackers from June 2022 to March 2023. From 2019-22, Nathaniel worked at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, his alma mater, as the defensive line and strength coach for the football program as well as a health, fitness and recreation instructor.    He graduated from Wisconsin-Platteville in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in health and human performance and served as a team captain in his senior season. While finishing his degree, Nathaniel joined the Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball team coaching staff as an assistant. The Milwaukee native went on to earn his master's degree in sports administration, focused in intercollegiate athletics, from California University of Pennsylvania in 2020. Updated 4/25

Kuony Deng is in his first season with the Lafayette football program. serving as the inside linebackers coach.  Deng spent the 2025 campaign at Georgetown as the outside linebackers coach. Prior to coaching at Georgetown, Deng was a defensive line graduate assistant at Oregon State for the 2024 campaign. Before his arrival at the Pac-12 school, the Aldie, Va. native served as the defensive line and linebackers coach at Training Haus in Minneapolis, working with some of the nation’s top collegiate players to prepare them for pro days and the NFL Combine leading up to the NFL Draft. “We are so excited to welcome Coach Deng to the Lafayette Community. He brings great energy and passion to our program,” said John Troxell, the Fred M. Kirby II '42 Head Football Coach. “Through his own experiences, he understands the value of academics and what football brings to life lessons. Our players are going to really enjoy learning from him.” Deng, who played outside linebacker at the University of California, Berkeley from 2019-21, He was a two-time All-Pac 12 selection, a two-year captain and a three-year starter. He totaled 154 career tackles, 10 tackles for loss (-37 yards) with 3.5 sacks (-14 yards), eight pass breakups, eight passes defended, six quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He graduated from Cal in December of 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in American studies while going on to earn graduate certificates in entrepreneurship in May of 2021 and business administration from Cal in December of 2021.  Following his collegiate career, Deng was a member of the 2022-23 Chicago Bears practice squad, the first person of South Sudanese heritage to make it to the NFL. (Updated 1/26)

Joel Reinhardt is in his first season as the director of football performance. Reinhardt most recently served as the assistant football athletic performance coach and sports science coordinator at San Jose State. Since 2023, Reinhardt worked to develop practice plans, workout regimens and oversaw long-term injury return-to-performance efforts. Reinhardt held similar roles at UMass, Nicholls State and Stanford. While at Stanford, Reinhardt developed training programs and workout routines that were used by Los Angeles Rams kicker Josh Karty and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee. He earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science from St. Olaf College, where he was a captain of the football team. He then secured his master's degree in strength and conditioning from Springfield College while working as a graduate assistant. A native of Eagan, Minn., Reinhardt is married to Lauren Brown and the couple has a son, Lincoln, and a dog, Boo. Updated 2/25

Kelly Gonzalez is in her first season as the director of football operations. Previously, she served as a head operations specialist for Monmouth football for four seasons while working towards her degree. While working for the Hawks, Gonzalez was responsible for coordinating team travel, managing recruiting visits and ensuring communication between the coaching staff and athletic trainers. Gonzalez joins the Leopards after graduating with a bachelor's degree in marketing and management. While an undergrad, she also served as an athletics intern for her alma mater, creating marketing materials and supervising events. Updated (7/25)