Q: Was football always your passion?
A: Football has been a passion of mine since I was child. I grew up in a very athletic family and sports were always a big part of our lives. I played football, hockey and baseball throughout high school but football was always my number one.

Q: How did you end up at Tufts?
A: I actually went to Colgate for two years before transferring to Tufts. I looked at a lot of NESCAC schools before choosing Colgate, so I was very familiar with the league.

Q: As a recent star for Tufts football, what’s it like coaching against them now, and what can you tell us about playing and coaching in the NESCAC in general?
A: My first year at Amherst it was a little weird coaching against guys who I was pretty close with, but after a few years it becomes no different than any other week in terms of preparation. However, my father is the wide receivers coach at Tufts, so that game is pretty special to a lot of people in my family. I think for the two of us it’s just week six, another football game.
The NESCAC is a great league to coach in. I have the privilege to coach some of the most bright and hardworking young men I have ever been around. They are driven in all aspects of life, and it makes our jobs easier as coaches.

Q: What drew you into coaching football?
A: As I mentioned before, my father is a football coach as well. He was my high school coach at Winthrop High School and is a member of the Massachusetts High School Football Hall of Fame. He retired in 2006, but was asked to come out of retirement by the former Tufts head coach in 2010. I want to impact people’s lives the same way he did to me and many other players. Coaching football was my dream as a kid, and I am currently living that dream.

Q: For you personally, what is the most rewarding part of coaching? What’s the most difficult?
A: The most rewarding part of coaching is seeing your players succeed and enjoying their experience. It’s such a great feeling seeing the players graduate and get jobs after college, knowing that football was such a big part of their lives. Winning is a great feeling, but seeing them come back to Amherst after they graduate and finding out what they are doing now is much more rewarding for a coach.
The most difficult is probably telling kids that they aren’t the starter or that someone will be playing in front of them. Especially the kids who work hard and do everything right, but there’s just someone better in front of them.

Q: What’s your favorite football memory as a player? What’s your favorite memory as a coach?
A: My favorite memory as a player is the experience I had playing a college sport. To be able to juggle athletics and academics at a top university is an amazing experience, and it has made me a better person and coach. My favorite as a coach was winning a championship last year with a great group of players. To see their hard work pay off is a wonderful feeling.

Q: Your team lost a strong group of senior leaders and players. How are you going to fill that void this season?
A: We definitely lost a great group of seniors who were not just great football players but great people. They carved a path for the guys below them and we are already seeing guys step up into their roles. We have great captains and seniors this season who have worked hard and now it’s their time to shine and be the leaders of this program.

Q: What can we look forward to this upcoming football season?
A: You can look forward to a great group of young men who will put forth their greatest effort every Saturday.