Army looks to 1-AA Powerhouse to fill coaching vacancy

In the latest effort to revive their struggling football program, Army has turned to Rich Ellerson as their new head coach.  Ellerson built a solid program at the 1-AA/FCS level with Cal Poly and more importantly is considered one of the best at coaching the triple option offense.

Ellerson will replace Stan Brock, who was fired on December 12 just days after Army’s 34-0 loss to Navy.  Army finished 3-9 for the third straight season, and Brock was 6-18 in his two seasons at West Point.   Army Athletic Director Kevin Anderson praised Ellerson in a press release, suggesting that he was capable of producing a quick turnaround in Cadet football fortunes:

"One of our primary goals of the search was to find someone capable of turning around our program immediately and we are confident Rich is the perfect individual to accomplish that.”

Ellerson, meanwhile, was humbled by his new position:

"I will never receive, nor have I ever received a finer compliment professionally or personally than to be entrusted with the Army football program at this point in its history.”

He’s also aware that his knowledge of the option offense is what got him the gig:

"I know that the offense that we run was the hook that got me into the middle of this search. The reason the offense is so successful and the reason it's so appropriate at Army is that it carries over to every phase of the game and carries over into recruiting. We're going to find some novel solutions to problems in order to give our cadet-athletes the best possible opportunity to be successful on Saturday."

Army superintendant Lt. General Frank L. Hagenbeck also praised his new hire and cited Ellerson’s ties to West Point:

"Rich has the experience we need. An award and title winning head coach who runs the option, Rich also has extensive ties to West Point and the Army. Not only are his father and two brothers members of the Long Gray Line and career Army officers, but his brother John was the captain of the 1962 team that went 6-4."

Ellerson is also a highly respected defensive coach, with a stint as defensive coordinator at the University of Arizona on his resume.  In his final year at the helm of Cal Poly the Mustangs finished 8-3 and earned a berth in the FCS playoffs.