Off Season Coaching Carousel

[Fightingscot82]

It's tough. While our alumni giving overall compares favorably with most of the PSAC schools, I don't think we've been killing it on the athletics end. With basketball you can stay competitive if you land 3-4 quality athletes, but football is a different animal. Recruiting hasn't been bad the past couple of years, but keeping them is the problem.

Yeah I agree. Our schools have always struggled keeping students and the open transfer rules for athletes removes anything keeping someone there. Edinboro has done some nice upgrades in football locker room and turf, but bells and whistles don't get butts in the seats or dollars in the kitty.

[Ship69]

Yeah I agree. Our schools have always struggled keeping students and the open transfer rules for athletes removes anything keeping someone there. Edinboro has done some nice upgrades in football locker room and turf, but bells and whistles don't get butts in the seats or dollars in the kitty.

Ship had a great upgrade to its locker room a couple of years back, fueled by a generous $2 million donation — hasn't seemed to help. Given that IUP boosters on this site are always complaining about the ramshackle state of their stadium — yet they still are consistently one of the top football programs in our conference — I've come to the conclusion that donations are probably for the most part better spent personnel, recruiting, and scholarships. That $2 million would have looked good in a scholarship fund.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The salary is the hardest part. Unless someone has been around for a long time, they're coming in at the $50-60k range.

Which, of course, means they won't be staying long. That's the OC and DC positions. The other coaches, if paid, make even (drastically) less.

They aren't there to get rich, obviously. Get the resume boost and keep moving.

The spot IUP is in with these long-term assistants is really, really rare at this level.

I'm sure somebody up in Sutton Hall would love to replace a couple of them with 30-somethings making a third of the salaries.

But, make no mistake it helps in recruiting. These guys have been working the same recruiting areas for decades. They aren't viewed as here today, gone tomorrow, types. That carries some weight.

Breaking into the coaching profession can obviously be very lucrative but with few exceptions you are going to put your time in -- and suffer financially for years and years.

I'd assume most lower-level assistants at this level have second jobs.

[Boro33]

Agreed, Ernie runs the offense. Clark was a figure head. I have to assume it had a lot to do with the mini influx of transfers starting with QB Seth Grove a couple years ago. I'm sure he's a good defensive mind and good luck to him.

New OC: Rob Ambrose

[Ramhead]

New OC: Rob Ambrose

A little background:

Rob Ambrose has been named the new offensive coordinator for the Shepherd University football team. He previously served as the head football coach at Towson University, a position he held for 14 years. Ambrose is a Middletown, Maryland native and a 2007 graduate of Shepherd University.

[ShipAlum]

Rob Ambrose is a graduate from Towson. His brother, Jared, graduated from Shepherd. Rob's son is on the Shepherd team. Rob spent the last 2 years on Maryland's staff as a defensive analyst. Rob's expertise is offense. Excellent hire for Shepherd. I am a Towson season ticket holder and was disappointed when the new AD did not renew his contract.

[Ramhead]

Rob Ambrose is a graduate from Towson. His brother, Jared, graduated from Shepherd. Rob's son is on the Shepherd team. Rob spent the last 2 years on Maryland's staff as a defensive analyst. Rob's expertise is offense. Excellent hire for Shepherd. I am a Towson season ticket holder and was disappointed when the new AD did not renew his contract.

I got the info off AI. Great to hear. Shep is going to need an innovative mind with all the new quarterbacks in play.

[Sec10-A-14]

Gannon new OC - OLine is Erik Pratt from UNCP
played at West Chester 2008-12 and
grad asst, at East Stroudsburg 2016 & 2018

[jrshooter]

(Moved over from the PSAC East thread)

I've really been under a rock as far as Ship news goes. I can't even imagine who would take over as OC from his assistants, and Mac's always been a defensive coach. Mike Burket was a high school head coach, but again, he's primarily on the defensive side. I'd go as far as to say if Lek Powell's dad Chance was still on staff, he might have inherited the job.

[jrshooter]

As rebounding from a coaching loss goes, I would give it an early B with an option to go higher.

Wonder how much responsibility he gets early.


https://shipraiders.com/news/2025/7/...ant-coach.aspx

[Fightingscot82]

As rebounding from a coaching loss goes, I would give it an early B with an option to go higher.

Wonder how much responsibility he gets early.


https://shipraiders.com/news/2025/7/...ant-coach.aspx

He's an A+ human and worker. Excellent hire by Mac. Rock's AD was the AD at Ship who hired Mac.

[cwfenn]

He's an A+ human and worker. Excellent hire by Mac. Rock's AD was the AD at Ship who hired Mac.

Honestly thought he was still the Rock QB. Best of luck to him.

[Ship69]

As rebounding from a coaching loss goes, I would give it an early B with an option to go higher.

Wonder how much responsibility he gets early.


https://shipraiders.com/news/2025/7/...ant-coach.aspx

Looks like a nice hire and a District 3 kid to boot. Hope he and Gallardy can light a fire under the offense. The last couple of years have not been fun.

[Fightingscot82]

Jobs Open as of 11/20/25:

Glenville State
Millersville
Shippensburg
West Liberty

Some others that could draw away D2 guys:

Alvernia
Geneva
Gettysburg
Mansfield (just kidding)
Waynesburg

Unsure what the situation is at Saint Francis. RMU has been rumored to be hot for years.

Youngstown State' coach was on the hot seat the last couple years but they've had quite the turnaround.

[TheBigCat2192]

Jobs Open as of 11/20/25:

Glenville State
Millersville
Shippensburg
West Liberty

Some others that could draw away D2 guys:

Alvernia
Geneva
Gettysburg
Mansfield (just kidding)
Waynesburg

Unsure what the situation is at Saint Francis. RMU has been rumored to be hot for years.

Youngstown State' coach was on the hot seat the last couple years but they've had quite the turnaround.

The HC at Lackawanna retired. Normally I wouldn’t pay them any attention but with the impending move to the PSAC that could be an opening to watch out for.