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Fordham Coach Now Puts Out Fires on Football Field
BY BERNIE BEGLANE
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ON THE SIDELINES: Tom Masella works the sidelines during a Fordham University football contest. |
Tom Masella changed careers, leaving the New York Fire Department to become a college football coach.
And the Wagner College graduate has not looked back since making that move, the first of many since 1982 for the now head coach at Fordham University.
That year of 1982 saw him become a volunteer assistant coach (offensive ends) at his alma mater. The next two seasons also were spent as secondary coach at the Staten Island school.
Then Tom became defensive coordinator at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, L.I.
There was a stint (1990-1994) as defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Boston University before Fairfield University, the Jesuit school in Connecticut, selected him as its first ever head coach.
Fairfield no longer plays football.
Back to Boston University for 1996-97, this time as head coach. Unfortunately for him, the school then dropped the sport.
The University of Connecticut hired him as an assistant for 1998, after which he moved on to Louisana Tech (still as an assistant) from 1999-2001.
The University of Massachusetts (2002-03) was his last stop as an assistant.
Central Connecticut State hired him as head coach for 2004-05.
Masella guided the Blue Devils to consecutive Northeast Conference championships.
In 2004 he was selected as the conference Coach of the Year.
Turnaround Season
A similar honor followed this season as the Rams went 5-1 in the Patriot League (they won the championship) and 8-4 overall. Fordham, which was picked to finish sixth among the seven Patriot League members prior to the season, displayed one of the biggest turnarounds in the NCAA, going from 3-8 in 2006 to 8-4 this fall.
The Rams traveled to Massachusetts for their first round NCAA Division I playoff game Nov. 4, giving the seventh-ranked Minutemen all they could handle, tying the game at 35 in the fourth quarter before falling, 49-35.
At the end of the season, Fordham had 12 players named All-Patriot League, including freshman running back Xavier Martin, who earned Rookie of the Year honors.
Masella was Coach of the Year.
Leading the offense was sophomore quarterback John Skelton who completed 216 of 383 passes for 2,650 yards and 22 touchdowns. His 22 touchdown passes tied for the third most in Ram history while his 216 completions is fourth best and his 2,650 passing yards is the fifth best single-season total in school history.
Masella also was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award which is given to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
“I have no regrets leaving the NYFD,” stated Masella. “I was finally going to get paid for coaching football.
“Dennis Barrett is the coach at the Merchant Marine Academy and I had played against him while at high school.
“He was at Monsignor Farrell and I was at Tottenville. It was Dennis who gave me the opportunity to get into the college ranks.”
Masella emphasized that his feelings about the Rams got better and better after each game this season.
“Things were happening all the time,” he continued. “Skelton is very talented…and a great leader.”
Asked to explain how he wound up at Fordham, Tom recalled, “The university called me and asked if I was interested.
“Fordham (it celebrated its 125th anniversary of football in 2007) has a great tradition, so I applied.
Great Opportunity
“I took it as not only a great opportunity career wise, but also as an opportunity to return home to New York with my wife, Lesli-Ann, and two sons, Tommy Jr. (9) and Jack (7).”
“Winning the championship was a great way to celebrate our 125th season,” the coach added, “and that certainly helps recruiting.”
Fordham followers should be happy knowing that eight of the 11 starters on each side of the ball return for next season.
The opener is at home against Rhode Island at Jack Coffey Field.
Mark it on your calendar!
Two Seven Blocks of Granite
Did you know that Fordham University had not one, but two Seven Blocks of Granite, a nickname given to the offensive line well over 60 years ago?
The name, attributed to the late Tim Cohane, then the sports publicist for the Rams, was originally intended for the 1929 and ’30 teams.
Frank Cavanaugh, John Conroy, Adam Elcewicz, Frank Foley, John Healy, Mike Miskinis, Tony Siano, Walt Tracey and Henry Wisniewski were the players on that unit which posted a two-season record of 15-1-2.
Believe it or not, there were 12 shutouts in those 15 victories.
Certainly better than the 12 (eight shutouts)-1-3 mark of the 1936-37 editions of the Rams which were comprised of Jim (Sleepy) Crowley, Al Babartsky, Joe Bernard, John Druze, Ed Franco, Jim Hayes, Harry Jacunski, Mike Kochel, Vince Lombardi, kneeling, third from right, Leo Paquin, Nat Pierce and Alex Wojchiewicz
So why did the 1936-37 edition become better known?
The presence of Vince Lombardi, the right guard who wore No. 40 and went on to become a member of the Football Hall of Fame after a great coaching career with the Green Bay Packers.
- Bernie Beglane
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