New Head Football Coach Joe Conlin Welcomed at Meet & Greet

Bronx, N.Y. – Fordham University basketball fans are very familiar with the Conlin name as it's the surname of the school's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, Ed Conlin. Today Fordham football fans got acquainted with another Conlin, Joe Conlin, the new head football coach for the Rams who was formally introduced to fans and media today in Bepler Commons on the Rose Hill Campus.
 
University President, Fr. Joseph McShane, S.J., welcomed Conlin on behalf of the university and noted the new mentor's connection to the Fordham basketball Hall of Famer.
 
"We are very pleased to welcome Joe Conlin and his family to the Fordham University family," said McShane. "Or should we say welcome back to Joe, whose grandfather was a cousin of Fordham great Ed Conlin?"
 
McShane noted how Conlin stood out during the interview process, making him the perfect selection for Fordham. "When we first met I saw many intangibles about Joe. He is a man of great integrity, distinction and strong faith, a man who is a model for his players and who will add immensely to the storied story of Fordham football."
 
Director of Athletics Dave Roach took the crowd through the interview process and described how he felt right about Conlin. "When I look for a head coach I look for the X factor," he said. "I can't explain what it is but I can feel it and I felt it with Joe Conlin. He is the type of coach who can motivate and is a teacher who can get his student-athletes to reach their full potential, both athletically and academically."
 
Conlin spoke of how the past few weeks have been a whirlwind for him, since agreeing to take the Rams' position on December 23. He shared with the crowd his goals for the Fordham football program:
 
1) Earn a Fordham degree.
2) Play fast, playing at the fastest speed that allows the team to execute its game plan better than the opponent.
3) Play with relentless effort, which he believes is more important than talent and scheme combined.
4) Be finishers in everything they do, on and off the field.
 
"We are looking to be the best program in the Patriot League," said Conlin. "Not the best team, but the best program. I want the student-athletes to be better, both on and off the field, because of the program and the program's four goals. I will coach them hard and love them hard."
 
Conlin arrives at Fordham after spending six years as an assistant coach at Yale, the past four as the associate head coach/offensive coordinator.
 
In 2017, Yale ended a 37-year drought when it beat Harvard 24-3 in the 134th edition of The Game to win the Ivy League Title. Yale improved from 3-7 in '16 to 9-1 in '17 and its offense improved in nearly every key statistical category under Conlin's leadership.
 
Last fall, the Yale offense ranked 12th in the NCAA FCS in total offense (450.7 yards/game) and 13th in passing efficiency (152.41) while also ranking in the top 22 in the NCAA FCS in red zone offense (14th), rushing offense (14th), scoring offense (14th) and fewest sacks allowed (22nd).
 
Conlin arrived at Yale as the offensive line coach in 2012 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2014. His 2014 season was a great start as the Yale offensive coordinator. The Bulldogs, who went 8-2, led the NCAA FCS in total offense (ranking third among all NCAA schools), while running back Tyler Varga (points per game) and wide receiver Grant Wallace (yards per game) led the FCS in offensive categories. In addition, his quarterback, Morgan Roberts, was tops in the Ivy in almost every statistic before finishing his career in 2015 as one of Yale's all-time best.
 
Conlin also served as an assistant at Harvard (2011), New Hampshire (2004-2010) and West Virginia Tech (2003). He was a member of 2011 Ivy League championship team at Harvard and helped New Hampshire to seven straight NCAA playoff appearances from 2004 to 2010.
 
Conlin, a three-year starter at defensive tackle at the University of Pittsburgh, earned a degree in administration of justice from the school in 2002.