Seemingly every single season now, Holy Cross fans are thrilled with the results, but then have to worry whether or not head coach Bob Chesney will be headed for a role with an FBS team somewhere.
To Chesney’s credit, he’s never backed down from the conversation. In fact, he’s embraced it, often pointing out that if teams weren’t calling him about other jobs or asking him about his staff members, then they probably weren’t doing a good job.
Well, on Thursday evening, any fears of a Chesney departure anytime soon were squashed with a statement that was released from the athletic department. In that release, it was announced that Chesney had his contract restructured to keep him in Worcester through January 31st of 2028.
Now, that of course could change after a year or two, but the commitment on both sides seems legitimate and it feels like Chesney is more than happy continuing to build this dynasty he has in place.
“Over the last several years, Crusader Football has had a transformative impact on our College and community,” athletic director Kit Hughes said in the statement. “The program’s growth has run parallel to that of the city itself, and we are excited to continue to build upon the historic success, community engagement and school spirit enjoyed under Coach Chesney’s leadership. He has stated many times that Holy Cross is a place where you can ‘have it all,’ and I truly believe that this renewed commitment speaks to the fact that there is no better place in the country to receive an elite education while pursuing and achieving excellence on the field.”
In five seasons as Holy Cross’ head coach, Chesney has led the program to four straight Patriot League championships and four trips to the FCS playoffs, including the program’s first ever home games in 2021 and 2022. The Crusaders have also totaled 71 All-Patriot League selections over the last five seasons and were ranked in the Top 10 for almost the entire season.
“As our team crossed through even more uncharted territory this past season, we were lifted by two things: our consistent belief in one another, and the unwavering, renewed passion for Holy Cross football among our alumni, fans, campus and Worcester community,” Chesney said in the same statement. “That further cemented for me that there is simply no better place in the world to play college football than right here at Holy Cross. We look forward to continuing to contend at the highest level and represent our College and city on the national stage.
“During our time in Worcester, the community has embraced Andrea, our family and I — in addition to our players and staff — on a personal level, even beyond football. We look forward to continuing to make them proud. Thank you to President Vincent Rougeau, Kit Hughes and senior associate director of athletics Nick Smith for their continued belief in our program’s vision. I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such a devoted team, staff and community for many more groundbreaking years.”
That’s bad news for the Patriot League and those other Top 10-15 schools at the FCS level, the rising purple tidal wave taking over the country is only getting bigger and stronger.