By his own admission, Washington and Jefferson College football Coach Mike Sirianni learned a lot in the past year.
The illness and death of his close friend and top assistant, Todd Young, shook him. His daughter graduating from Hopewell in June and then going off to college, enlightened him to realities of life and the trials and tribulations of a college freshman.
On top of that, Sirianni and his W&J football team had to grind through a mentally and physically exhausting and frustrating season in 2019 that saw the Presidents lose an atypically-high three Presidents' Athletic Conference games on its way to an 8-3 overall record that is nowhere close to the disaster some folks want to make it out to be.
“I don’t think Todd’s illness had anything to do with us having a subpar season,” Sirianni said. “When Todd found out about his illness last April, the prognosis was grim. The fact he made it through the season was a miracle in itself.”
Sirianni said getting the opportunity to coach with Young one more time was important for him.
“I was very hard on him through the years,” Sirianni said. “I rode him and pushed him and maybe blamed him for things that were not his fault. I felt terrible and wanted the chance to coach with him again. I got to tell him what he meant to me.”
W&J was without one of the top players in the country, receiver Andrew Wolf, for most of the year and ended the season with two players who entered pre-season camp as defensive linemen, starting on the offensive line. The offense could not pass or run anywhere near as prolific or efficient as in past seasons. That impacted the individual performances of senior quarterback Jacob Adams and senior running back Jordan West.
“It’s probably the least talented up front as we ever had been,” Sirianni said. “It was tough. But those kids played hard and did the best they could.”
In addition to Young’s illness and the three Presidents’ Athletic Conference losses, Sirianni also was dealing with his daughter Jenna’s matriculation to Baldwin-Wallace University.
Sirianni and his family, wife, Jennifer, Jenna and daughter, Jordan, who will be in eighth grade in the fall, reside in Hopewell.
“That was interesting to be on the other side of it,” the coach said. “As a coach, you’re the parent of all the players. You feel for them when they are home sick. To be on the other side was different and unique. It has kind of opened my eyes to see what our players feel. My daughter got home sick.
“I may be more sympathetic to our freshman and what they are going through. It’s such a time of apprehension. For my daughter to go on to college as one of the best volleyball players in the WPIAL, to being the fourth middle hitter or outside hitter is tough. It gave me a different perspective.
“We’ve always been good at treating our freshmen the right way, but to see what my daughter went through gives me another perspective.”
DOUBTING MIKE?
His detractors say Sirianni is interested in the total of number of plays W&J runs more than the team’s point total -- an absurd and unfounded criticism.
While there have been times his approach has worked against him in games where slowing things down a bit might have been more prudent or advantageous, it is hard to argue with Sirianni’s success at W&J.
He owns a career record of 156-36 (an .813 winning percentage) in 17 seasons. He is W&J’s winningest football coach and his winning percentage is one of the top in NCAA football. He has won multiple PAC titles and has won playoff games in his 21 seasons as head coach and four as an assistant in the program.
It cannot be denied that this guy is a flat-out tremendous offensive mind, who for the most part has had an offense that lights up the scoreboard and torments opposing defenses play-to-play, not just game-to-game.
Despite all setbacks and circumstances in 2019, Sirianni rallied the Presidents for a season-ending, 20-17, victory over Ithaca in ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl in New York. W&J, which trailed 17-0 in the third quarter with about 20 minutes left, found a way to overcome the Bombers and a trying four-to-five months.
“When we knelt on the ball to end the game, it was a great feeling for everyone,” Sirianni said. “It was an ECAC bowl game between two traditional programs. Kneeling gave us the chance to hug one another. It was pretty special.
Some felt playing a “meaningless game” – non-NCAA Division III playoff game – was pointless. Sirianni disagrees.
“When you’re offered to play, and your seniors are never going to play again, why wouldn’t you play? That’s me. I compete at everything. There are different ways to look at it.”
Traditionally, W&J has benefitted greatly from an ECAC post-season win, parlaying that into great success the following season. In 2003 and 2016, the Presidents won ECAC games and followed with 12-1 and 11-1 records, respectively and PAC championships. W&J won an ECAC post-season game in 2010 but went just 6-4 the next season.
“If you go back to the 2004 season when we set a school-record for wins in a season, the win in the ECAC game in 2003 was a big boost,” Sirianni said.
“For our senior class (this past season), and it was a small senior class, 25 years from now, they can say we won a bowl championship. Even though we didn’t win the PAC or play in the national championship, it will seem like winning the Orange Bowl to them. For them to go out on a note like that will be beneficial.
“That game could have been bad. When we were down, I realized it could be a bad outcome. It was a great come back. Todd and I sat on the bus together. The kids were laughing the whole trip back. It was a great experience.”
REMEMBERING TODD YOUNG
The laughing stopped in early March when Young passed away.
Many of W&J’s football players were away from campus because of spring break.
“I feel bad for our young men who didn’t get a chance to say good-bye,” Sirianni said. “A lot of them were on spring break and not here. We had a meeting (March 5 with some who weren’t away) and it was very emotional, a lot of tears shed. We shared our views and feelings we had for Todd. We planned a memorial service that we weren’t able to hold (because of the Coronavirus). I feel bad for our players who weren’t able to go to Ohio for the viewing or funeral.
“I was able to speak, give a eulogy, at the funeral. That was neat for me and others to laugh and tell some stories. That was good.
“I think the college will do something in fall to honor Todd. That should give some of our kids some closure. We’ll use Todd’s memory as well for motivation for a great season. That also should help bring some closure.”
HOME SWEET HOME
His record and coaching prowess would have, and still could, allow him to go elsewhere.
When the Mt. Union head coaching position opened after the 2019 season there was speculation that Sirianni might return to his alma mater, if the job were to leave the Kehres family.
Larry Kehres retired as Mt. Union’s coach in 2012. He had a career record of 332-24-3 and won 11 NCAA Division III national titles. He coached Sirianni, a Purple Raiders graduate.
Vince Kehres, Larry’s son, coached the team from 2013-2019.
Sirianni admits he “talked to the people” he needed to talk with at Mt. Union, “in the respectful way that (he) needed.’ “
"I talked to coach (Larry) Kehres (Mt. Union's former and legendary coach and athletic director) briefly," Sirianni said.
"I told him, if Geoff (Dartt) wants the job, he should get it. If you're hiring within, which they should, Geoff’s the guy.”
He added that talks "never got to the stage where it was ever serious."
Dartt, who was an assistant under Vince Kehres for seven years, five as offensive coordinator, was hired as the Purple Raiders’ head coach in January.
“They're still my second favorite team,” Sirianni said. “I know all their coaches and I'm friends with them. My wife is from Alliance (where the school is located in Ohio). “It was never serious. They did the right thing hiring Geoff. I hope they lose one game a year and that's to us in the playoffs."
Sirriani’s brother Nick is the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts.
At one time, Sirianni would have considered an NFL position. He also considered some higher-level coaching opportunities in college football.
Circumstances and feelings have changed.
“Back in the 2000s, I could have left and really thought about it,” Sirianni said. “I talked to Toledo (about an assistant position). Our family situation dictated we didn’t make the move at the time.
“Now that I’m a little older, I’m stuck in my ways. I don’t want to be an assistant, unless it would be for my brother. I’m not going to chase jobs. I’m happy at W&J. I like the direction President (John) Knapp is taking us.
As for working for his brother, Nick.
“On vacation (recently) we got in a fight over bocce ball,” Mike Sirianni said. “I don’t know how that would work out. (Nick) can be the better coach. Our middle brother won multiple state (football) championships in New York state. My dad taught us all. I can handle being the worse coach, because I know I was the best player,” he laughed.
“I spent a week with (Nick) at mini-camp or an OTA,” Mike Sirianni said. “It’s a different world. I don’t know if I could do that, honestly. I would doubt I would go anywhere. I’m happy.”
MOVING FORWARD
The return of the vast majority of the defensive unit that Sirianni said was probably the best he’s had at W&J, along with other offensive weapons and an intriguing and promising recruiting class, is reason for optimism about the 2020 Presidents.
Of course, the Coronavirus threatens the season and has changed how the football program is operating.
“Listen, everyone is doing it differently Sirianni said. “It’s changed the rules. I don’t know how many Face Time calls I made. Division III recruiting sometimes goes into May. For the first time, we went into Florida. It’s no secret, less kids are playing football in western Pennsylvania. We needed to go (recruit) Florida. Those guys were not able to visit campus. We hope some will come sight unseen.
“We have a good staff and hired terrific recruiter and coach to succeed Todd. The fact we were able to replace Todd with someone who played in the program, and played under Todd, it was an unbelievable hire. Recruiting has been a struggle and different. I wrote a lot of handwritten letters.”
Sirianni admits there are things he and the program need to do better. Getting a jump on recruits is one of them, especially WPIAL players, the coach said.
Much has changed in Division III football’s post-season over the years. Post-season matchups – in the early rounds -- are much more reliant on travel than balanced brackets.
Sirianni is encouraged that North Central (Illinois) won the championship this past season, upending Mt. Union in the second round and a program such as Muhlenberg advanced to the semifinals.
“We are in the process of having a really good class, one of the better ones we’ve had. There’s some terrific football players,” Sirianni said.
“W&J is still going upward. We still hope to win a national championship. With North Central winning, it gives us all hope. I wasn’t crushed when they beat Mt. Union. I didn’t want Mt. Union to lose, but it did give everyone a little hope.
“If you’re not trying to win a national championship, I don’t know what you’re trying to do. We know to get there we have to get through a pretty tough conference in the PAC and then get by Mt. Union in the first or second round of the playoffs.”
W&J’s 2020 schedule will be the same as last season. Sirianni said perennial power, John Carroll, will come onto the Presidents’ schedule in the near future.
Sirianni has been somewhat of a polarizing figure since he succeeded John Banaszak as coach in 2003. He had worked under Banaszak prior to the coaching change.
He expects things done his way within the program and he’s not afraid to let anyone within the program know when he’s upset. Sirianni has brought stability, and consistent winning throughout his tenure. His teams play hard and for 60 minutes, evidence by some dramatic comeback victories over the years.
He knows, he might not be the most popular coach in W&J history, but none before him have been more confident or victorious.
“If someone is critical of me and it wouldn’t be a person, I would take advice from, I really don’t care,” Sirianni said. “I learned how to coach from the best coach in the history of football -- Larry Kehres. We talk quite a bit.
“It’s a different time and a different age. It’s a different W&J than 10 years ago. We have to continue to adjust and find ways to recruit student-athletes.”
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John Sacco
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