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Georgetown Football: Benson Resignation Archive

Complied from HoyaSaxa.com coverage.

Head coach Bob Benson resigned on Wednesday in a brief University statement that came without warning or prior speculation. Benson, 41, is the second winningest coach in Georgetown football history behind Scott Glacken (1970-92), whom he replaced in 1993 at the start of the Division I-AA era at Georgetown.

"We are grateful for Bob's service and guidance during his time here," said athletic director Bernard Muir in the release. "He guided the program when we first started at the I-AA level and to our current spot in the Patriot League. We wish him well in his future pursuits."

Benson was not quoted in the release and has not commented publicly. Benson had three years remaining on a contract that was extended twice by the University in the past six years and had not actively sought jobs outside Georgetown as some head coaches do.

The sudden and unexpected announcement sent shock waves through the Georgetown athletics community, which has seen abrupt changes in four higher profile posts (director of athletics, men's basketball, women's basketball, and women's lacrosse coaching positions) within the last two years. By contrast, football had seen unprecedented stability, with only two head coaches in the past 36 gridiron seasons.

Hired at 28 as the youngest Division I coach in the nation in 1993, Benson literally saved a Georgetown program that was on the edge of de-emphasis following the 1992 season. In his first six seasons, Benson improved Georgetown's record six consecutive years, winning 28 of 32 MAAC conference games in a stretch from 1996 to 1999. and scoring consecutive nine win seasons for the first time in school history.

A tireless proponent of playing peer institutions and developing a renewal of campus spirit for football, Benson was instrumental in Georgetown's move to the Patriot League in 2001, adding Ivy league opponents to future schedules (with Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Pennsylvania, and Yale on the 2006 through 2008 schedules), and helping promote alumni interest during the still unfinished Multi-Sport Facility plans.

Nonetheless, Benson's teams struggled in Patriot League play, in large part due to a considerable gap between what Georgetown spent on football versus that of other PL schools. The budget gap hamstrung Benson's ability to recruit against other PL schools and to retain assistant coaches, rotating through four offensive coordinators in a five year period.

"Every off-season we were basically starting from scratch [with assistants]," said former quarterback Andrew Crawford in a 2004 HOYA article. "We were having to learn a new system, then having to get familiar with it as the season went on, and just never knowing what to expect."

Georgetown's recruiting gap was often apparent in sizable losses to nationally ranked teams at Lehigh, Colgate, and Lafayette. Benson's final five seasons at Georgetown were a combined 23-36 (.390), with only five Patriot League wins in the final four years of his tenure.

Some of Benson's finest accomplishments were found in the individual performances of his teams. Over 13 seasons, Benson coached two All-Americans, nine all-Patriot selections, and 42 all-MAAC selections. Georgetown's career rushing, passing, and receiving leaders all played under Coach Benson and his staffs.

Off the field, the classroom performances were strong. Through the 2004 season, 82 team members had been nominated to the Patriot League academic honor roll, and the just released NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) totals placed Georgetown's football graduation rate at 99% versus just 65% for Division I-AA football as a whole. None of these honors were cited in the resignation announcement.

"I was there when Coach Benson took over. What he took over and what he did was miraculous," wrote a former all-MAAC tackle in a message board post. "I myself struggled with the apathy and the cheap shots from the student [body] and the real lack of care that was shown from the school's administrators. I am sure that Bob had to scrap to get that program the support it needed and still needs from the school."

"What I would like to say as a former player is that Georgetown had a great guy and a great coach, who did great things for his kids. I respect him as a coach and as a person, and I hope that everyone understands the hand he was given and what he did with it. He made chicken salad out of chicken---, and I would wager that the school still has never truly made the financial commitment to make that program competitive with the bigger programs.

"I hope Coach does well in whatever he does or wherever he goes, because there are a lot of people who have been enriched by him and are better people for the experience. "

Links to news coverage follows below and is surprisingly thin, speaking to the general erosion of coverage of college football in the Washington papers. The non-renewal of Scott Glacken's contract in 1992 was a page one story in the Washington Post sports section, while today's coverage made page two and did nothing but repeat the press release. There is no online coverage in the Washington Times (which consistently avoids college football coverage) while the Washington Examiner used a three paragraph summary from the Associated Press, combining it with the resignation of Catholic University's football coach, who leaves the Brookland campus for a possible coordinator's post at Liberty.

The HOYA is on Christmas break, though it may post an article over the break.

• GUHoyas.com
• Associated Press
• Sports Network
• Washington Post

Despite rumors to the contrary, there has been no announcement regarding the status of Georgetown's assistant coaches. All other coaches are currently listed on the web site, excepting Benson's bio, which was removed Wednesday night.

The timing of the announcement could not have come at a worse time for recruiting, something Georgetown desperately needs to compete within Division I-AA. This is the time of year when coaches are working to close the deal on recruits, and the vacancy at head coach could be significant to those considering Georgetown as well has to the handful that have made verbal commitments to date.

The University release promised the usual "national search", but those familiar with Georgetown's hiring knows the search will be likely be in stealth and names will not be discussed in the press as they are at other schools.

One item to watch will be whether head coaching experience will play a key role in a candidate. Only one of the last ten Georgetown coaches arrived on the Hilltop with prior head coaching experience, that of Tommy Mills (1930-32), who quit in disgust halfway through a two win season in 1932. Ironically, the heir apparent to Mills might have been an offensive coordinator that also left the school just prior to Mills, citing "a coolness towards football" by the school's administration. That offensive coordinator was future Hall of Famer Frank Leahy.

Another issue will be player attrition. Georgetown lost ten starters and 17 seniors from the 2005 team, and a new staff may have different ideas for those players who do return in 2006.

Finally, an important issue will be the degree to which Georgetown seeks to increase, maintain, or reduce its financial aid commitments against the ever-pressing need to get a home facility completed. Tomorrow's editorial will discuss this in greater detail.

Lots more to follow, so check back often with the site for news and discussion on the topic.

As change was sweeping the Hilltop, similar winds were blowing across Lehigh's South Mountain this week, where former Georgetown guard Pete Lembo (B'92) has resigned as head coach to take the head coaching job at Elon (NC).

"It has been a privilege to be a part of the Lehigh football family for the last eight years,” Lembo, 35, said in the Lehigh release. “Lehigh is a special place and my family and I will always cherish the friendships we formed while I worked here." Lembo, the second winningest coach in I-AA history by percentage (44-14, .758), left Lehigh of his own will but press reports point to two losses to Lafayette in the last three years as a source of contention among the Lehigh fan base.

"I would like to publicly thank Pete Lembo for his commitment and service to Lehigh University over the last eight years,” said Joe Sterrett, Lehigh's dean of athletics. “He really has had a very impressive start to his head coaching career, and we wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.” Sterrett has taken the very public step of posting a web column outlining his criteria for Lehigh's upcoming coaching search. (Recommended reading.)

Bob Benson leaves Georgetown with the longest tenure of any head coach in the Patriot League. Here is the present head coaching status at each school following the 2005 season:

• Colgate: Dick Biddle, 11th year as head coach, 21 years overall
• Lafayette: Frank Tavani, 5th year as head coach, 18 years overall
• Colgate: Tim Landis, 2nd year
• Holy Cross: Tom Gilmore, 1st year
• Fordham: Tom Masella (New, hired Dec. 8)
• Lehigh: Vacant
• Georgetown: Vacant

In 2001, Coach Benson spoke of the opportunity of football on the Georgetown campus and within the Patriot League. His words are worth remembering.

"Georgetown University is a historic place. The university has decided to utilize football to add to this history and bring back an atmosphere that perhaps only the game of football can bring to a college campus. It is truly an exciting time," he wrote. "The move to the Patriot League and my association with Georgetown reminds me everyday how thankful I am to be involved in this great game of football."

The following letter was sent to Gridiron Club members from club president Chris Murphy (B'93) and is printed with permission.

"By now I am sure most of you have heard the news that Coach Bob Benson has resigned after 13 seasons as Head Coach of Georgetown’s football program. On behalf of the Gridiron Club, I would like to extend my deepest thanks to Coach Benson for all he has done for Georgetown Football and Georgetown University.

In the past few days, I have had the opportunity to speak with many former players, alumni and parents. The overwhelming sentiment has been that everyone truly enjoyed the Georgetown Football experience under Coach Benson. Coach Benson’s accomplishments on the Hilltop are many, including winning league championships, setting numerous individual and team records, entering into the Patriot League, competing against Ivy League opponents and putting the bricks in the ground for our new stadium. Father Leo O’Donovan once spoke at the Gridiron Club Reception at the BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Tournament and called Coach Benson an ambassador for the University. Coach Benson will certainly be remembered in the history of Georgetown Football.

I spoke to Coach Benson this week, and although there is a lot of emotion surrounding his decision, he feels that he and the program will both benefit from his move to explore other opportunities. He made it very clear that he fully supports Athletic Director Bernard Muir and the future of the program.

I also spoke to Georgetown Director of Athletics Bernard Muir, and he is committed not only to Georgetown Football but also to “winning the Patriot League.” Muir has initiated a national search and hopes to have a coach selected in the near future.

Coach Benson had a profound effect on the Hoya program, but, more importantly, he had a profound effect on his players. He made the football experience fun for the student-athletes, alumni, parents and fans. We wish him luck in his future endeavors.