Attitude, Preparation, and Teaching - Michael Toerper, Head Coach, Ithaca College

On today's podcast, we sit down with Michael Toerper, head coach of Ithaca College. He discusses his start in coaching, influences, his pillars of coaching - attitude, prepartation, and teaching, and his passion for special teams. He also shares his keys to being able to have a successful year one as a head coach.

This was recorded at the New York State High School Football Association Clinic at Turning Stone Resort in Verona, New York.

Coach Toerper completed his first season as a head coach at Ithaca College. He was named as the 11th head coach of the Ithaca College football program on February 18, 2022.

In his first season as head coach in 2022, Toerper guided the Bombers to one of their most historic seasons in program history. The Bombers finished 12-1 and reached the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals. IC secured its first undefeated regular season since 1986 and claimed its first outright Liberty League title with a 31-28 win over Union. The regular season was capped off with a 34-17 win over Cortland in the 63rd Cortaca Jug Game at Yankee Stadium, which was filled by 40,232 fans. Toerper would go on to be named AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year, as well as D3football.com Region 2 Coach of the Year and the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year. Sixteen players were named All-Liberty League, including the Offensive (A.J. Wingfield), Defensive (Matt DeSimpliciis) and Special Teams (Nicholas Bahamonde) Players of the Year. 

Toerper, who is no stranger to the IC program, served as the defensive coordinator for the Bombers from 2017-19. He then departed to become the safeties coach at Division I Holy Cross for the past two seasons and contributed to turning that Crusaders defense into one of the top units in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 2021.

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