Is Princeton Football Coach Bob Surace on the Hot Seat?

Added by Joel Smithson on September 16, 2011.

After a disappointing season last year where the team managed to pull out only one win, 2^nd year head coach Bob Surace claims this season will be different. He played for Princeton back when he attended the University and was an All-Ivy League center and helped lead them to a one loss season and a share of the Ivy League title. Though expectations aren’t for a title this year, Surace is still expected to turn this team around.

Surace was an integral part of the coaching staff for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2009 when they went 10-6 and were champions of the AFC North. Prior to that, he was the head coach at DIII Western Connecticut State University where he coached for two seasons and posted an impressive 18-3 record.

In his first year at Princeton, his results were anything but pleasing. Analysts account last season’s poor performance to the transition from an assistant in the NFL to head coach of a prestigious Ivy League school. This season, the alumni, fans and players are expecting progress and all have the goal of knocking off rivals Yale and Harvard in the same season for the first time since 2006. A losing season this year would come as a disappointment, and changes would be made, Surace is the 22^nd head coach of the Princeton football team and if he can’t produce results, the Tigers wouldn’t think twice about finding a new coach.

The team’s first contest is Saturday September 17, against 16^th ranked Lehigh (D1 AA, FCS). While a win here would be nothing short of a miracle, Surace must be able to field a team that can at least compete with a high caliber team like Lehigh.

“You learn from experiences. We weren’t strong enough and they have a chip on their shoulders. We are still not strong enough but we are stronger.” Said Bob Surace on last season’s results. He hopes to build Princeton into a high quality team but that will take time, but if Surace can’t turn things around quick, it will be another coach that’s leading the Tigers next fall.