Hanover High football finds new coach from within. 'He's ready for it'

Coady's senior year of high school (2013-14) was Landolfi's first season as the head coach at Hanover. Coady, then more of a baseball player, didn't envision a future playing college football until Landolfi provided a late push.

Landolfi went 68-36 with a Division 3 Super Bowl win (2016) in his 10 seasons in charge. Kelliher went 26-10 with a Division 5 Super Bowl appearance (2023) in three seasons.

"I think (my goal is) just holding this team to the standard that we've had since I've been here," Coady said via phone after meeting with the team for the first time on Wednesday, April 29.

"He's been a great sounding board for me and I've learned a lot from him," Kelliher said of Coady. "He's done a great job directing our offense for the last few years and it really took a lot of pressure off of me. He really took control of that side of the ball. I didn't have a lot to do with it. It was his offense. It was his thing."

New Hanover football coach Tyler Coady was previously the team's offensive coordinator. He's pictured here chatting with former quarterback Ben Scalzi during the 2023 season.

After the Hawks graduate top targets Brandon Errico (1,024 yards, 22 total TDs) and Sebastian Brown (1,165 yards, 15 TDs) in the offseason, Coady is prepared to design an offense around returning starting quarterback Max Morin, a rising senior, and senior running back Brendan Sacco, who the new coach views as "a big piece of our identity."

Hanover will also return four offensive lineman with starting experience: rising seniors Daniel McAvay, Nolan Ghostlaw (both three-year starters), Collin Fuller and Jayden Yoo.

Sacco, McAvay (center), Yoo (tackle), Ghostlaw and senior receiver/defensive back Kellan Balducci will serve as captains.

"We have a lot of guys that are going to compete," Coady said. "We need strength in numbers."

The team's coaching staff will likely otherwise remain intact from last season; Seamus Boutin (strength and conditioning), James Byrne (offense), Dab Ukwuani (defense) Matt Hughes (offensive linemen), Jon Nassif (linebackers), Lee Moses (strength and conditioning), Cam Hallett (freshmen) and Mike Rufo are all back. Former Hanover rugby standouts Colin and Aidan Boutin will help organize offseason workouts.

"We just want to keep things rolling," Coady said. "We want to pick up where we left off, win football games and give (the players) a great experience. We want them to do great things on and off the field."

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Tyler Coady hired to be new Hanover High football coach