Adding to an already stellar list of accolades, head coach Billy Cosh has been named the 2024 Walter Camp FCS Coach of the Year, as announced by the organization on Dec. 31. This prestigious honor comes after Cosh was named the AFCA FCS Coach of the Year, AFCA Regional Coach of the Year, and CAA Coach of the Year earlier this postseason.
Now in its second year, the Walter Camp FCS Coach of the Year award recognizes the top head coach in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Last season, the honor went to Greg Gattuso from UAlbany, another Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) head coach. Notable recipients of the Walter Camp Coach of the Year award at the FBS level include legendary names such as Nick Saban (Alabama), Les Miles (LSU), Bob Stoops (Oklahoma), Dabo Swinney (Clemson), and Lou Holtz (Arkansas).
At just 32 years old, Cosh, the second-youngest head coach in the FBS or FCS, orchestrated a historic turnaround for Stony Brook football in his debut season. Taking over a program that went 0-10 (0-8 CAA) in 2023 and was projected to finish last in the conference for 2024, Cosh led the Seawolves to an 8-4 (5-3 CAA) record. This remarkable improvement marked the team’s first winning season since 2018, its highest national ranking in six years (No. 16), and finishing at No. 24 in the Stats Perform final regular season poll.
Under Cosh’s leadership, the Seawolves experienced a dramatic resurgence on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the team improved from 15.2 points per game in 2023 to 29.6 points per game in 2024. Total offensive yardage jumped from 314.2 to 403.9 yards per game, including a surge in rushing yards from 104.1 to 170.3 and passing yards from 210.1 to 223.6. The team’s touchdown count skyrocketed from 19 in 2023 to 44 in 2024. The defense also saw substantial improvements, limiting opponents to 24.0 points per game compared to 39.2 the previous year. Total yards allowed dropped from 470.7 to 373.5 per game, and the Seawolves reduced touchdowns allowed from 53 to 32.
Cosh’s leadership not only transformed the program but also propelled several players into the national spotlight. Running back Roland Dempster earned a nomination for the Walter Payton Award, becoming just the second player in program history to receive the honor. Dempster also secured First Team All-CAA recognition and four All-American honors. Defensive lineman Rushawn Lawrence garnered First Team All-CAA honors and two All-American awards, while freshman standout Sebastian Regis was named to the Freshman All-American team.
Additional postseason honors went to tight end Cal Redman, kicker Enda Kirby, and cornerback Rudy Silvera, who were named to the All-CAA Second Team. Offensive linemen Niko Papic and AJ Roberts earned spots on the All-CAA Third Team, while Anthony Ferrelli and Cole Bunicci were recognized on the Phil Steele CAA All-Conference team.
To purchase season tickets, call 631-632-WOLF (9653) or email the ticket office at [email protected].
Coach Billy Cosh. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics
First-year head coach Billy Cosh has been named the 2024 AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year after leading Stony Brook to its most wins since 2018, following a winless 2023 season. The announcement was made this morning by the AFCA organization. Cosh becomes only the second head coach in program history to receive this honor.
The second-youngest coach in Division I football, Cosh has transformed a team predicted to finish last in the CAA Preseason Coaches Poll into a national contender. Under his leadership, the Seawolves have achieved their highest national ranking since 2018, their most wins since 2017 and their first winning season since 2018, with an impressive 8-3 (5-2 CAA) record.
Stony Brook has taken the FCS by storm this season, ranking in the top 10 nationally in several offensive and defensive categories. The Seawolves lead the CAA and rank in the FCS top 10 for fumbles recovered, turnover margin, turnovers gained, and blocked punts allowed. They also rank in the CAA’s top three—and the FCS’s top 25—in fourth-down conversion percentage, defensive touchdowns, passes intercepted, red zone offense, red zone defense, tackles for loss allowed and time of possession.
This season marks the biggest turnaround in the FCS, with the Seawolves improving from 0-10 to 8-3. Cosh has also secured the third-most wins among first-year head coaches in the FCS and is the fastest head coach in program history to achieve eight career victories.
Cosh has been instrumental in the emergence of key players, including Roland Dempster, Tyler Knoop, Rudy Silvera, Rodney Faulk, and Rushawn Lawrence. Dempster ranks in the FCS top five in rushing touchdowns, rushing yards, rushing yards per game, and scoring. Silvera is eighth in the nation in pass breakups, while Knoop leads the CAA and ranks seventh in the FCS in completion percentage. Faulk and Lawrence both rank in the FCS top 20 in forced fumbles and sacks.
The Seawolves return home for their regular-season finale on Saturday, November 23, against Monmouth, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. on FloFootball. The game will also serve as Senior Day, with Stony Brook honoring its graduating football student-athletes in a pregame ceremony.
The AFCA began recognizing district coaches of the year following the 1960 season. The awards were established the same year Eastman Kodak agreed to sponsor the AFCA Coach of the Year award. Prior to 1960, the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain had sponsored the program, which recognized one national Coach of the Year. The AFCA first recognized eight district winners in each of two divisions: university and college. In 1972, a ninth district was added in each division.
In 1983, the award was changed to recognize regional winners instead of district winners. The number of divisions was also increased from two to four and five regional winners were selected in each division. This resulted in a more equitable selection process and better represented the make-up of the membership. At the same time, the new system increased the number of honorees from 18 to 20. In 2006, the AFCA Division II Award was split into separate Division II and NAIA divisions, giving us the 25 winners we now recognize.
2024 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Winners
Football Bowl Subdivision
Region 1: Jeff Monken, Army West Point
Region 2: Clark Lea, Vanderbilt University
Region 3: Curt Cignetti, Indiana University
Region 4: Kalani Sitake, Brigham Young University
Region 5: Spencer Danielson, Boise State University
Football Championship Subdivision
Region 1: Billy Cosh, Stony Brook University
Region 2: *Chennis Berry, South Carolina State University
Region 3: Nathan Brown, University of Central Arkansas
Region 4: Tim Polasek, North Dakota State University
Region 5: Tim Plough, UC Davis
Division II
Region 1: *Jim Clements, Kutztown University
Region 2: Tremaine Jackson, Valdosta State University
Region 3: Adam Dorrel, University of Central Oklahoma
Region 4: Todd Knight, Ouachita Baptist University
Region 5: Jerry Olszewski, Augustana (S.D.) University
Division III
Region 1: *Curt Fitzpatrick, SUNY Cortland
Region 2: Sherman Wood, Salisbury University
Region 3: Andy Frye, Centre College
Region 4: Peter Stuursma, Hope College
Region 5: Ryan Munz, University of Wisconsin-Platteville
NAIA
Region 1: Myles Russ, Keiser University
Region 2: Aaron Mingo, Taylor University
Region 3: Paul Hansen, MidAmerica Nazarene University
Region 4: Steve Ryan, Morningside University
Region 5: Berk Brown, Southern
To purchase season, single game, mini plans or group tickets, click here or call 631-632-WOLF (9653) or email [email protected].
After the removal of former head coach Chuck Priore in Nov. 2023, the Stony Brook football team has found his replacement in hopes that brighter days are ahead.
Finishing the 2023 season with an 0-10 record — the worst in program history — was not the way the Seawolves hoped to bounce back from 2022 that ended with a 2-9 finish. Just under a month after removing Priore, Stony Brook hired former Western Michigan University offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Billy Cosh to fill the role.
Cosh, 32, a resident of Smithtown, started his coaching career at Concord University in 2015, soon getting the position as a graduate assistant and quarterbacks coach for Indiana from 2016 to 2017. Cosh made the move to the Virginia Military Institute in 2018, serving as the wide receivers coach in 2018 and 2019, then getting promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Cosh jumped to Richmond in 2022 where he led a top 20 offensive SP+ rating, advancing to the second round of the FCS playoffs in his lone season. After serving as offensive coordinator at Western Michigan for the 2023 season, Cosh was named the third head football coach in Stony Brook history. At 31 years old, he became the second-youngest current head coach in NCAA Division I football.
Coaching at Richmond in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) — the same conference as the Seawolves — Cosh said he has “always admired Stony Brook from afar.” In his first head coaching position, Cosh will look to pull the Seawolves out of the cellar.
“I knew this place has a chance,” Cosh said. “I knew they had the capability, so that’s kind of what attracted me to the job.”
Football is in Cosh’s blood. Bouncing around from place to place during his upbringing, he is the son of Chris Cosh who played linebacker for Virginia Tech from 1977 to 1981. Chris coached for 40 years at multiple FCS schools such as UNLV, Maryland, Michigan State, South Carolina and many more. He currently serves as an analyst at Western Michigan.
Billy Cosh (right) set to coach Seawolves football for the 2024 season. Courtesy Stony Brook Athletics
“I thought my dad had the coolest job in the world,” Cosh said. “I was like a sponge; I was around the game all the time. I got to see different players that played in the NFL and watched how they work and watched how coaches coached, it was really unique.”
Cosh was raised with his brother, James, who went on to play football at the United States Naval Academy from 2007 to 2011. James is currently a scout for the Chicago Bears in the NFL.
Being brought up around football, Cosh was destined to be a star on the field. Attending Arundel High School in Gambrills, Md. from 2006 to 2009, Cosh won the job of starting quarterback his junior year. He went on to break seven state records that season including most passing yards (3,909) and touchdowns (56), but it paled in comparison to his senior season.
Cosh’s senior year was special, throwing for 3,913 yards and 56 touchdowns. He set Maryland state records for career completions (594), passing yards (7,433) and touchdowns (112), finishing his high school career with a 22-3 record and leaving college coaches clamoring to have him on their team.
Though Cosh’s achievements on the field spoke for themselves, he credits playing with future NFL wide receivers RJ Harris and Alec Lemon for much of his success at Arundel.
“That kind of made a big difference,” Cosh said. “I wasn’t a great player, but I was very appreciative of the guys around me.”
When the college recruitment process came around, the choice was rather simple for Cosh. At the time, his father was the defensive coordinator at Kansas State University. A chance to play at a Big 12 school and have his father guide the way was too good for Cosh to pass on, deciding to play college football as a Wildcat.
Unfortunately, when things seem too good to be true, they often are. Cosh’s coaches opted to give him a freshman redshirt his first season at Kansas State, meaning he would be sidelined and not see action the entire season.
Looking ahead to his sophomore season, Cosh realized there may not be an opportunity for him to play anytime soon. With three quarterbacks on the roster that were returning the following season, all of them were ahead of him on the depth chart. He was paid a visit by James Madison University’s head coach Mickey Matthews who told Cosh he would have a better opportunity playing for him, so Cosh made the move.
Transferring to James Madison for his sophomore year hoping that he would have the chance to play, Cosh’s wishes were not answered. Again, Cosh was at the bottom of the depth chart and did not see action the entire season, later claiming that the move from Kansas State was one that he regretted.
“I really made a rash decision to leave, Coach [Bill] Snyder told me I would regret it, and he was right in some ways,” Cosh said. “I went [to James Madison] and was kind of told I wasn’t good enough, which was probably true, I wasn’t the greatest player, but I was never really given a shot.”
Cosh realized that he would have to step down a level if he wanted to get any real playing time, opting to transfer again, this time to Butler Community College in the NJCAA. Making the move in hopes to impress scouts and get back to the Division I level, Cosh did just that.
Stony Brook football is set to open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 at Marshall University in West Virginia. Courtesy Stony Brook Athletics
Stepping down a level gave Cosh the opportunity to see the field, but the talent pool in the NJCAA was very deep. He played with “12 to 15” future NFL players and against current All-Pro players such as Tyreek Hill, Alvin Kamara and Cordarrelle Patterson.
Cosh’s lone junior college season was described as a “rebirth” for him by Butler head coach Troy Morrell. He turned heads by throwing for 2,856 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2012, but he would soon face another obstacle. Cosh tore his ACL in the NJCAA junior college championship game and lost to Iowa Western, 27-7.
Despite the sour ending, Cosh reflects on his time at Butler fondly.
“I loved that time,” Cosh said. “I loved my teammates. I loved the coaching staff … so that was awesome.”
Despite the injury, Cosh had impressed college scouts enough to receive some offers. He committed to the University of Houston before the conclusion of the 2012 season, successfully making his way back to the NCAA Division I level.
However, Cosh soon faced another roadblock. His commitment to Houston came before the injury to his knee, something that he thought would lead the team to pulling his scholarship. To Cosh’s surprise, the Cougars chose to keep him around.
Still rehabbing his ACL tear, Cosh missed the entire 2013 season due to injury. He made his debut in 2014, and though he only saw the field three times at Houston, he was able to end his college career on his terms, not others’.
Though Cosh’s time at Houston was underwhelming on the field, it was where he met his wife, Kelsey.
Being around the game of football his entire life, Cosh has faced plenty of adversity throughout his career. Due to these challenges, it makes sense that Stony Brook Athletic Director Shawn Heilbron believes that Cosh is the man for the job to bring the Seawolves back to relevance.
Kenny Spurrell is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.
Stony Brook University Director of Athletics Shawn Heilbron and Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis have named Billy Cosh the third head coach in Stony Brook football’s Division I era, as announced on Dec. 13.
“This is an incredibly exciting day for Stony Brook and the future of our football program as we welcome Billy Cosh to Long Island as our new head coach,” said Heilbron. “Billy is an innovative coach who will bring energy, intensity and a specific plan for building a championship-level program at Stony Brook. More importantly, he genuinely cares about creating a positive environment for our student-athletes, and I am so happy that he is joining our Seawolves family along with his wife Kelsey and daughter Charli.”
“We’re so thrilled to welcome Coach Cosh and his family to ours here at Stony Brook. As a former accomplished student-athlete himself, he understands the importance of being a coach, as well as a teacher and mentor for his players to excel at the highest levels of competition. During the interview process, it was evident Billy is a dynamic leader and innovative coach who cares deeply about student-athletes contributing on the field as well as in the classroom and in the Stony Brook community. Today marks the beginning of an exciting chapter in Stony Brook’s football history,” said President McInnis.
Cosh joins Stony Brook for his first career head coaching job after spending the 2023 season at Western Michigan as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
“My family and I are excited for this opportunity to join the Stony Brook family and to lead this football program to new heights moving forward! I want to thank President McInnis, Director of Athletics Shawn Heilbron, and the search committee for giving me this tremendous opportunity,” said Cosh. “Great location, academics, athletics and, more importantly, people really excites me about being the head football coach here. Being a FCS coach over the years, I have always admired Stony Brook from afar. I know we will develop these young men the right way and play a brand of football that will return us to the top in a great league in the CAA! I am ready to get to work and build the trust that is needed to have success.”
