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Coach Billy Cosh

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Coach Billy Cosh

First Coach in Program History to Earn Award

First-year head coach Billy Cosh has been recognized as the 2024 AFCA FCS Coach of the Year, a significant milestone following Stony Brook’s remarkable turnaround season. This prestigious honor, announced earlier today by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), makes Cosh the first head coach in program history and second ever first-year FCS head coach to receive this accolade. 

This marks the third Coach of the Year award for Cosh this season. Previously, he was named the 2024 CAA Coach of the Year and the 2024 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year. After inheriting a team that endured a winless 2023 campaign, Cosh led the Seawolves to their best season since 2017. At just 32 years old, Cosh is the second-youngest coach in Division I football and has revitalized a program that was projected to finish last in the CAA Preseason Coaches Poll. Under his leadership, Stony Brook achieved an impressive 8-4 overall record (5-3 CAA), marking their first winning season since 2018 and their highest national ranking in six years.

This season represents the most significant turnaround in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), with Stony Brook improving from a 0-10 record in 2023 to 8-4 in 2024. Cosh’s eight victories also place him among the top-performing first-year head coaches in FCS history, and he is now the fastest head coach in program history to reach this milestone.

Stony Brook’s offensive and defensive statistics saw dramatic improvements under Cosh’s leadership. On offense, the Seawolves improved their scoring average from 15.2 points per game in 2023 to 29.6 points per game in 2024. They also increased their average total yards from 314.2 to 403.9, rushing yards from 104.1 to 170.3, and passing yards from 210.1 to 223.6. The team’s touchdown total soared from 19 in 2023 to 44 in 2024.

Defensively, the Seawolves allowed just 24.0 points per game this season, compared to 39.2 points per game in 2023. They also reduced total yards allowed per game from 470.7 to 373.5 and limited opponents to 32 touchdowns compared to the 53 allowed last year.

Under Cosh’s leadership, Stony Brook has excelled on both sides of the ball, ranking among the top 10 in FCS for several key categories: red zone defense (70%), red zone offense (90.2%), time of possession (32:27), fumbles recovered (14), turnover margin (0.83), and turnovers gained (26). The team also ranked in the top three in the CAA for fourth-down conversion percentage (63.6%), blocked punts (1), blocked punts allowed (0), passes intercepted (12), punt return defense (6.2), scoring offense (29.7), tackles for loss allowed (4.5), and several other categories, including time of possession, turnover margin, red zone offense, red zone defense, and fumbles recovered.

Cosh’s guidance has elevated several players to national recognition. Running back Roland Dempster became only the second player in program history to be nominated for the Walter Payton Award and earned First Team All-CAA honors. Defensive lineman Rushawn Lawrence also secured First Team All-CAA recognition. Tight end Cal Redman, kicker Enda Kirby, and cornerback Rudy Silvera were named to the Second Team All-CAA, while offensive linemen Niko Papic and AJ Roberts earned spots on the All-CAA Third Team.

The head coach for the Seawolves and Keiser’s Myles Russ join Colorado Mines’ Brandon Moore, Richmond’s Mike London and Valdosta State’s David Dean as the only coaches to earn AFCA National Coach of the Year honors intheir first season as a head coach. Dean was the Division II winner in 2007, London was the FCS winner in 2008, and Moore was the Division II winner in 2022.

The winners are selected by a vote of the Active AFCA members at four-year schools in the Association’s five divisions. The AFCA has named a Coach of the Year since 1935. The AFCA Coach of the Year award is the oldest and most prestigious of all the Coach of the Year awards and is the only one chosen exclusively by coaches.

The current balloting procedure involves selection of 25 regional winners: five regional winners in each of the five divisions – FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA, who become finalist for national coach of the year. Following regional voting, five national winners – one from each division – are chosen. The other recipients for the 2024 AFCA Coach of the Year were Indiana’s Curt Cignetti (FBS), Valdosta State’s Tremaine Jackson (Division II), Salisbury’s Sherman Wood (Division III) and Keiser’s Myles Russ (NAIA).

To purchase season tickets, call 631-632-WOLF (9653) or email the ticket office at [email protected].

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Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

The Stony Brook football team earned a spot in the AFCA Coaches Top-25 Poll for the first time since 2019 as the organization announced the Seawolves at No. 24 on Oct. 21. 
 
The Seawolves have tallied votes from the AFCA poll for the last seven weeks and have been recognized on the Stats Perform list for the last six weeks. They have also received votes in the CBS Sports FCS Top-25 poll this season. 

In their last time out, Tyler Knoop threw for a career-high 387 yards and broke the program record with six passing touchdowns, while Roland Dempster put up 103 yards on the ground as Stony Brook dominated Towson, 52-24, on the road on Oct. 19.

The Seawolves head back to Long Island for their next battle as they host No. 15 William & Mary for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 26th. The Seawolves are 1-4 all-time against the Tribe and are looking for their first victory over W&M at LaValle Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and the contest will air live on SNY and stream live on FloFootball.

To purchase season, single game, mini plans or group tickets, click here or call 631-632-WOLF (9653) or email [email protected].

For an inside look at the Seawolves football program, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Teammates celebrate their victory on Saturday. Photos courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics
Coach Billy Cosh earns first career victory

The Stony Brook football team earned its first victory in nearly 700 days, defeating Stonehill 37-10 on Sept. 7 at LaValle Stadium.

The Seawolves were led by redshirt senior Roland Dempster, who helped the Seawolves score their most points since 2019. Dempster tallied a career-high three touchdowns and matched a career best with 160 yards on 19 carries. Dempster ignited the Stony Brook offense by tallying two of his three touchdowns in the first five minutes of the game on touchdown runs of 15 and 17 yards. He tallied his third score in the third quarter; his three-yard run put the Seawolves ahead 30-3.

Freshman Malachi Marshall made his first start for the Seawolves under center and shined, throwing for 161 yards (9-for-16 passing) with a touchdown. Marshall added 10 yards on six carries. The freshman from Rock Hill, South Carolina connected with redshirt senior Cole Bunicci on a 63-yard touchdown late in the second quarter. The score represented the first of Marshall and Bunicci’s collegiate careers.

Stony Brook saw six different players record a reception, while eight different players tallied a carry in the victory. Bunicci paced the Seawolves’ receivers with a team-high 63 yards. Graduate student RJ Lamarre finished with 30 yards and classmate Cal Redman secured a team-best three catches totaling 24 yards.

Dempster led the way in the backfield with his 160 yards. Redshirt sophomore Johnny Martin and sophomore Brandon Boria combined for 72 yards on 19 carries, while redshirt junior Shakhi Carson had 34 all-purpose yards (20 receiving and 14 rushing).

Stony Brook’s defense was tenacious, forcing two interceptions, a fumble, eight punts and posting six points in the victory. Leading the way for the Stony Brook defense was seniors Rudy Silvera, AJ Roberts, Shamoun Duncan-Niusulu, redshirt junior Rodney Faulk as well as freshmen Jaxson Witherspoon and Sebastian Regis.

Silvera tallied his first interception as a Seawolf and added two pass breakups. Roberts and Duncan-Niusulu paced the team with nine and six tackles, respectively. Faulk wreaked havoc, recording six tackles and a quarterback hit. Witherspoon ended the game with his first career interception as time expired. Regis, the East Islip product, scooped up a fumble and rumbled 69 yards down the field and into the endzone for Stony Brook’s first defensive touchdown under defensive coordinator Scott Lewis.

Stony Brook’s special teams unit continued to shine, seeing Enda Kirby knock through a career-best 40-yard field goal in the first quarter. Junior Clayton Taylor punted six times for 287 yards, downing two inside the 20-yard line and booming three that were 50 or more yards.

“Obviously proud of our players. They did a great job preparing. If you prepare right, you’re going to play well. I’m excited for the team. They deserve all the credit,” said head coach Billy Cosh after the game.

“The last two years have been hard. We were working but we weren’t seeing results. We’re just happy to have Coach Cosh here and we have a whole new energy,” said Roland Dempster. 

“The main focus going into this game was discipline. I think we executed that very well,” added Rudy Silvera.

The team returns to the road on Sept. 14, heading to the Bronx to take on Fordham at 1 p.m. The game will stream live on ESPN+.

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