Bob Surace
Encyclopedia
Robert J. "Bob" Surace is an American college football
coach. He is currently the head coach at Princeton University
.
to Tony Surace, a longtime football and baseball coach at Millville High School. He attended Princeton University
, where he played on the football team
from 1987 to 1989 as a center
. In 1989, the Ivy League
named Surace to the All-Ivy team. He graduated in 1990. Surace's wife, Lisa, was a former soccer player at Princeton, and practiced psychology
in Cincinnati. The couple have a son and a daughter. His brother, Brian, was the offensive coordinator
at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
.
He began coaching in 1990 as the running backs coach
at Springfield College
. While there, he earned a Master of Arts
degree in sports management. In 1993, he was the offensive line coach at the Maine Maritime Academy. In 1994, he was an assistant coach under Forrest Gregg
for the Shreveport Pirates
of the Canadian Football League
. In 1999, he became the offensive coordinator
at Western Connecticut State University
. In 2000, Surace was promoted to the head coach. In his second season, he led the Colonials to the Freedom Football Conference
championship and the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship playoffs. His record at Western Connecticut State was 18–3. Surace then joined the staff of the Cincinnati Bengals
in the National Football League
. From 2002 to 2003, he was an offensive staff assistant, and from 2004 to 2009, an assistant offensive line coach
.
Princeton hired Surace in December 2009, which made him the first alumnus as coach since Bob Casciola in 1977. In his first season, Princeton finished with a 1–9 record.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach. He is currently the head coach at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
.
Biography
Surace was born on April 25, 1968 in Harrisburg, PennsylvaniaHarrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
to Tony Surace, a longtime football and baseball coach at Millville High School. He attended Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, where he played on the football team
Princeton Tigers football
The Princeton Tigers football program represents Princeton University college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
from 1987 to 1989 as a center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
. In 1989, the Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
named Surace to the All-Ivy team. He graduated in 1990. Surace's wife, Lisa, was a former soccer player at Princeton, and practiced psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
in Cincinnati. The couple have a son and a daughter. His brother, Brian, was the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
.
He began coaching in 1990 as the running backs coach
Running backs coach
A running backs coach is a coach in charge of the running backs in gridiron football. The running backs coach typically operates under the team's offensive coordinator....
at Springfield College
Springfield College
Springfield College is a private, coeducational university located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield College is most famous as the site where the sport of basketball was invented...
. While there, he earned a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in sports management. In 1993, he was the offensive line coach at the Maine Maritime Academy. In 1994, he was an assistant coach under Forrest Gregg
Forrest Gregg
Alvis Forrest Gregg is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. During a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, he was a part of six championships, five of them with the Green Bay Packers before closing out his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys with a win in...
for the Shreveport Pirates
Shreveport Pirates
The Shreveport Pirates were a Canadian Football League team, playing at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, in 1994 and 1995....
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. In 1999, he became the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Western Connecticut State University
Western Connecticut State University
Western Connecticut State University is a public university in Danbury, Connecticut. Founded in 1903, WestConn has an arts and sciences curriculum, a business school, and several professional programs including elementary and secondary education, nursing, music performance, and social work...
. In 2000, Surace was promoted to the head coach. In his second season, he led the Colonials to the Freedom Football Conference
Freedom Football Conference
The Freedom Football Conference was a college athletic conference that competed in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams were located in New England and New York...
championship and the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship playoffs. His record at Western Connecticut State was 18–3. Surace then joined the staff of the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. From 2002 to 2003, he was an offensive staff assistant, and from 2004 to 2009, an assistant offensive line coach
Offensive line coach
The offensive line coach is a coaching position in gridiron football that is in charge of the offensive line. This role is very common in the CFL, NFL, and college football programs. The offensive line coach serves the offense, which is led by the offensive coordinator....
.
Princeton hired Surace in December 2009, which made him the first alumnus as coach since Bob Casciola in 1977. In his first season, Princeton finished with a 1–9 record.