RPI Football Names Offensive Coaching Staff

As the Engineers approach the 2012 season in just over three weeks, new interim head coach Bob Bodor has had a lot of work to do, both on and off the field. Among those off-field tasks was determining his coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball, and Coach Bodor has made his final decisions.

On Monday, it was announced by Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton that the team's new offensive coordinator is Kevin Trigonis. A native of nearby Halfmoon, N.Y., Trigonis joins the staff from Carroll University in Wisconsin, where he spent the last three years. During his time with Carroll, he was the offensive line coach each year and the offensive coordinator in 2011. In addition to managing the offensive staff and coordinating all phases of the offense, Trigonis handled the field goal and extra point units, served as the head coach of the junior varsity, arranged travel and recruited throughout the Chicago area.

“I am thrilled to have the chance to come back home,” said Trigonis. “Having grown up in the area I am fully aware of what Rensselaer football has accomplished. I expect to assist our student-athletes as they strive to continue that tremendous success, on the field, in the classroom and following commencement.”

A graduate of Shenendehowa High School, he spent two years at Amherst College, where he coached the running backs in 2008 and the tight ends and H-backs in 2009. Trigonis was also involved with the special teams, was the video coordinator and recruited in nine states.

Trigonis graduated from St. Lawrence University with a degree in sociology. While with the Saints, who compete in the Liberty League with the Engineers, he played football for two years and competed on both the indoor and outdoor track and field teams. An injury forced him into the football coaching booth as an undergraduate intern for the offensive line and tight ends while still competing in track, for which he was the indoor captain in 2005.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, three new offensive assistant coaches joined the coaching staff of acting head coach Bob Bodor. Former Kentucky State University head coach Fred Farrier is the passing game coordinator; Jared Jones, a former standout at Syracuse University, is the wide receivers coach; and Niskayuna native Gary Chrys is an assistant offensive line coach.

Farrier, a graduate of The College of the Holy Cross, was at the helm of Kentucky State from 2005 to 2009. He was also the offensive coordinator for all four seasons, coaching the team to an average of over 30 points and 375 yards per game. He also had a punting unit that earned national rankings and saw nearly 30 student-athletes capture post-season honors for either athletic and/or academic achievements.

A wide receiver for the Crusaders, Farrier also has college experience at Shaw University, where he was the associate head coach and offensive coordinator; Tennessee Technological University and Saginaw Valley State University as the recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach; and Michigan State University, where he was a graduate assistant. Farrier, who is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, has also had fellowship coaching opportunities in the NFL with the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals. He is a frequent presenter at the American Football Coaches Association Convention.

Jones was also a wide receiver in college, having played four seasons with the Orange. The Hillsborough, N.J., native finished his career with 102 catches for 1,189 yards and five touchdowns. He was sixth in school history in career receptions and the 16th player in school history to record more than 1,000 career receiving yards. He was just the seventh to have more than 100 catches and 1,000 receiving yards.

Following his career at Syracuse, where he also played on special teams, Jones was signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles. He then played arena football, including with the Albany Conquest. He is currently employed by the City School District of Albany.

Chrys is a 2012 graduate of Hartwick College, where he was an offensive lineman. A four-year starter, he helped the team to two post-season appearances. The Hawks offense was second in the nation in 2008 and the offensive line was twice named to the D3Football.com National Team of the Week. Chrys has coaching experience as a counselor at several camps and clinics in the Capital Region.

Rensselaer, which is ranked 22nd in the nation according to Lindy’s Preseason Poll, opens the 2012 season on September 8 against Alfred University at the ECAV Stadium (12:30pm). Among the student-athletes returning to the Engineers is senior quarterback Mike Hermann, the reigning league Offensive Player of the Year and a preseason All-America Second Team selection by Beyond Sports College Network.

The preceding information was provided by Kevin Beattie of the RPI Athletics Department.