After less than a year of searching, Grinnell has hired Max Hawsey to be the new head football coach. The vacancy was created when former head football coach of 20 years Greg Wallace took over as athletic director. The decision to hire Hawsey came after a nationwide search that culminated with four prospective coaches coming to campus.
Hawsey has already begun coaching at Grinnell as the assistant track and field coach.
"We want to make our football program as strong as it can be," said Athletic Director Greg Wallace. "We have a very good group of committed student athletes, and with his guidance they can be very successful over the next few years."
Hawsey has never been a college head football coach before, but he has been involved in coaching college football for the last 10 years. He first served six years as the assistant football coach and head track and field coach at his alma mater Austin College and then moved on to become the offensive coordinator of Colorado College. At Colorado, Hawsey helped the offense break 15 school records. His offenses averaged 30 points and 400 yards per game over the last two seasons.
But will the past success be transferred over to the Pioneers?
After going 1-9 last season, many fans and spectators alike would be pleased if the team reached .500 this upcoming season, but Hawsey has greater aspirations.
"I expect to win the Midwest Conference Championship," said Hawsey.
Hawsey backs up his assertion with a strong work ethic. "He is one of the first guys that comes to the building every morning," said Wallace. "He is one of the last ones to leave." His strong work ethic has also caught on with the players, with many players participating in voluntary off-season workouts. "The workouts are intense," said Malcolm Scott '11. "But they are definitely beneficial in the long run."
Coach Hawsey brings the same intensity towards recruiting new players for the football team. Many recruits were waiting to see who the new coach was going to be, and now that the outgoing high school seniors are assured of being coached by Hawsey, it seems to have increased interest in Grinnell. "Recruiting is going well; we have eight new players coming from early decision," said Hawsey. "This includes a very good quarterback."
Even though he has only been on the job for about a month, Grinnell's newest coach has already begun to change the landscape. Players seem to agree that his style is much different from previous coaches but that it is a good to have a new face at the helms. "He is much different from Wallace," said Scott. "But fresh blood is good, and we will win the Conference championship next season."
