Dave Cohen, defensive coordinator at the University of Delaware, has been named Hofstra University Head Football Coach, Pride Director of Athletics Jack Hayes announced today. Cohen, who becomes the seventh head football coach in the program's 65-year history, replaces Joe Gardi who retired at the end of the 2005 season after 16 years at the helm.
Cohen, 39, widely-regarded as one of the top I-AA defensive coaches in the country, returned to Delaware for a second stint in 2002 after serving on the Blue Hen football staff for five seasons from 1994-98 as linebacker and defensive line coach. His defensive schemes played a big part in Delaware posting a 15-1 record and capturing the NCAA I-AA national title in 2003.
Led by All-American defensive end and Oakland Raider draftee Shawn Johnson and current San Francisco 49ers starting safety Mike Adams, the Blue Hens posted the first shutout in I-AA championship game history with a 40-0 win over previously unbeaten Colgate. Delaware's defense, which held all four I-AA playoff opponents to under 10 points to set an NCAA I-AA record, led the Atlantic 10 in rushing defense (114.3 - 17th in I-AA), pass efficiency defense (113.36), and scoring defense (15.4 - 4th in I-AA), and ranked second in total defense (303.0 - 16th in I-AA). For his efforts, Cohen was honored in July, 2004 as the NCAA I-AA Defensive Coordinator of the Year by American Football Monthly magazine.
In 2004, Cohen led a Blue Hen defense that ranked among the top 25 in the nation in rushing defense, total defense, and turnover margin as Delaware went 9-4 and advanced to the I-AA quarterfinals. Injuries and youth played a big part in Delaware posting a 6-5 record in 2005 but the Blue Hens finished the season with two road wins. The squad ranked fourth in the Atlantic 10 in rushing defense (119.6) and sacks (30) and sixth in total defense (364.5) and scoring defense (24.0).
From 1999 through 2001, Cohen served as an assistant at Fordham University and played a big part in building a program that won the Patriot League title and advanced to the I-AA playoffs in 2002. He served under head coach Dave Clawson, who is entering his third season as head coach of Atlantic 10 opponent University of Richmond in 2006 after leading the Spiders to the NCAA I-AA quarterfinals this past season.
A 1988 business management graduate of Long Island University-C.W. Post, Cohen earned his master's degree in education administration from SUNY-Albany in 1990. While at C.W. Post, he was a two-year starter at defensive tackle and earned CoSIDA Academic All-Region honors as a senior.
He began his coaching career as linebacker coach and strength coach at Albany in 1988-89 before moving on to Lafayette College where he served four seasons from 1990-93 as linebacker and defensive line coach.
Cohen joined the University of Delaware staff in May, 1994 and served five successful seasons, two as defensive line coach and three as linebackers coach. During his five years at Delaware, he helped lead the Blue Hens to three consecutive NCAA I-AA tournament appearances in 1995-97 and the 1995 Yankee Conference title. Delaware advanced to the national semifinals with a 12-2 mark in 1997 behind all-conference linebackers Brian Smith, Ralph D'Angelo, and Denis Hulme.
While defensive line coach at UD, his team recorded 38 sacks in 1995. He also coached the punt block team in 1997 and the unit recorded a school record five blocks, returning three for touchdowns.
Following his first stint at Delaware, Cohen moved on to Fordham University where he served three seasons as defensive coordinator and linebacker coach, including the last two seasons as associate head coach under Clawson.
Cohen helped build Fordham from the bottom of the league standings into a Patriot League contender. After going 0-11 in 1999 and 3-8 in 2000, the Rams posted a record of 7-4 in 2001 and placed third in the league standings with a 5-2 mark. The Rams won the league title in 2002.
Cohen and his wife, Denise, have two sons, Charles (6) and Brian (3).
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