Kiernan begins his fifth season at Gannon in 2011. During that time span, he has turned the football program upside down. And that has been a good thing.
Kiernan has guided a Gannon football program that has excelled on the field, in the classroom and in the community since his arrival in 2007. On the field, the Golden Knights have improved from a 1-10 record during his first campaign to back-to-back winning seasons. The squad has produced a pair of 6-5 records the last two seasons, marking the program’s first back-to-back winning campaigns since 1995.
Academically, Gannon football student-athletes have earned conference all-academic honors 72 times during Kiernan’s first four seasons. In addition, three student-athletes have been named to academic all-district teams while Connor Kimball was named to the PSAC Fall Top 10 last season.
“Coach Kiernan has done a great job leading our football student-athletes on the field while stressing the importance of class work and life skills,” said Gannon Director of Athletics Mark Richard last January while announcing Kiernan’s contract extension through 2013-14. “The University is extremely proud of what the Gannon football program has accomplished over the last four seasons under Coach Kiernan. He continues to mold the program’s student-athletes into fine young men with the capability of immediately being a positive influence within the community and in the work force.”
Kiernan has improved the Gannon football program’s on-field performance every season. The fifth-year head coach improved the Golden Knights from a 1-10 record in 2007 to a 4-7 mark in 2008. The squad then posted back-to-back 6-5 records the last two seasons.
Gannon has recorded several noteworthy victories throughout the last two seasons. Last season, the Golden Knights defeated both the defending PSAC champion (Shippensburg, 22-19) and the eventual PSAC champion (Mercyhurst, 14-10). They also knocked off traditional PSAC power Indiana (Pa.) (45-17) and Slippery Rock (24-20).
In 2008, Gannon ended the season with four consecutive victories. The campaign came to a close with back-to-back road wins against Indiana (Pa.) (29-3) and nationally-ranked Bloomsburg (10-7 in overtime). The Huskies were ranked 19th in NCAA Division II at the time, but the loss eventually knocked them out of post-season contention. It also marked the first victory over a nationally-ranked team in school history.
Gannon players have received all-conference accolades 20 times and all-region honors eight times during Kiernan’s four seasons at the helm. In addition, Gannon was been represented at the Cactus Bowl (NCAA Division II All-Star Game) in 2008 and 2009. Defensive lineman Chris Murphy was selected to participate in the 2008 event while tailback Jon Richardson played in the 2009 edition. Only three players in school history had played in the all-star game prior to Murphy and Richardson being invited.
Golden Knights have been featured in front of professional scouts numerous times during Kiernan’s tenure. Tailback Tyler Batts and quarterback Zach Boedicker were selected to play in the 2010 FCS Senior Scout Bowl. The two Golden Knights were the only non-NCAA Division I-AA players on the North Team and two of only five NCAA Division II players invited to play on either team. The remainder of both rosters was filled with NCAA Division I-AA players.
Kiernan’s 2010 team finished among the nation’s best in numerous categories. The Golden Knights ranked ninth among all NCAA Division II schools in sacks per game (3.27), 20th in tackles for a loss per game (7.91), 25th in turnover margin (0.82), 25th in scoring defense (18.82), 26th in total defense (304.73) and 39th in pass defense (179.73).
Two years after Gannon posted back-to-back 1-10 campaigns, Kiernan directed the Golden Knights to a 6-5 record in 2009. A 10-7 overtime victory at nationally-ranked Bloomsburg in the season finale capped a season-concluding four-game win streak and secured the program’s first winning season since 2003.
Former Gannon University President Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D., announced the hiring of Kiernan as the school’s head football coach on December 11, 2006. The former Saginaw Valley State assistant head coach became the fourth head football coach in Gannon’s history.
A proven winner in the rugged Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), Kiernan spent eight seasons as the Saginaw Valley State assistant head coach and offensive coordinator prior to arriving at Gannon. The Cardinals were 69-24 (.742) overall and 62-17 (.785) in GLIAC contests during Kiernan’s tenure. The program advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament five times during his final seven seasons, including three trips to the Elite Eight. SVSU was ranked among the nation’s top 25 seven consecutive seasons and rose to the No. 1 ranking nationally during the 2003 campaign.
In 2006, Kiernan guided a Saginaw Valley State offense that ranked second among GLIAC teams in passing offense (242.3 ypg), third in scoring offense (26.9 ppg) and fourth in passing efficiency (142.6).
Saginaw Valley State ranked among the GLIAC’s top three in both scoring offense and passing offense during each of his last five seasons at SVSU. The Cardinals had the GLIAC’s top passing offense three times (2002, 2004 and 2005) during that span. SVSU set a school record with 479 points in 2003.
Kiernan previously served as the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach and strength and conditioning coordinator at Division III Lakeland (Wis.) College during the 1998 season under former Saginaw Valley State head coach Randy Awrey. He then moved to Saginaw when Awrey accepted the head coaching position in 1999.
Kiernan guided Lakeland to national rankings in total offense (13th), passing offense (15th) and scoring (24th).
The Queens, N.Y., native has also been the offensive coordinator at Mercyhurst College (1995-97), outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Alabama A&M University (1994) and offensive coordinator at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1990-93).
Kiernan was a four-year letterman at his alma mater, St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. In high school, he played for one of the top teams in the metro New York area at St. Francis Prep, where he earned two varsity letters. Kiernan earned a B.A. in Economics from St. Lawrence in 1990. He and his wife, Colleen, were married in 2004.
Kiernan Tidbits
♦ Saginaw Valley State Assistant Head Coach & Offensive Coordinator (1999-2006)
♦ Lakeland (Wis.) College Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach, Wide Receivers Coach, Strength & Conditioning Coordinator (1998)
♦ Mercyhurst College Offensive Coordinator (1995-97)
♦ Alabama A&M University Outside Linebackers, Recruiting Coordinator (1994)
♦ Kentucky Wesleyan College Offensive Coordinator (1990-93)
The Kiernan Resume Speaks For Itself
(at Saginaw Valley State)
♦ Five-time NCAA Division II Tournament Participant (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, & 2005)
♦ Two-time GLIAC Champions (2000 & 2003)
♦ Nationally-ranked in each of his last seven seasons at SVSU
♦ Ranked among the nation’s top five in two of his last four seasons
♦ Finished the 2003 and 2005 seasons ranked No. 3 nationally
♦ Ascended to the country’s No. 1 ranking among Division II programs in 2003
♦ Tutored two GLIAC Players of the Year (WR Brian Dolph in 2000 and QB Mark Radlinski in 2003)
♦ Coached Harlon Hill Finalist (QB Mark Radlinski in 2003)
♦ Six SVSU offensive players have gone on to play professionally (NFL/AFL)
(at Gannon University)
♦ In two years, improved Gannon from 1-10 to its first winning season since 2003
♦ Guided the Golden Knights to a four-game improvement during first season in the PSAC
♦ Coached two Cactus Bowl (NCAA Division II All-Star Game) participants
(DL Chris Murphy in 2008 and RB Jon Richardson in 2009)
♦ Tutored players who earned all-conference honors 20 times
♦ Coached players who captured all-region accolades eight times
