By Matthew Burglund
Two more members of the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ football family can now put “Super Bowl champion” on their résumés.
Nick Sirianni received a Gatorade shower from DeVonta Smith, left, and A. J. Brown during Super Bowl LIX. (courtesy of Philadelphia Eagles)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, an assistant coach at Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ from 2006 to 2008, led his team to a 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs last February in Super Bowl LIX. Tyler Scudder, an assistant at Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ from 2010 to 2012, assisted him.
That NFL championship was the first for this pair of former Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ assistants. It was the second title for another member of the Eagles organization with deep Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ ties. Brandon Hunt ’03, M’06, who played on the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ offensive line from 2000 to 2003, is Philadelphia’s senior director of scouting and one of the Eagles’ championship roster architects. His first title came as a member of the Steelers’ scouting department during Super Bowl XL in 2006.
The list of extended Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ football family members who have been part of Super Bowl-winning organizations now stands at 14. Hunt is one of only two of them—legendary Steelers owner Art Rooney Sr. being the other—to be part of multiple NFL champion teams.
The rest of the list includes Jason Capizzi ’11 (Steelers, 2009), Tom Donahoe ’70 (Eagles, 2017), Jim Hostler ’90 (Ravens, 2012), John Jones (Ravens, 2001), Bob Ligashesky ’85 (Steelers, 2009), Ben McAdoo ’00 (Packers, 2011), Tom Modrak ’65 (Steelers, 1980), Anthony Piroli ’08 (Buccaneers, 2021), Rod Rutherford (Steelers, 2006), and Casey Weidl M’12 (Eagles, 2017).
Brandon Hunt, right, the Eagles’ senior director of scouting, with former safety Anthony Harris (courtesy of Philadelphia Eagles)
Homecoming
Another member of the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ football family has returned after a quarter century at the highest levels of football.
In February, Frank Cignetti Jr. ’89 was named Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ’s offensive coordinator, a job he held under his late father, former head coach Frank Cignetti Sr. ’60, M’65, in 1997 and 1998. Cignetti Jr. left Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ in the spring of 1999 for a job with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, beginning a nomadic career with six NFL and six NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) programs. His most recent role was offensive coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh.
“I have great pride in this program,” Cignetti told The Indiana Gazette. “I want to see this program be successful. There’s a high standard here that I was part of as a player and then as a coach. And now I get to do it again, which I feel very humbled and very grateful for that opportunity.”
In another Cignetti family note, Curt Cignetti, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ head coach from 2011 to 2016, received several awards after leading the Indiana Hoosiers to their best season in decades. He was named national coach of the year by The Sporting News, the Football Writers Association of America, the Associated Press, the Walter Camp Football Foundation, and the American Football Coaches Association. After winning only three games in 2023, Indiana finished 11-2 in 2024 and advanced to the College Football Playoffs, gaining national attention for its turnaround season in Cignetti’s debut.
Frank Cignetti Jr. returned to Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ in February as offensive coordinator. (Sam Traini/Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ Athletic Communications)
Coaching Moves
A handful of former Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ football players and coaches have new jobs in the coaching business: Jim Chapin, who was an assistant at Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ from 2012 to 2014, was named offensive coordinator at Central Michigan University; Chase Haslett M’15, a player in 2014 and ’15, was named the New Orleans Saints’ tight ends coach; Luke Getsy, an assistant from 2011 to 2013, was named an offensive assistant by the Green Bay Packers; Jalen Hairston, an assistant in 2021, was named defensive pass game coordinator at Maine; Hal Hunter, an assistant in 1986, was named tight ends coach at Maryland; Anthony Leonard, an assistant from 2016 to 2021, was named defensive line coach at Akron; and Matt Scott ’08, a player from 2004 to 2007, was named head coach at Edinboro.
Soon after she led the Crimson Hawks to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship last fall, women’s volleyball coach Lorelle “Lo” Hoyer left the university for the same post at Division I North Carolina-Wilmington. Avery Moore, former head coach at West Virginia State, replaced her.
Mark Zacher ’80, the winningest coach in the history of Norwich (Vermont) University’s women’s basketball program, retired after last season. In 15 seasons under Zacher’s tutelage, the Cadets won 182 games and recorded two 20-win seasons and 12 postseason appearances, including two Great Northeast Athletic Conference championships.
Honors
Malloreigh Yingling ’21, M’23 was named National Photographer of the Year by College Sports Communicators at its annual convention. Yingling has been the assistant director of Athletics Public Relations at the University of Richmond since January 2023, focusing on women’s lacrosse, swimming and diving, cross-country, and women’s track and field.
Two Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ alumni were recently selected for induction into the Indiana County Sports Hall of Fame. Bruce Yard ’99, M’03, an Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ baseball star who went on to play professionally for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, was honored at a banquet at the Indiana Country Club. Also inducted was Frank Garritano M’80, D’98, who has been a PIAA official in many sports for the past 44 years and president of the Indiana County Youth Legion baseball program since 2001.
Although he was unable to participate because of an injury, Irvin Charles, who was named to the All-PSAC West team in 2021, was chosen as an alternate for the Pro Bowl, the NFL’s annual all-star contest. Charles, who starred at Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ as a wide receiver, has made a name for himself as a special teams ace for the New York Jets.