DAVID ARCHER
​THE ROGER J. WEISS '61 HEAD COACH OF FOOTBALL

Former Big Red captain David Archer ’05 will continue a mission many years in the making ... leading Cornell to the top of the Ivy League standings. From student-athlete to assistant coach to head coach, Archer has seemingly always bled Big Red.

Archer became the nation’s youngest Division I head coach when he was named the Roger J. Weiss ‘61 Head Coach of Football on Jan. 3, 2013. He immediately began putting his stamp on the program, and the small but incremental improvements in all areas are focused on the goal of competing for league championships.
An innovator who has provided steadfast leadership while making education his mission — on the field, in the classroom and in life away from Cornell — Archer brings an infectious passion and detailed and organized plan for the future of the Big Red football program. Spend five minutes listening to Archer talk about the educational mission of the university and how football fits into it and you’ll be ready to suit up. When he speaks about how Big Red football shaped his life, you understand why success is coming – and will be built to last once the corner is turned.

The native of Endicott, N.Y. has assisted in developing 44 All-Ivy League selections in his first seven seasons, as well as Ivy League Rookies of the Year Chris Fraser (2013) and Nick Gesualdi (2014). Four players (Jeff Mathews, Chris Fraser, Nick Gesualdi and Grant Gellatly) were named FCS All-Americans and Gellatly, Seth Hope (two times) and Jelani Taylor earned spots on the Capital One Academic All-America squad. Both Hope and Taylor were first-team picks.

Archer has shown significant progress in improving the Big Red's Ivy League record with an upward trajectory that has methodically improved the program. Cornell has won three Ancient Eight games in two of the last three seasons, matching the program's high water mark dating back to 2006. The Big Red tied for fourth in the Ivy in 2019, its best finish since that same 2006 campaign.

Mathews, the 2011 Bushnell Cup winner for Ivy League Player of the Year and a two-time finalist for the award, graduated with 47 Big Red school records and 18 Ivy League marks for passing and total offense, while Luke Hagy, a first-team All-Ivy pick in 2015, graduated as the first player to surpass 2,000 rushing and 1,500 receiving yards in a career in conference history. He also became the first Cornellian to lead the team in rushing four straight years. Fraser set virtually every conference record for for punting, including posting a 42.8 yard punt average that is more than a yard greater than any player in league history en rout eto becoming the first four-time, first-team All-Ivy League selection in school history and the third overall.

The NCAA has also recognized Big Red football for its elite standing in the academic world, honoring the program in four of his first five seasons on the sidelines (most recent data available) for its Academic Progress Rate (APR) that measures the eligibility and retention of each student-athlete for each academic term. Seven student-athletes have been named Academic All-Ivy during his tenure, while 12 have earned Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.

In his first season as head coach, Archer began making the Big Red program his own. It paid off in the season opener, as his players, fans and alumni alike got a chance to see a glimpse of his vision. In front of more than 15,000 fans at Schoellkopf Field, Cornell flew around the field defensively, made huge special teams plays and showcased an opportunistic and explosive offense in a 45-13 win over Bucknell.

His steadfast preparation and positive attitude helped the Big Red weather a mid-season storm that saw Cornell lose seven straight games, only to turn the season around with wins in its last two contests. Without All-America quarterback Jeff Mathews in the lineup, Cornell snapped the skid with a sensational 24-9 team effort at home against Columbia, then rallied from a 21-7 second quarter deficit and held on in the final seven minutes for a 42-41 win at perennial Ivy League contender Penn to close the season. Tre’ Minor, one of five senior captains from Archer’s first class as recruiting coordinator, came up the middle to block the game-tying PAT attempt with just over a minute left to seal the win.

Cornell started to turn the corner in 2016, finishing the campaign with a 4-6 overall record, a three-game improvement over 2015. Additionally, three of its six losses came by a touchdown or less. The Big Red had its first winning road record since 1994 and posted just the ninth 3-0 start since the formation of the Ivy League in 1956. Included was a 39-38 win at No. 25 Colgate, the program's first road win over a top 25 team since 1950 and its first win over a ranked team in 10 years. The Big Red rallied from a 23-point deficit against the 2015 Patriot League champion and NCAA quarterfinalist, its largest overcome since 2000. Safety Nick Gesualdi earned All-America honors, punter Chris Fraser became the school's first four-time, first-team All-Ivy pick on the gridiron. The duo joined running back Chris Walker as All-Ivy first team picks, just the third time in the previous 20 seasons Cornell had three first-team picks in the same season.

In between, Cornell suffered through a pair of one-win seasons, though even then improvement could be seen in terms of gains that helped the Big Red close the gap on its Ivy brethren. Fewer points and sacks allowed, more points and turnovers created. The team began shoring up third downs, showcasing greater balance on offense and made special teams a weapon - all trademarks of the future of Big Red football under Archer.

The 2017 season saw Cornell climb to fifth in the Ivy standings at 3-4 and was in contention for the Ivy title in November for the first time since 2000. The team's three Ivy wins were the most since 2011 and tied for the best Ivy record by the program in more than a decade. The Big Red defeated both Ivy League preseason co-favorites, Princeton and Harvard, defeating the Crimson for the first time in 12 years. The Big Red's non-conference schedule (Delaware, Patriot League co-champ Colgate and Bucknell) also proved to be the most challenging in the conference, with those three teams posting a 19-14 record. Seven players earned All-Ivy honors, three captured Academic All-District honors and Seth Hope became Cornell's first first-team Academic All-American since 2006.

Cornell went 3-7 in 2018 with a pair of league losses to top half teams by less than a touchdown (Yale, Columbia). The Big Red defeated Harvard for the second straight season for the first time since 1999 and 2000, and hammered previously unbeaten Sacred Heart at home, 43-24. Cornell rallied from a double digit deficit at Brown for a 34-16 victory, the Big Red's first win in Providence, R.I. since 2002 and its first consecutive victories over the Bears since 1993 - before any current member of the team was born. Cornell’s seven losses came against teams that sported a cumulative 53-21 record, including four to nationally ranked opponents (Colgate, Delaware, Princeton and Dartmouth). Colgate reached the national quarterfinals and Delaware earned a spot in the FCS Playoffs, while Princeton went undefeated (10-0) and joined fellow Ivy rival Dartmouth (9-1) in the final top 25 poll. Cornell also faced seven of the nation's top 20 defenses, but still had its most successful season running the ball since 2006 (156.1 yards per game). Six Big Red players earned All-Ivy honors, with Harold Coles (RB) and David Jones (CB) both finding a spot on the second team.

Cornell finished in the top half of the Ivy standings for the first time in more than a decade in 2019, with the team's 3-4 conference mark tied for fourth. The Big Red finished strong, topping Ivy champion and 12th-ranked Dartmouth 20-17 before reclaiming the Empire State Bowl with a 35-9 Senior Day win over Columbia in the season finale. The victory over the Big Green was the team's only loss of the season and was its first over a ranked Ivy ranked team on the road since 1950 (No. 13 Penn) and its highest ranked opponent overall since 1939 (No. 4 Ohio State). Eight players were named to the All-Ivy League team, including first-teamers Harold Coles and Jelani Taylor and Jerry Rice Award finalist Jake Stebbins on the second team. Taylor was named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, college football's "Academic Heisman", and the STATS FCS Doris Robinson Award.

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JARED BACKUS
ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH/THE JOHN B.
​AND ANN M. ROGERS '45 DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

​Jared Backus has served as Associate Head Coach and The John B. and Ann M. Rogers '45 Defensive Coordinator since 2013 and will continue to manage all aspects of the defensive game plan. His imprint can be seen on the Big Red defense – create havoc and turnovers will follow.

Backus transitioned the team to a 3-4 defense and has put a roster together that fits the scheme. In all, he has been instrumental in the development of 17 All-Ivy League selections.  

Since taking over, Cornell hasn’t allowed a defensive touchdown three times, including posting the program’s first shutout in 22 years in a 3-0 victory over Columbia in 2015 – the first time a field goal was good for a Big Red win in 29 seasons. The team’s 15 interceptions in 2016 was the most by a Cornell team in 20 years, and its 24 sacks in 2017 were the most by a Big Red defense in nearly two decades.

With Backus at the helm, Cornell has registered 98 takeaways, forced 61 total fumbles and has been credited with 320 tackles for loss and 123 sacks in 70 games despite putting one of the youngest defenses in the country on the field for his first seven seasons.

In 2017, the Big Red allowed 110 yards per game fewer than the previous year. The Cornell defense led the Ivy League in fewest passing yards allowed, a mark that ranked 32nd nationally. Four defenders were named to the All-Ivy team and Cornell posted its three best single-game total defense totals in his tenure over a four-game span during the campaign.

In 2019, Backus and the defense had the Big Red ranked in the top 25 nationally in first downs defense (seventh, 115), third-down defense (11th, .321), red zone defense (15th, .719), rushing defense (18th, 121.9), scoring defense (19th, 20.7) and total defense (21st, 335.6). Behind first-team All-Ivy safety Jelani Taylor and second-teamers Jake Stebbins and David Jones, Cornell handed Ivy champion Dartmouth its only loss of the season and limited Marist to two rushing yards in the season opener, the sixth-lowest single-game rushing total in school history. The Big Red allowed fewer than 300 total yards in three contests during the year.

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JOE VILLAPIANO
ASSISTANT COACH/QUARTERBACKS/OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

​With more than a decade of experience coaching Ivy League student-athletes, Joe Villapiano took over as Cornell’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach in 2017.

In his first year with the Big Red, the offense rushed for nearly 25 yards per game more than the previous season and posted the highest rushing total by a Cornell team since 2006. The offensive line allowed just 10 sacks as a unit over the team's final seven games while posting 163.7 rushing yards per game over that same span. The Big Red's 14 rushing touchdowns were the most by a Big Red team in a single season since 2007. All of that was accomplished despite losing the team's leading receiver (Eric Gallman) and rusher (Chris Walker) during the season.

Despite playing one of the nation's toughest schedules in 2018, with seven of its 10 games against teams ranked in the top 20 nationally on defense, Cornell had its most successful season running the ball since 2006 (156.1 yards per game). Two offensive linemen (J. Edward Keating and Henry Stillwell) and one running back (Harold Coles) made the All-Ivy team.

Despite losing its starting quarterback and three of its top running backs over the first three weeks of the season, Villapiano and the Big Red offense helped the team to its first Ivy top-half finish since 2006 in 2019. The team's 15 rushing touchdowns were the program's most since 2012 with Harold Coles earning first-team all-league honors after finishing second in the Ancient Eight in rushing. Cornell's scoring average and total offense numbers were also up from the prior season. The Big Red allowed one sack or less in five of the team's games thanks in large part to All-Ivy selection Hunter Nourzad on the offensive. Overall, Cornell had four games with more than 400 yards of total offense – including two 200-yard rushing games and five with at least 250 passing yards, with Richie Kenney closing the season with 2,069 passing yards - No. 10 on the Big Red's single-season list. Tight end John Fitzgerald was an honorable mention All-Ivy pick as part of his position group.

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CHAD NICE
ASSISTANT COACH/RUNNING BACKS/WIDE RECEIVERS/
​SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR

Former Big Red standout Chad Nice '05 joined the Cornell football coaching staff in February 2017. It is a welcome return home to his alma mater and reunites him with head coach David Archer '05, as the two started together on offense for three seasons. He has worked with the running backs since 2017, adding the role of special teams coordinator and wide recivers coach in 2020.

Despite losing returning first-team All-Ivy League selection Chris Walker due to injury, the Big Red increased the team's rushing average 25.0 yards per game over the previous season. The group posted 163.7 rushing yards per game over the team's final seven games. The Big Red's 14 rushing touchdowns were the most by a Big Red team in a single season since 2007. Leading the way was sophomore Harold Coles, who posted a pair of 100-yard rushing games and  broke off a 90-yard touchdown run at Ivy champ Yale, the second-longest run from scrimmage in Big Red history. Additionally, senior Jack Gellatly earned first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.

In his second season, Cornell had its most successful campaign running the ball since 2006 (156.1 yards per game), with Coles picking up second team All-Ivy League accolades. The Big Red had one of the most challenging schedules in the country against the run, with seven of its opponents ranking in the top 20 defenses in the FCS.

Coles earned first team All-Ivy honors in 2019 after the most productive rushing season for the Big Red since 2006, ranking 25th nationally and second in the conference in rushing yards per game (92.4 ypg.) while averaging 5.94 yards per carry (17th nationally, first in Ivy) in nine contests. Coles had four 100-yard rushing games in 2019, including three in Ivy contests. He surpassed the 2,000-yard mark for his career and graduates No. 8 on Cornell's career rushing list and first in career yards per rush. The team's 15 rushing touchdowns was the most since 2012.

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WILL BLANDEN
ASSISTANT COACH/DEFENSIVE BACKS

Will Blanden joined the Cornell football coaching staff in July 2021 as defensive backs coach. He spent the previous eight years at Bloomsburg where he coached the defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs and served as special teams coordinator during his time with the Huskies. Blanden most recently was the interim defensive coordinator in the spring of 2021 before joining the Big Red. He also has previous stops at Nichols College and Western Connecticut State.

In seven seasons at Bloomsburg, Blanden’s teams went 52-28 with a pair of NCAA Division II Playoff appearances. He coached three All-Americans, including two on the defensive line, along with a conference Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team Academic All-American. Among his charges were 2014 BSN National Player of the Year Justin Shirk, who was invited to training camp with the Indianapolis Colts, as well as the school's all-time sacks leader, Chris Gary (29.5 sacks). Overall, his unit accounted for 84.5 of the team’s 115.5 sacks over the team's past four campaigns.

Prior to his arrival at Bloomsburg, Blanden mentored the defensive backs and served as strength and conditioning coach at Division III Nichols College for two seasons. His players excelled in the classroom with four defensive backs earning NEFC Academic All-Conference honors during his tenure.

Blanden began his coaching career as defensive backs coach at Western Connecticut State in 2009 and spent two seasons with the Colonials. In addition to his positional responsibilities, he was in charge of formulating a daily practice script, devising the passing game, screens, draws, and gadgets section of the scouting report, and was the coordinator of the punt return team.

Blanden joined both the football and basketball teams at Howard as a walk-on, eventually earning time at quarterback, defensive back and wide receiver during his career on the gridiron. He earned a total of four varsity letters, four in football, and earned a scholarship for his final two seasons on the football team. In 2006, Blanden ranked second on the team in total offense and accounted for four touchdowns as the Bison won four of their final five games of the season. He earned a predraft workout initiation in 2008 by the Washington Redskins. He earned his accounting degree in 2008 before being awarded his Master’s in business administration with a concentration in sports management from Nichols in 2012. In 2011 he played for the Trenton Steel of the Southern Indoor Football League.

SATYEN BHAKTA
ASSISTANT COACH/DEFENSIVE LINE/RECRUITING COORDINATOR

Satyen Bhakta joined the Big Red in 2013 and has been a steady presence on the sidelines for the Big Red while working with the linebackers in his first three seasons and the defensive line the last four. He took over as the program’s recruiting coordinator in 2015 and has helped yield top classes in the Ivy League ever since.

In his first four seasons working with the defensive line, Cornell’s sacks increased and opponent’s yards per carry dropped. Jordan Landsman, Cyrus Nolan and Mason Banbury all developed into All-Ivy League candidates, while Seth Hope twice made the Capital One Academic All-America team, including capturing first-team honors in 2017. The team's 80 sacks over the last four years are the most in a four-year span since registering 83 from 2004-07.

In 2019, Cornell allowed its fewest rushing yards since 2005, more than halved the number of rushing touchdowns allowed from 2018 and matched the program's highest number of tackles for loss (55) since 2009. 

Bhakta's middle linebacking charges, particularly Miles Norris and Jackson Weber, were among the team's most impactful defenders in 2014 and 2015. Norris became a two-year captain and Weber a four-year starter, with both ranking among the Ivy League’s leaders in tackles.

Bhakta played a large role in helping the Big Red transition from a 4-3 base to a 3-4 defense in 2013. His prized charge was two-time All-Ivy League selection Brett Buehler, a two-year team captain. Buehler led the team and ranked second in the Ivy League in stops with 103, twice as many as the Big Red’s second-leading tackler. A second-team all-conference pick, he graduated among the school’s top 20 career tacklers.

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SEAN CASCARANO
ASSISTANT COACH/OFFENSIVE LINE

Sean Cascarano joined the Cornell football staff as offensive line coach in March 2019 after two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Penn State. He has also served on staffs at Chowan and his alma mater, Virginia, while guiding student-athletes on the line at each stop.

In his first season with the Big Red, Cascarano guided a young offensive line that had just one returning starter and helped the offense increase its scoring average, total offense and rushing touchdown totals from the prior season. The Big Red allowed one sack or less in five of the team's games. Overall, Cornell had four games with more than 400 yards of total offense – including two 200-yard rushing games and five with at least 250 passing yards. Sophomore Hunter Nourzad captured second-team All-Ivy League accolades for his performance.
 
Cascarano served as assistant offensive line coach for the Nittany Lions, who posted a 20-6 record with a pair of New Year's Day Bowl invites. The 2017 team finished in the top 10 of the FBS in points per game (41.1), third down conversion rate (48.0 percent), completion percentage (.657), turnovers lost (13) and penalty yards per game (37.6). He coached and organized the scout team defense, played a large role in opponent film breakdowns and gameplanning. 

He spent one year at Chowan as an assistant coach, helping the program to a consecutive winning seasons for the first time in program history. Four of his players earned league Lineman of the Week accolades, with one earning all-league accolades and two making the all-rookie team in the conference. The team was second in the league in total offense, third in scoring offense and second in third-down conversion rate.

After graduating from Virginia, Cascarano stayed in Charlottesville for two seasons as a graduate assistant coach. Along with working with the offensive linemen, he worked with the scout team defense and supported on-campus recruiting for the program. He was responsible for opponent film breakdown, statistical analysis and gameplanning.
 
A four-year member of the football team at Virginia, Cascarano started 12 games as a junior and earned Academic All-ACC honors. He played both guard and tackle. Cascarano missed his senior year with an injury, serving as a student assistant coach instead.

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KEVIN MCDONOUGH
ASSISTANT COACH/TIGHT ENDS/ASSISTANT SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR

Kevin McDonough joined the Big Red coaching staff during the spring of 2018 as a defensive intern. He was named the team's tight ends coach in August 2019 and added the title of assistant special teams coordinator in 2020.

In his first season working with tight ends, McDonough assisted in the development of All-Ivy tight end John Fitzgerald, who caught 20 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown while also ranking as a sixth offensive lineman in the blocking schemes. As a primary blocker, Fitzgerald helped Cornell to four games with more than 400 yards of total offense – including two 200-yard rushing games and five with at least 250 passing yards.
 
McDonough served as a graduate assistant coach for video at Toledo in 2017, helping the Rockets to a MAC title, an 11-3 record and a spot in the General Dollar Bowl. Toledo earned votes in the top 25 in both major polls during the season. McDonough assisted in breaking down film, creating highlight videos and social media posts.

He previously spent two seasons on the staff at SUNY Brockport as the defensive backs coach and video coordinator. McDonough coached a pair of all-conference players. He began his career as a student assistant coach at SUNY Cortland from 2011-14, serving as a training camp and equipment intern for the New York Jets in both 213 and 2014.

McDonough earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from SUNY Cortland in 2014 and is expected to earn a master’s in recreational administration in December of 2018.

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ALEX PEFFLEY
DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS

Alex Peffley, who has spent time at both Florida A&M and Ithaca College as well internships in the AFL and NFL, joined the Cornell football coaching staff as a defensive intern in 2017, became the assistant to the head coach in 2018 and transitioned into the director of football operations in 2019.
 

Peffley was a graduate assistant coach at Florida A&M the last two seasons, serving as defensive quality control and assistant defensive backs coach. He coached three all-league defensive backs, including first-team selection Jacques Bryant. The Rattlers ranked fifth in the FCS in pass defense, sixth in takeaways, eighth in fumble recoveries, 19th in red zone defense and 22nd in interceptions. Peffley served as interim recruiting coordinator following the 2015 campaign and as walk-on coordinator during his final season. He was also instrumental in coordinating all aspects of team travel.

He previously had spent two years as a volunteer assistant on the offensive side of the football at Ithaca College. He coordinated offensive quality control and assisted with the offensive line, tight ends, running backs, fullbacks and wide receivers during his time on South Hill. While there, the Bombers won a pair of Empire 8 championships and appeared in the Division III playoffs both seasons.

He worked as a player personnel intern with the Las Vegas Outlaws of the Arena Football League in 2015 following a Football Operations and Player Development internship with the Detroit Lions in the summer of 2014. He began his career with a summer internship with the Pittsburgh Power of the AFL with duties in operations, personnel, equipment and video.


A 2013 graduate of Saint Vincent College with a degree in marketing with a minor in management, Peffley was a four-year member of the football team. He received the 2012 Saint Vincent Football Bearcat Coaches Award and was a two-time academic honor roll selection. He later earned a master's in sport management from Cortland in 2015.

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ZACH HART
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PLAYER PERSONNEL

Zach Hart will begin his 12th year at Cornell and first as Senior Director of Personnel in 2021. He previously held titles of quality control assistant and director of scouting over his first 10 seasons. Hart's responsibilities include breaking down advance scouting film, preparing scouting reports and generating statistical analysis. 
 
The 2010 graduate of Ohio University spent four seasons working for the Bobcat football program, serving as a film assistant/assistant video coordinator for three years. While at Ohio, Hart was responsible for the filming of all practices, supervised a staff of undergraduate film assistants and assisted in editing practice and game film for the coaching staff.

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CHASE VENUTO
ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD COACH

Chase Venuto, who most recently served as an assistant coach at Division III Heidelberg University, was named assistant to the head coach in October 2019.
 
An Ithaca native, Venuto worked with the running backs at Heidelberg. In his only full season there, he oversaw a run-game that contributed 1,515 yards of offense and 15 touchdowns on the ground. He assisted in the development of all-league dual-threat quarterback Trace Reynolds.

Prior to his stint at Heidelberg, Venuto spent time on staff at Ithaca College as tight ends coach and Western New England working with wide receivers.
 
A 2016 graduate of SUNY Brockport, he played four seasons of football for the Golden Eagles before two seasons professionally in Italy for the Torino Giaguri and Pesaro UTA. While at Brockport, Venuto tossed for 2,012 yards and 18 touchdowns over 15 contests at quarterback.