Gilmore resigns after four seasons
Former Holy Cross coach was 9-27 overall, 2-9 in latest campaign
Throughout his tenure as Lehigh’s football coach, Tom Gilmore talked about the improvements the program was making.
Despite going 4-7 in 2019, 0-3 in the spring of 2021, 3-8 in the fall of 2021, and 2-9 in the just completed 2022 season, Gilmore saw a team getting more talented and about to turn the corner.
However, if the Mountain Hawks are going to get around the corner, they are going to do it without Gilmore.
Gilmore stepped down from his position Monday.
His final game was Saturday’s 14-11 loss to Lafayette in the 158th edition of college football’s most-played rivalry.
Lehigh said in a news release issued Monday that Gilmore’s departure came after “thoughtful internal discussions regarding the Lehigh football program.”
“Tom’s decision to step down reflects a true ‘team first’ mindset and a genuine love for Lehigh and Lehigh football,” Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett said. “Although he has a Penn degree, he is a Lehigh guy and he truly wants what is best for our football program and he continues to believe in the future of Lehigh football. I am deeply grateful for the substantial work he and his staff have done in developing a roster full of dedicated and talented football players, who also have performed at unprecedented levels in the classroom. The efforts of Tom and his staff have given the football program a stronger foundation and will provide the next coach with a great opportunity for success.”
Gilmore also issued a statement saying: “I continue to believe that Lehigh football has a bright future and am confident that the foundation of players currently in the program will achieve success. I am proud of the hard work our staff has done to help build the current foundation. I also recognize the potential value of a new voice for the program. I am committed to doing all that I can during the transition period to support Lehigh football, the team members, and my staff.”
Gilmore, who went 72-81 in 14 seasons at Holy Cross before being fired during the 2017 season, returned to Lehigh as head coach in 2019 after Andy Coen resigned due to health reasons.
Gilmore had previously been an assistant and defensive coordinator under Kevin Higgins and Pete Lembo.
His first season offered hope a four-game win streak in the middle that was preceded by three losses and concluded with three more losses.
Then came COVID-19 in March 2020 and the program lost momentum. Lehigh didn’t win a game during an abbreviated, schedule-plagued threegame slate in April 2021. The skid continued through the first eight games in the fall last year.
Not only did Lehigh lose eight straight, but the Mountain Hawks scored just nine points in their first six games before exploding for 28 in a loss at Fordham in Week 7. They went on to win their last three games.
The struggles continued throughout most of 2022. Lehigh got an early-season win at Georgetown, but that game was followed by seven straight losses before the Mountain Hawks broke through for a come-from-behind win over Colgate.
Against Lafayette on Saturday, Lehigh outgained the Leopards 404-180, had the ball for five more minutes (32:33 to 27:27) and ran 35 more plays. But it didn’t translate to success on the scoreboard.
The Mountain Hawks had a first down at the Lafayette 15 in the final minutes, but four straight incompletions ended Lehigh’s hopes.
The game ended with a skirmish between the teams on the field.
Gilmore’s 9-27 overall record left him with a .250 winning percentage at Lehigh, the program’s worst since Mike Cooley went 5-21-4 from 196264 (.204).
The 2-9 record was also the program’s worst for a full season since a 1-8 mark in 1966.
No Lehigh coach had left with a losing record since Fred Dunlap departed for Colgate after going 49-62-2 from 196575.
“People criticize for saying how much progress we’ve made and how many good things we’ve done in each game,” Gilmore said Saturday in what turned out to be his final postgame press session. “When you don’t win a game, everyone wants to throw the baby out with the bath water. I hate losing. Our players hate losing more than anything. At the same time, there’s a lot of good things we do in the course of a game. We’ve just got to get it put together at this point.”
Gilmore said he was proud of the team’s resiliency Saturday and throughout the course of the season.
“We just need to get better,” he said.
Now that will be someone else’s job as Lehigh has announced it will conduct a “comprehensive search to identify its next head coach” beginning immediately.