Mike Faragalli
Encyclopedia
Mike Faragalli is the running backs coach at the University of Virginia. He was the Offensive Coordinator
and Quarterback
s coach at the University of Richmond
. He is also a former head coach of the Toronto Argonauts
.
Faragalli played defensive back for the University of Rhode Island
Rams from 1975-1978 Faragalli began his coaching career as a graduate assistant and later wide receivers coach at the University of Rhode Island
in 1979. He held the same position as Receiver's coach with the Wisconsin Badgers
and at the College of William and Mary
.
In 1985
he was hired by the Hamilton
to serve as Al Bruno
's offensive coordinator
at the age of 26, losing the Grey Cup
in his first season and winning it the following season. In 1987
he moved to Montreal
to serve as offensive coordinator under his father Joe
, however the team folded before the season began. In 1988
Faragalli rejoined his dad, now coach of the Edmonton Eskimos
as offensive coordinator. In his three seasons in Edmonton the team advanced to the Western Conference title game each season and lead the Eskimos to a 50-11 Grey Cup loss in 1990
. He also helped develop quarterback
Tracy Ham
, who was the CFL Most Outstanding Player in 1989
.
From 1991-1994 and 1996-1999, Faragalli guided the offensive attack at Bowling Green
. The Falcons
led the Mid-American Conference
in scoring offense in four of his eight seasons and ranked 13th in the nation in rushing offense in the 1998. He helped lead the team to two bowl championships, the California Raisin Bowl in 1991 and the Las Vegas Bowl
in 1992.
In 1995
Faragalli was hired to coach the Toronto Argonauts. His contract was terminated by GM Bob O'Billovich
, in order for O'Billovich to again take control of the Head Coach position. This was in part due to the Argonauts being on the verge of folding. At season's end, Faragalli returned to Bowling Green for the latter of his two stints as Offensive Coordinator.
In 2000 Faragalli was hired by Lafayette as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Faragalli's passing offense has ranked either first or second in the Patriot League
in five of his first six seasons.
On February 5, 2008 Faragalli was named Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach for the Richmond Spiders football
team. The Spiders went for 13-3 during the 2008 season, which set a record for the most won games in a season. Richmond went on to the playoffs and then to the Division I National Championship game on December 19, 2008 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They beat the Montana Grizzlies 24-7, winning Richmond's first National Championship in any sport.
As of December 6, 2009 Faragalli and the Richmond Spiders ended their season with a Quarterfinals loss to Appalachain State 34-31. The Spiders had a record season posting an 11-1 regular season record, while adding a 12th victory in the opening round of the playoffs.
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and Quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
s coach at the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
. He is also a former head coach of the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
.
Faragalli played defensive back for the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
Rams from 1975-1978 Faragalli began his coaching career as a graduate assistant and later wide receivers coach at the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
in 1979. He held the same position as Receiver's coach with the Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the collegiate athletic teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This NCAA Division I athletic program has teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and field, rowing, golf, and softball...
and at the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
.
In 1985
1985 CFL season
The 1985 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 32nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 28th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1985:...
he was hired by the Hamilton
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
to serve as Al Bruno
Al Bruno
Albert P. "Al" Bruno is a retired gridiron football player, administrator, and coach who served as the head coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1983–1990.-Early life:...
's offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at the age of 26, losing the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
in his first season and winning it the following season. In 1987
1987 CFL season
The 1987 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 34th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 30th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1987:...
he moved to Montreal
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
to serve as offensive coordinator under his father Joe
Joe Faragalli
Joe Faragalli was a football player and coach who had most of his success in the Canadian Football League....
, however the team folded before the season began. In 1988
1988 CFL season
The 1988 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 35th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 31st Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1988:...
Faragalli rejoined his dad, now coach of the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
as offensive coordinator. In his three seasons in Edmonton the team advanced to the Western Conference title game each season and lead the Eskimos to a 50-11 Grey Cup loss in 1990
1990 CFL season
The 1990 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 37th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 33rd Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1990:J...
. He also helped develop quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Tracy Ham
Tracy Ham
Tracy Ham is a retired Canadian Football League quarterback for the Edmonton Eskimos, Toronto Argonauts, Baltimore Stallions, and the Montreal Alouettes. He was known for his abilities as a dual threat quarterback...
, who was the CFL Most Outstanding Player in 1989
1989 CFL season
The 1989 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 36th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 32nd Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1989:...
.
From 1991-1994 and 1996-1999, Faragalli guided the offensive attack at Bowling Green
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
. The Falcons
Bowling Green Falcons
The Bowling Green Falcons are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Bowling Green State University, located in Bowling Green, Ohio. The Falcons participate in NCAA Division I in the Mid-American Conference and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. BGSU is one of only 13 universities in the...
led the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
in scoring offense in four of his eight seasons and ranked 13th in the nation in rushing offense in the 1998. He helped lead the team to two bowl championships, the California Raisin Bowl in 1991 and the Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American...
in 1992.
In 1995
1995 CFL season
The 1995 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 42nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 38th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1995:...
Faragalli was hired to coach the Toronto Argonauts. His contract was terminated by GM Bob O'Billovich
Bob O'Billovich
Robert "Bob" O'Billovich, nicknamed "Obie", is the current General Manager of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League....
, in order for O'Billovich to again take control of the Head Coach position. This was in part due to the Argonauts being on the verge of folding. At season's end, Faragalli returned to Bowling Green for the latter of his two stints as Offensive Coordinator.
In 2000 Faragalli was hired by Lafayette as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Faragalli's passing offense has ranked either first or second in the Patriot League
Patriot League
The Patriot League is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I) for a number of sports; in football, it participates in the Football Championship Subdivision...
in five of his first six seasons.
On February 5, 2008 Faragalli was named Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach for the Richmond Spiders football
Richmond Spiders football
The Richmond Spiders are a college football team representing the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond was the Division I Football Championship Subdivision champion for the 2008 season. Richmond currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of the NCAA's Division I...
team. The Spiders went for 13-3 during the 2008 season, which set a record for the most won games in a season. Richmond went on to the playoffs and then to the Division I National Championship game on December 19, 2008 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They beat the Montana Grizzlies 24-7, winning Richmond's first National Championship in any sport.
As of December 6, 2009 Faragalli and the Richmond Spiders ended their season with a Quarterfinals loss to Appalachain State 34-31. The Spiders had a record season posting an 11-1 regular season record, while adding a 12th victory in the opening round of the playoffs.