2011 Roster / 2011 Schedule

In reflecting back on Rensselaer's recently completed athletic season, it quickly becomes obvious that there were – yet again – many memorable individual and team accomplishments, as well as other significant events that occurred. In an effort to relive, remember and celebrate some of our student-athletes and staff members who played major roles in making those occasions a reality, we introduce 11 4 2010-11.

The story below is one in the 11-part series, which will run throughout the next couple of months. The events are not ranked in any particular order. For the full list, along with some 'honorable mentions', eventually, please click HERE.

Are there significant events you remember? You can submit them by clicking HERE. Thank you and enjoy!

An era that began on June 8, 1989, came to a close on January 24, 2010. Two months later, a new era was started. And when the season kicks off on September 10, the Rensselaer football team will have a different head coach on the sidelines for the first time in 23 years.

It was the first day of classes for the spring 2011 semester and longtime and legendary head football coach Joe King gathered his team, as he typically did upon their return to campus. The message he delivered this time was like none other, however, as he announced to his team, and then the rest of the world, that he was retiring. Needless to say, the student-athletes – and most others – were surprised.

“He's been such a mentor to me and like a second father, so it's difficult to grasp this right now,” quarterback Mike Hermann told Andrew Santillo of The Record the day King retired.

As King, who began with the Engineers as an assistant in 1981, walked away he took with him a resume that is difficult to equal. He compiled a 152-59-2 record for a .718 winning percentage, making him the most successful coach in terms of both wins and winning percentage in the 123-year history of Rensselaer football. He led his teams to two perfect regular seasons, five league championships, four NCAA Playoff appearances, highlighted by a trip to the National Semifinals in 2003, and nine ECAC Championship Games, including eight victories. King was the league's Coach of the Year five times.

In his 22 years, he led the Engineers to 19 winning seasons, including eight-or-more victories 12 times. His teams had five seasons of just one loss and nine with only two defeats. In comparison, in the 99 years prior, there were 21 winning seasons with no team winning at least eight games.

“What Joe King accomplished as the football coach at Rensselaer is nothing short of astounding,” said Rensselaer Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton when King announced his retirement.

“He brought this program from nothing to one of the best around,” running back Nick Costa told Santillo.

The person expecting to build upon the success the team has earned is Tim Landis, who was hired on March 23, 2011.

“It is a great honor to be named the head football coach at Rensselaer and to have the opportunity to take over such a highly successful program that Coach King built over the past 22 years,” Landis said upon his being named. “Returning to an institution that has such outstanding academic and athletic success is a perfect combination for me and my family at this stage of my career.”

Landis joined RPI with significant experience at the FCS (formerly 1AA) and FBS (formerly 1A) levels. A former head coach at Davidson, St. Mary's of California, and Bucknell, all Division FCS institutions, Landis most recently served as the offensive coordinator at San Jose State University (FBS).

While at San Jose State, where he also coached tight ends and assisted with special teams, he helped the Spartans play the toughest schedule in the nation at the FBS level, competing against the likes of Alabama, Wisconsin and Boise State, among their other Western Athletic Conference opponents.

Landis went to San Jose State after serving as a head coach the previous 17 seasons. He guided Bucknell from 2003 to 2009, leading the Bison to a .500 or better record three times and compiling a 32-46 record. His teams were among the best in the nation in rushing offense, finishing in the top 10 three times. Landis enjoyed similar success at St. Mary's, as his teams had better than .500 records in each of his three seasons (2000-02). He was the Division I-AA Independent Coach of the Year once while with the Gaels.

He began his collegiate head coaching career at Davidson, starting in 1993 when he was one of the youngest Division I head coaches at age 29. He turned the Wildcats around, guiding the team to school single season records of eight wins in 1998 (8-2) and again in 1999 (8-3), his final year. In that last season, the defense led the nation with a school-record 28 interceptions and his special teams unit blocked an FCS record 13 kicks.

While Landis and his coordinators, Guido Falbo (offensive) and Bob Bodor (defensive), had a brief opportunity to get to know Rensselaer's talented group of returners in spring practice, the real enjoyment starts this week. The Engineers report to campus on Wednesday with the opening practice of the fall semester – another first in the Tim Landis Era – on Thursday.