Florida Atlantic Football made an enormous decision on Monday to fire head coach Tom Herman. The removal happened after FAU lost to the Temple University Owls, 18-15, in an overtime game last Saturday. Herman finished his two-year tenure at FAU with a 6-16 record and only three conference wins.
Athletic director Brian White approached Chad Lunsford and informed him of the decision to let go of Herman, asking if Lunsford would be willing to step up as the interim head coach. Lunsford accepted the position, describing it as a “no-brainer” decision. As Lunsford assumed the new role, he shared that he is nothing but thankful for Herman.
“College football is a tough business, and I can’t start anything without thanking coach Herman. I’m very grateful to coach Herman and his family [because] he didn’t know me when he took the job here and I had the opportunity to stay,” Lunsford said.
Lunsford is currently the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach but will take over as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
“Coach [Lunsford], you really like playing for. He’s a player’s coach but he also is great at teaching the game, and just also coming to work with a great attitude. He makes you really want to come to work,” said tight end Zeke Moore. “That’s probably my favorite thing about him, and he’s very involved on and off the field in our personal lives. That’s something that a lot of players really appreciate about him.”
Lunsford has been in this situation before, as he became Georgia Southern University’s interim head coach after they fired Tyson Summers. He eventually became their full-time head coach for three seasons, with a 26-17 record, and won two out of three bowl games.
“I have some experience in it, and probably the great thing is I’ve probably learned what not to do, the first time doing it,” said Lunsford. “I just want to be able to use those experiences. I want FAU to finish very strong. I want FAU to be very proud of us, but also for these seniors, for this team to have a chance to finish on a high note.”
Linebacker Jackson Ambush shared that he, as a senior, appreciates and supports Lunsford’s goals for the remainder of the season.
“How we’ve had these obstacles this past season and just trying to get over them. Honestly, our goal is just to win a game, and us, as seniors, go out, have fun, and that’s the biggest thing for the next two weeks. We’re not promised any games after these two,” Ambush said.
Lunsford aims to step up and do his new role to the best of his ability. He recognized that taking the role makes his path ahead “blurry,” but shared that wasn’t a concern. He intends to end the season on a high note.
Prior to Herman’s removal, he announced on Nov. 10 that FAU would be letting go of defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni and associate head coach and offensive line coach Ed Warinner. However, just eight days after their removal, FAU brought Bellantoni back to the coaching staff.
“When this went down and we started trying to make a decision about coach Roc and everything, it was a no-brainer to bring coach Roc back. But I went and talked to coach [Brandon] Harris, and coach Harris was like absolutely because that is the best thing for our team and for our players because he’s so well-liked and respected,” said Lunsford.
Co-defensive coordinator Brandon Harris was promoted to interim defensive coordinator for the Owls game against Temple in Bellantoni’s absence. According to Lunsford, Harris successfully stepped up to the task and the team remained strong from a defensive standpoint under his leadership. However, each understood the importance of Bellantoni’s return for the team morale.
Ambush said that he found out about Bellantoni’s return on social media before the team meeting. Ambush told the team before their athletic director officially shared the news. The news brought major joy to Ambush, as he missed seeing Bellantoni in the building every day.
“There was some discussions about bringing Roc back as our DC [defensive coordinator]. I mean everybody loves the guy, he’s probably the most liked coach in the building… Every time you see him he’s always got a smile on his face,” said Ambush.
Morgan Larkins is a Staff Writer for the University Press. Email him at [email protected] or DM him on Instagram or Twitter @mj_larkins for more information regarding this or other stories.
Megan Bruinsma is the Sports Editor for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories email her at [email protected] or DM her on Instagram @megan_bruinsma or X (Twitter) @MeganBruinsma.
