New coach Rick Santos looks to restore Penn football’s ‘championship standard’
The former New Hampshire coach has had success in the FCS and hopes to bring a winning mentality to Penn, which hasn’t won an Ivy League title since 2016.
Penn introduced Rick Santos as its new football coach Tuesday after the departure of Ray Priore, who was with the program for 39 years.
After he earned three FCS playoff bids in five years at the helm of New Hampshire, Santos is hoping to bring Ivy League and national championships to Franklin Field. Penn athletic director Alanna Wren introduced Santos in front of players, alumni, and Penn football board members.
“I’m here to win championships,” Santos said. “That is the expectation, and we will deliver on that. To the players: I can’t wait to meet you. Understand, it’s all about you. It’s a player’s game. It always has been.”
Santos emphasized his passion for molding players on and off the field, deeming himself the “culture coordinator” while promising to lead “from the front.”
“Everybody talks about legacy and truly what it means,” Santos said. “That’s why Penn, that’s why now. The place, the people, the institution, the proud tradition of winning football, is why I’m humbled to be standing here in front of you today. I’m honored to be committed to restoring Penn football to a championship standard.”
Penn is interviewing candidates for the offensive and defensive coordinator positions, which means the program is likely moving away from Bob Benson, the Quakers’ defensive coordinator since 2015, and offensive coordinator Greg Chimera.
“The transition part of this profession is awful, and I hate it,” Santos said. “It’s an unbelievable job. It’s a tough profession at times. We’ll give them the opportunity to see if there’s some alignment. Can’t promise anything. I’m a loyal guy, and I wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for the staff members that I’ve worked with before. I know how they operate. … I have some really tough and challenging decisions to make.”
» READ MORE: Penn names former New Hampshire coach and star QB Rick Santos as its next head coach
Santos led the Wildcats to a 37-24 record, going 28-12 in the Coastal Athletic Association, and finished his final season in New Hampshire with an 8-5 record. Santos was named CAA Coach of the Year in 2022, his first season at the helm. The Wildcats won five consecutive games before falling in the first round of the FCS playoffs to South Dakota State this season.
Wren said a hiring consulting company suggested Santos for the role at Penn. Wren noted that his passionate demeanor, along with his lengthy list of accolades as a player and coach, made him a top candidate. He was one of the best quarterbacks in FCS history at New Hampshire.
“Rick was somebody I had targeted in this process early,” Wren said. “It’s always nice when a plan comes together.”
As the wide receivers coach at UNH from 2013-15, Santos saw the Wildcats rise to No. 1 in the national rankings in Division I-AA. He joined former Penn coach Al Bagnoli at Columbia from 2016-18 as the Lions’ quarterback coach.
Bagnoli “has been influential in this process,” Santos said. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t get a chance to thank him and just what he’s meant to me as a coach, as a leader, as a friend, and someone that I could confide in going through it.”
Santos added that the Ivy League’s decision last year to participate in the FCS playoffs played a factor in his decision to take over the program: “I don’t think I’d be standing here today if it wasn’t for that,” he said.
The new coach will take over a roster that is losing 10 of 11 starters on offense, including standout receiver Jared Richardson, while bringing in a new playbook and staff. Santos is looking forward to connecting with the players.
“They didn’t choose me,” Santos said. “I know that. I understand that. So first and foremost, it’s my mission to put together a really good staff, elite teachers, great mentors, people that they’ll confide in and believe in.”
Penn has 12 recruiting spots to fill and will begin winter training in January. The Quakers will look to bounce back from a 6-4 season that saw a heartbreaking loss to Harvard end its chances for an Ivy League title. Penn last won a share of the Ivy crown in 2016.