John Troxell

John Troxell is an American football coach and former player. Named the 39th coach in Franklin & Marshall football history on March 22, 2006, John Troxell finished his 11th year on the sidelines as the leader of the Diplomats football program this fall. Coach Troxell has brought energy and enthusiasm back to the Diplomat football program with his ability to motivate, teach and recruit at the highest level. He is a man who has built his program on character, integrity, and a family atmosphere. He will not waiver in his commitment to excellence and winning. Having previously been part of 3 of college football’s biggest program turnarounds (Columbia, Muhlenberg, and Lafayette) he has done it again at F&M. Troxell has amassed 61 victories throughout his time in Lancaster, placing him third on the all-time wins list only 2 wins away from taking over second place. He has also coached multiple Rouse Scholars and a Williamson Medal winner, F&M’s most prestigious award.

Troxell has guided F&M to a post season game in 5 of the last 8 seasons. Prior to taking over the program, F&M had 1 winning season in 10 years. Troxell led the squad to back-to-back ECAC bowl games and winning seasons in 2009 and 2010, marking the first consecutive winning seasons at F&M since 1995 and 1996. Once again in 2012 and 2013 he led his Diplomats to back to back ECAC bowl games for the second time. Along the way in 2012 his Diplomats upset then #9 Johns Hopkins and to this day remains the last team to beat Johns Hopkins in a regular season game. In 2016, Troxell took his team back to the post season once again playing in the CC-MAC Bowl Game.

In 2009, Troxell guided the Diplomats to a 9-2 season that was capped by an ECAC South Atlantic Championship victory. This is only 1 of 8 seasons in F&M history where a team recorded 9 or more wins. Troxell was named the Centennial Conference's Coach of the Year and was one of five national finalists for the highly coveted Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.

Under his guidance, F&M athletes have produced record-breaking performances during Troxell’s tenure. Several Centennial Conference (CC) marks have fallen from quarterbacks John Harrison (first in completed passes with 856, touchdown passes with 87 and most games gaining 400+ yards with three) and E.J. Schneider (first in most games gaining 300+ yards with 14 and most yards in a season with 3,379). Also finding their names at the top of many CC lists are receiver Jordan Zackery, who is first in the CC in career receptions by a receiver (262) and tailback John Kaschak, who is first in career catches by a running back (143) and receiving yards (1,127). On the defensive side, C.T. Marsh set the conference record for sacks in a career with 33.5 sacks and tackles for loss at 59

F&M records were also set during Troxell’s time on the sidelines with Harrison placing first in completions, touchdown passes, completion percentage and passing yards, while Zackery is first in receptions and all-purpose yards. Brian Velasco set the school record for unassisted tackles in a career with 173.

Troxell took the reins of the Diplomats following five seasons (2001-05) as an assistant coach at Lafayette during which he served as video coordinator, running backs coach, recruiting coordinator and special teams coach for the 2004 and 2005 Patriot League champion Leopards. During his tenure, he mentored 2004 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Joe McCourt '05 to a record-setting career. Under Troxell's tutelage, McCourt, the 2001 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, concluded his career as Lafayette's and the Patriot League's all-time leader with 50 rushing touchdowns, and second on the school's all-time rushing list with 4,474 yards while earning All-America honors in 2002 and 2004. Prior to the 2003 season, Troxell was named the Leopards’ recruiting coordinator. His efforts in recruiting helped Lafayette win 3 straight Patriot League Titles from 2004-2006.

He joined the Lafayette staff after serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Muhlenberg College from 1997-2000. He served as special teams coordinator (1997-99), quarterbacks and wide receivers coach (1997-2000) and offensive coordinator (2000) at Muhlenberg as the Mules went from a 1-9 season in 1997 to the Eastern College Athletic Conference title with a record of 9-2 in 2000. In 2000, his offense ranked 22nd in Division III and led the Centennial Conference in total offense (427.8 yards per game) while averaging 31.0 points per game.

In his first three seasons at Muhlenberg, Troxell coordinated the Mules' special teams. Under his guidance, Muhlenberg led Division III in kickoff returns. Josh Carter was the Football Gazette specialist of the year under Troxell's tutelage. He also coached the quarterbacks and receivers all four seasons, including Muhlenberg's all-time leading passer and Carter, the program's first Centennial Conference player of the year.

Troxell joined the Muhlenberg staff after serving as an assistant coach for three seasons at Columbia University. He assisted with the Lions' defensive backs from 1994-96, helping them record the third-best pass defense in Division I-AA in 1996. He helped turn Columbia football around. In 1994 Columbia had their first winning season since 1971. Then in 1996 the team posted an 8-2 record to finish 2nd in the Ivy League, its best finish since winning the league in 1961. The assistant recruiting coordinator his final two seasons at Columbia, he was elevated to running backs coach in the spring of 1997.

A 1994 Lafayette graduate with a B.A. in government and law, Troxell was the starting free safety on the Leopards' 1992 Patriot League Championship team and received the program's Unsung Hero Award as a senior. He went on to earn an M.A. in sociology and education from Columbia in 1997.

A native of Phillipsburg, N.J., Troxell and his wife, Pamela, have two daughters: Summer and Capri.

Troxell's Coaching Highlights

   39th Coach in Franklin & Marshall's football history
   5 Post Season Games in the last 8 years
   3rd All Time in Career Wins
   First back-to-back winning seasons at F&M since mid-90's (2009 & 2010)
   2009 Liberty Mutual Division III Coach of the Year Finalist
   2009 Centennial Conference Coach of the Year
   Led the 2009 Diplomats to a 9-2 record
   Selected to coach the South Team in the 2009 Division III Senior All-Star Classic
   Coached the 2004 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year
   Coached the Patriot League's 2004 Rookie of the Year

References