Legendary Monmouth Head Coach Kevin Callahan Steps Down After 33 Seasons

WEST LONG BRANCH – After 33 years at the helm of Monmouth University football, head coach Kevin Callahan is closing a remarkable chapter of Hawks football and turning the page on an era defined by a winning mentality, leadership, and lasting impact. In a joint statement from the school and the coach, Callahan will step aside and transition to a special-advisor role.

Callahan will shift his focus to supporting Monmouth football and the athletic department in an advisory capacity, drawing on his decades of experience to guide the program's continued growth. His responsibilities will center on alumni relations, fundraising, and serving as a key ambassador for the university within the college football community. Freed from game planning and recruiting, Callahan’s role will emphasize continuity, institutional knowledge and long-term vision, ensuring a smooth transition while preserving the culture he helped build over 33 years.

The 71-year-old Callahan was the longest-tenured head coach in all of Division 1 football (FBS and FCS) and the only head coach in Monmouth football history since its inception in 1993. His career record at Monmouth is 197-151. Under his tutelage, the Hawks won seven conference titles and qualified for the FCS playoffs three times, including a first-round win against Holy Cross in the 2019 postseason.

“I guess the day has arrived,” said Callahan at Friday’s press conference. “It’s been 34 years of early mornings, late nights, countless games and challenges, but now it's time. It’s time for me to step away, to refocus and to attack the new challenges with the same determination and same energy that has carried me for the last 34 years here at Monmouth. Now’s a good time. The programs at an all-time high; it’s in good hands and we have a great staff. And to make the transition now is the right thing to do on a program level.

“I started thinking about it (stepping aside) late in the season. And I’ve always believed that once you begin to think about it, it’s time to leave; I’ve said that before. Once I started thinking about it, I assessed the situation. I looked at the staff, and it was in a good spot, as is the program. When I talked to Jenn (Director of Athletics Jennifer Sansevero), and she mentioned there could be a role for you within the athletics department, that kind of brought it all together.”

Sansevero, who became the interim Director of Athletics in July of 2023, before being appointed permanent AD in February of 2024, hit a home run by extending the offer to Callahan to stay on staff. Who, better than Callahan, can promote the merits of Monmouth University?

“Coach Callahan’s impact on Monmouth University cannot be measured,” said Sansevero. “As the architect of this program, he built more than a football team. He built the identity, set the standards, and the pride that defines Monmouth football. His legacy is the foundation we stand on.”

Callahan began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Albany for three seasons from 1977 to 1979. It was there that Callahan developed the coaching bug under the mentorship of head coach Bob Ford, the architect of Albany football. In 1980, Callahan served as an assistant coach under Frank Maloney at Syracuse University before moving to Wagner University, where he coached defense under the tutelage of Walt Hamline. From there, Callahan served as an assistant coach at Colgate under Fred Dunlap for eight years, eventually rising to the position of associate head coach and defensive coordinator. His next stop in August of 1992 was as the head coach of Monmouth’s fledgling football program.

Throughout Callahan’s distinguished career at Monmouth, he won seven conference championships, including five Northeast Conference (NEC) titles (1996, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2006) and two Big South crowns (2019, 2021). In 2017, he guided the Hawks to their first FCS Playoff berth, followed by two more postseason appearances in 2019 and the spring of 2021.

A five-time Coach of the Year recipient, Callahan earned NEC Coach of the Year honors in 1998, 2003, and 2006, and Big South Coach of the Year accolades in 2019 and 2021. He was selected twice as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award and, in 2019, was named the AFCA Region II Coach of the Year. This season, he led the Hawks to the highest national ranking in program history, No. 6.

Callahan will now pass the torch to long-time assistant coach and offensive coordinator, Jeff Gallo. Gallo was an All-NEC tight end under Callahan in 2003 and joined the Monmouth coaching staff two years later.

"Because of the strength of the legacy Coach Cal built here, we weren’t searching for somebody to reinvent Monmouth football,” said Sansevero. “We were searching for someone to elevate it. And we have definitely found that leader. Jeff is the right leader, right now, at the right time. From our very first conversation in the process, Jeff distinguished himself with clarity, conviction, passion, and unmistakable belief in what Monmouth football can be. He understands who we are, who we recruit, how we compete, and what it takes to win in the CAA, one of the most competitive conferences in FCS football.

“Jeff brings a rare combination of football intelligence, authenticity, and emotional leadership. He’s a connector, a teacher, a motivator, and a builder. He’s a coach who develops the whole student athlete. He understands the modern recruiting and the realities of the NIL and the transfer portal. He commands a room with his belief and passion. Jeff leads with fierce commitment to discipline, accountability and connection. What impressed me most was not just Jeff’s football mind, but his vision. A vision grounded in our values that’s energized with urgency, innovation and an unmistakable hunger to push this program higher. He doesn’t just want to compete in the CAA; he wants to set a new standard for Monmouth football. He’s a leader who knows this place; it’s in his DNA. And because he knows exactly what Monmouth stands for, he is perfectly poised and positioned to lead us forward with confidence and continuity. This is not a rebuild, not a reset, but an extension. Coach Gallo is ready to lead Monmouth into its next chapter; the future begins now. And that future is bright because it will be led by a man who embodies everything this place is, and everything it stands for."

Gallo was named offensive coordinator in the spring of 2019. The 2025 season marked Gallo’s 21st season at Monmouth University, sixth as offensive coordinator and second as Associate Head Coach. In 2024, Gallo was a finalist for FootballScoop.com FCS coordinator of the year when the Hawks' offense led the CAA and ranked in the top 10 nationally in multiple statistical categories. In the 2023 season, the Hawks offense ranked 12th nationally in total offense (431.5) and 13th in scoring offense (32.5). Until All-American quarterback Derek Robertson was lost for the season, the Hawks led the country in every offensive category in the 2025 season. Since joining the CAA in 2022, Monmouth’s offense has been one of, if not the best, offenses in the conference. In 2021, the Hawks led the Big South in offense, averaging 32 points per game. In the spring of 2021, Monmouth ranked 11th in total offense. In Gallo’s debut season as offensive coordinator, the offense broke 50 team or individual records and ranked 13th nationally in points per game (35.8).

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to be the next football coach at Monmouth University,” Gallo said. “This is an incredible opportunity to lead a great group of men in a program that was built over the years by Coach Callahan and his former players. I know how big the job is and I’m so psyched to get started. There’s a lot of work ahead, but I’ve seen how great it can be when it’s done well. Challenges become opportunities, and that’s what we’re going to do here.

“We’re going to be out in the community to show people how special this place is. Our goals won’t change; Coach Cal had incredibly high standards, and we intend to keep it that way. Our goal is to win the CAA championship; that is our fundamental goal. At the same time, while we’re doing that, we’re going to develop men to be able to take on the world and become leaders. Having pride in our university and being able to compete on a national scale; that’s what we want. We’re going to focus on what champions do and act like champions. We’re going to control our own destiny. Coach Cal has built an incredible foundation here, so now it’s up to us to build on it. Springboard off of what he’s built; simple as that.”

The new era of Monmouth football is here, and there is a lot to be excited about.