3 Yale head coach candidates to monitor after Tony Reno steps down

On Tuesday Morning, the Yale Bulldogs were stunned as long-time head coach Tony Reno announced he was stepping down as the programs head football coach.

In the full release by the school, Tony Reno announced he was stepping down due to his current health situation.

"Given my current health situation, I have made the decision to step down as head coach of Yale Football, when I arrived at Yale 14 years ago, I could never have imagined what this journey would become. The relationships formed, the moments shared, and the people I have been privileged to be surrounded by have changed my life and my family's lives forever. I am deeply grateful to the players, the coaches, and the staff who gave everything they had to Yale Football."

Tony Reno

Reno led the Bulldogs for 14 seasons, finishing his tenure with an 83-49 record with a 55-36 record in conference play. Under Reno's leadership, the Bulldogs won the Ivy league 5 times, including this past season when the team went 9-3 (6-1) making it to the second round of the FCS Playoffs.

The sudden retirement creates an instant void that the program needs to fill sooner rather than later with Spring Football around the corner. Yale will undergo a coaching search, but early on 3 names stand out as candidates to monitior.

These 3 coaches could become Yale's next head coach

This offseason, Josh Grizzard was fired as the Buccaneers' offensive coordinator, but quickly landed a job as the Eagles' pass game coordinator. Grizzard is still a rising star in the coaching world, and given that he's a Yale alum, he could show interest in the role. Josh Grizzard was recruited to Yale by Tony Reno and he could be a great candidate to replace him.

While Chris Ostrowsky is a recent hire to the Yale staff, he's been integral in the program's recent success. This season, the Bulldogs had the Ivy League's second-ranked scoring offense, and the top rushing offense in the league. When you find a great offensive mind, you want to keep them in place which hiring Ostrowsky would do.

Head Coach of Defense Sean McGowan first joined Tony Reno's staff in 2015, and has been a mainstay ever since. McGowan's defense was stellar this season, allowing just 19.6 Points Per Game which was the best mark in the Ivy League and 16th in the FCS. Hiring McGowan would keep continuity, as he'll likely draw interest elsewhere each offseason.