Biddle Names Shaffner Co-Defensive Coordinator, Casula to Offense
(Hamilton, NY – June 7, 2013) Colgate head coach Dick Biddle finalized his 2013 football staff with the addition of two coaches he announced Friday.
Paul Shaffner and Steve Casula join a veteran crew that guided the Raiders last season to the Patriot League championship and a berth in the NCAA playoffs. Shaffner takes over as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, while Casula will be handling tight ends and H-backs.
“Paul is a huge plus for us; he’s really going to help the program,” Biddle said. “He’s an experienced coach. He’s been a defensive coordinator in this league – at Lafayette for a number of years and they were really good.
“He’s originally from New York State, so he knows the area. He knows the Patriot League. And he’s been a head coach, so he’s got great experience.”
Casula actually joined the staff in time for spring practice.
“Steve did a good job in the spring and he’s really a good recruiter,” Biddle said. “He’s at the right age with the right mentality, and our kids are really responding to him. He’s going to be successful and he’s already making a difference.
“They both are great additions to our staff.”
Buffalo Native
Shaffner grew up and played his high school football in the Buffalo suburb of Lancaster, N.Y. He then played collegiately at Ithaca College, helping the Bombers to the 1979 NCAA Division III national championship. Before graduating in 1982, Shaffner received the Sebring Scholar-Athlete distinction for highest grade-point average on the football team.
He coached briefly at Ithaca while earning his master’s degree, moved to the Division III ranks at Maine Maritime, and then returned to college football with a position as graduate assistant coach at Penn State from 1986-88. The Nittany Lions were voted 1986 national champions thanks to a perfect 12-0 record.
Shaffner moved to Lafayette in 1988 and stayed 13 seasons, guiding the Leopards’ to three conference titles and posting several No. 1 Patriot League defensive rankings during his term as coordinator from 1992-99.
“I am very excited because this is just an outstanding opportunity,” Shaffner said. “For me personally, it’s great to be back in the Patriot League. I loved being in the Patriot League before; it’s such an outstanding conference.
“Now to be here at Colgate is just a tremendous honor, and certainly I’m very excited about the chance to work with Coach Biddle.”
Shaffner moved into the head coaching ranks first at Glenville State in West Virginia and then back home at Buffalo State. Glenville won a conference title during his 2000-03 stay and Shaffner was named WVIAC Coach of the Year. At Buffalo State from 2004-08, Shaffner coached 38 players to All-Conference honors.
“I have a lot of familiarity recruiting New York State and Western New York especially,” Shaffner said. “That is hopefully going to help us try to find the best student-athletes we can for Colgate here in New York State and get them in the Maroon and White.
“Having scholarships, we now have an opportunity to go places where we haven’t been before. We’re going to be able to recruit that kid who is an outstanding athlete, has excellent grades but who had scholarship offers to other schools that don’t have the same academic standards we do. Those are the kids we want because they’re smart, and those are the young men who belong here at Colgate.”
Shaffner has coached at the small college and high school level the last few seasons.
“Paul gives us a lot of stability and a lot of experience coaching wise,” Biddle said. “For a lot of people coming into this league, it’s an adjustment — such as dealing with the academics. You just can’t go out and blanket recruit. You have to be able to find the right people who can fit what you’re trying to do and also fit the school.
“Paul has that ability. It was a big hire for me.”
Tight End Production
Casula joins the Raiders from Western Michigan, where he coached tight ends and fullbacks during the 2012 season after serving as a graduate assistant with the offensive line for two years. Broncos tight ends improved from 17 catches for 110 yards the year before Casula took over that position to 46 for 487 under his guidance, despite the fact that five different tight ends received starts.
The 2009 University of Delaware graduate also served as a Blue Hens student-assistant coach from 2008-09, first working with the offensive line and then wide receivers.
“I’m really excited to be here and excited to work with Coach Biddle and the rest of the staff,” Casula said. “It’s a great department – administratively, the coaches, student-athletes and support staff. It’s been awesome.”
Casula said his early arrival and the ability to be on the practice field 15 times during spring practice should pay dividends when fall camp starts in August.
“While I probably don’t know my position guys on a personal level quite as well as I’d like to, I certainly got a good feel for what we’re trying to do as an offense and what my guys’ capabilities are,” he said. “Any coach has to be a good teacher, not only the schemes but also fundamentals. At the end of the day, the only things that matter are, can you get guys to do what you want and what you need them to do?
“I’m really excited because we’ve got a good football team. The thing I’ve been most impressed with is you never have to hear any of our coaches’ talk about effort. Everybody plays hard.”
One other coaching addition will be volunteer assistant Terry Dow on the defensive side of the ball.
Colgate’s fall practices start Aug. 5.
Colgate Football 2013 Schedule
Aug. 31 at Air Force TBA
Sept. 7 ALBANY 6 p.m.
Sept. 14 at New Hampshire Noon
Sept. 21 YALE 1 p.m.
Oct. 5 at Cornell TBA
Oct. 12 STONY BROOK 6 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Holy Cross * Noon
Oct. 26 at Georgetown * 1 p.m.
Nov. 2 BUCKNELL * 1 p.m.
Nov. 9 at Lafayette * 3:30 p.m.
Nov. 16 LEHIGH * 1 p.m.
Nov. 23 FORDHAM 1 p.m.
* Patriot League.