John Troxell has been named the head coach at Lafayette, an FCS program in Easton, Pa. He replaces John Garrett, who was let go last month after going 15-33 in five seasons.
Troxell's move completes a loop more than 30 years in the making, when he joined the program as a freshman out of Phillipsburg, N.J. He started at free safety on Lafayette's 1992 Patriot League championship team and won the team's Unsung Hero Award as a senior.
"I am so thrilled to be coming home to Lafayette College and look forward to creating a championship culture on and off the field," Troxell said. "I am looking forward to getting our alumni and the Lehigh Valley community excited for Saturdays in the fall as we restore glory to the Lafayette football family. As I begin a new chapter, I also want to thank Franklin and Marshall for giving me the honor of leading its football program and preparing me for this opportunity."
He joins the program after 16 years as the head coach at Franklin and Marshall College, where he led the previously downtrodden program to nine Division III playoffs. The Diplomats went 31-13 over the the past four seasons, including a 10-1 mark and a Centennial Conference championship in 2017.
Troxell previously served as Lafayette's running backs coach and special teams coordinator from 2001-05. He becomes the 29th coach and third alum to lead the 141-year-old program.
"We are proud and excited to be able to bring back an alumnus of Lafayette College to take over our storied football program. We undertook an exhaustive hiring process featuring a deep applicant pool, to bring John on board," said Director of Athletics Sherryta Freman. "In each of his coaching stops covering nearly three decades, he has been part of program turnarounds, including those on our own campus. John further set himself apart with his head-coaching experience, alumni development and willingness to be a partner to our campus community. We are so excited for the future of Lafayette football."
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