Jay Civetti, who coached the first five games of the football season with an "interim" tag, was named head coach last week by Director of Athletics Bill Gehling — a vote of confidence for a coach who has dealt with a lot of adversity this season, as the Jumbos have limped to an 0−6 record.
Civetti spent three years as Tufts' offensive coordinator under previous head coach Bill Samko, and he was promoted to the interim position in January after Samko stepped down.
Though the Jumbos have yet to win a game with Civetti at the helm and were shutout 30−0 at home by Amherst on Saturday, Gehling has been impressed with the way Civetti has handled the rough start.
"When I named him interim head coach, he had all of the qualities we wanted. But the real test is when the games begin," Gehling said. "One of the biggest tests in a coach is how he responds to adversity, and he's done great. Once I had decided he was the guy, it made no sense to delay it any longer."
Civetti's been flattered by the outpouring of support he's received from players, alums and parents after last Thursday's announcement, which he views as a validation of his vision for the program.
"People believe in our message and believe in what we want, and that's huge. It's a big recognition," Civetti said after Saturday's loss.
Gehling, who coached the Tufts women's soccer team for the first 20 years of its existence before being named Director of Athletics in 1999, said that though players and coaches often start pointing fingers in winless seasons, Civetti's squad has stayed positive and focused amid the losing streak.
"He's maintained his cool, and the team has continued to fight hard — that's the sign of a good coaching staff," Gehling said. "I'm very proud of this team in spite of their record, and I wanted to show that by lifting any uncertainty about the coaching position, so they can focus on getting better."
In his brief tenure, Civetti has already inspired confidence in the minds of his current players. He let the squad know about his new title in practice last week but played down the promotion, according to junior defensive back Sam Diss.
"He didn't make a big deal about it, and we tried not to make a big deal out of it either," Diss said. "The players love Coach Civetti; we're trying to get wins for him as much as we are for ourselves. We like what he's doing, and it shows us that the administration likes what he's doing too."
Though the mood around the current players has stayed the same, lifting the interim tag makes a big difference in recruitment. Civetti believes that stability will make the Tufts program more appealing to high school seniors as they choose where to play at the next level.
"There's always that question of doubt [with the interim tag]," Civetti said. "In today's world of recruiting, you gotta have great players … To be able to say, ‘Hey, I'm going to be your head coach when you come here,' gives that family and that kid reassurance that I'm going to be here to take care of him and mold him into what a Tufts football player is."
