The College of New Jersey Athletics

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Entering seventh year as TCNJ head coach in 2023

Casey Goff took over the reins of the TCNJ football program in the Summer of 2017. Goff also serves the Lions as co-special teams coordinator in addition to his head coaching duties.

Goff enjoyed the best season of his tenure in 2023, leading the Lions to a 5-5 mark, including the team's first win at Salisbury in over two decades, and collecting NJAC Co-Coaching Staff of the Year honors alongside his assistants. A remarkable 12 players were named to the All-NJAC Team, the second-highest total in program history (trailing only 2007's 13), and TCNJ came within one game of sharing the NJAC regular-season title. 

Goff has brought in a steady stream of talent in recent years. In 2022, the Lions produced nine All-NJAC honorees, the most for the program in more than 15 years, and junior tight end Thomas Burke played his way to D3football.com all-region accolades.

Known for his disciplined squads, Goff's charges ranked inside the top-11 in all of Division III in fewest penalties (4th), fewest penalty yards (5th), and fewest penalty yards per game (11th) during the 2022 campaign. 

Goff developed eight All-NJAC selections during the 2021 campaign, headlined by the NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Year in tight end Lucas Spitzer. 

In 2019, Goff coached Zach Warcola to consensus All-America honors. Warcola was named to AFCA, D3Football.com, and Associated Press All-America honors. He was also named D3football.com First Team All-Region, NJAC Special Teams Player of the Year, and First Team All-NJAC. Six total Lions earned all-conference honors. The Lions' punting team ranked 27th in the nation in net punting with an average of 34.86 yards per punt. TCNJ was also one of the most disciplined teams in the country, as the Lions ranked 36th in all of NCAA Division III in fewest penalty yards per game with an average of 43.2. That also led the NJAC.

Warcola, Erik Graham, and Luke Young earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. Warcola went on to receive CoSIDA Academic All-America recogniton. Graham was also named to D3football.com All-East Region honors.

In 2018, the future was on full display for the TCNJ football team. Goff coached freshman quarterback Dave Jachera to NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, the first major conference award winner for TCNJ in five years. Along with Jachera's award, seven Lions earned slots on the All-NJAC teams. 

The Lions also put their freshmen offensive players on full display in 2018. Three different Lions earned NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week honors. Jachera picked up four weekly awards, running back Mark Pacini had two and wide receiver Jaiden Elliott earned one. TCNJ rookies, in total, had seven of the 12 possible NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week awards. 

Goff also coached punter Zach Warcola to All-America honors in 2018. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) named Warcola Second Team All-America. Warcola became the sixth player in school history to earn the honor and the first since 2011. He was also a D3football.com All-America Honorable Mention and a member of the Google Cloud Academic All-District Team. Defensive lineman Erik Graham joined Warcola on the Google Cloud Academic All-District Team.

In his first season at the helm of the Lions in 2017, TCNJ doubled its win total from the previous year while finishing the season on a three-game winning streak. That late-season success led to TCNJ’s selection at the NJAC Dark Horse in the 2018 conference preseason coaches’ poll.

TCNJ won those three games by a combined score of 68-19, and that included two shutouts by its defense. It marked the first time since 2004 that TCNJ had multiple shutouts in the same season.

Goff improved several areas upon his arrival. On the defensive side of the ball, the Lions allowed nearly 61 fewer yards per game from the team that finished last in total defense in 2016. The defense also shaved a touchdown per game off its points allowed number.

On offense, TCNJ gained more than 65 yards per game compared to the 2016 squad, and the Lions also jumped from 10^th in the NJAC in scoring – last in the league – to sixth.

The Lions were also the most disciplined team in the NJAC, committing the fewest penalties in the league for the second fewest penalty yards. TCNJ finished fourth in the league in turnover margin and third in fewest turnovers lost.

Goff oversaw seven selections to the All-NJAC teams in his inaugural season. Wide receiver Thomas Koenig and punter Zach Warcola were named First Team All-NJAC, and quarterback Trevor Osler earned Second Team All-NJAC honors.

Goff spent two years at Defiance before moving to TCNJ. Goff was promoted to head coach in 2016 after spending one year as the defensive coordinator. He guided Defiance to a 5-5 record, a three-win improvement from 2015’s 2-8 mark. Defiance led the conference and finished fifth in the country with 25 interceptions.

The team finished second in the league in total defense, and it also led the conference by forcing 35 turnovers, good for sixth in the NCAA. Defiance also allowed just 77.3 rushing yards per game, best in the conference and 11^th nationally. With Goff as the defensive coordinator in 2015, the Defiance defense finished third in the NCAA in defensive touchdowns, scoring five times.
 
Goff was the defensive coordinator at Salve Regina from 2013-14. In 2013, the team ranked led the conference in total defense among other categories, and qualified for the ECAC Northeast Bowl. Goff coached the NEFC Defensive Player of the Year. In 2014, the team won the ECAC Northeast Bowl. In two seasons, Goff tutored 11 all-conference selections and four All-America picks.

From 2010-12, Goff was the defensive coordinator at King’s College where he coached three all-conference picks.
Goff spent 2007-09 at Washington & Jefferson, helping the Presidents to three NCAA tournament berths and a PAC title. As the defensive line coach in 2008 and 2009, he helped the defense to a top ranking in total defense in each season.

Goff began his college coaching career with stops at Rhodes, Cortland State and Muhlenberg.

Goff was a three-year letter winner at Susquehanna as a linebacker and defensive lineman. He helped the team to the 1999 MAC Commonwealth title while also earning the Coaches’ Award that season. He finished his college years as a student assistant coach in 2000.

Goff currently resides in Ewing with his wife, Jaimie; son, Braddock (6); and daughter, Braylynn, who will turn 2 during the 2023 season.
 

The Casey Goff Head Coaching File
Year	School	W	L	Pct.	Notes
2023	TCNJ	5	5	.500	Won four of last five games to post first .500 mark since 2013; Fell one win shy of shared NJAC title; 12 players named All-NJAC (most since 2007) and staff named NJAC Co-Coaching Staff of the Year
2022	TCNJ	3	6	.333	Lions produce nine All-NJAC selections
2021	TCNJ	3	6	.333	Lucas Spitzer headlined eight All-NJAC selections as NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Year
2019	TCNJ	2	8	.200	Coached Zach Warcola to consensus All-America honors; produced six All-NJAC honorees
2018	TCNJ	3	7	.300	Finished season with wins in three of four games
2017	TCNJ	4	6	.400	Finished season on three-game winning streak
2016	Defiance	5	5	.500	Improved from 2-8 in 2015 ... best record since 2010
Career at TCNJ		20	38	.345
Overall		25	43	.368