Entering eighth year at TCNJ in Fall of 2024, first as interim head coach
TCNJ Executive Director of Athletics Amanda V. DeMartino announced on June 14, 2024, that offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Eric Jendryaszek will serve as the Lions’ interim head coach for the 2024 season. Former head coach Casey Goff stepped down in May after seven years with the Lions.
Jendryaszek is the longest tenured assistant on the TCNJ staff, arriving with Goff prior to the 2017 season. He came to Ewing as the Lions’ offensive coordinator but has since shifted to offensive line and lead recruiting duties.
“Eric is the consummate professional and the perfect coach to lead our football program as the interim head coach for the 2024 season,” DeMartino said. “As our most veteran member of the staff, Eric’s ability to provide leadership and continuity for our team is something that cannot be understated.”
Jendryaszek’s work with the offensive linemen led to a pair of players earning All-NJAC honors in 2023. Duro Ajayi earned his second consecutive First Team nod, and Joe Matone was named to the Second Team.
The line allowed just 0.9 sacks per game, ranking first in the NJAC and 22nd nationally. TCNJ also allowed just 4.2 tackles for loss per game, again leading the NJAC and ranking 33rd in the country.
“I am excited that TCNJ has decided to name me as the interim head football coach,” Jendryaszek said. “I am thankful to have worked with coach Goff over the past seven years, and I look forward to building upon the success we have achieved over the past year while continuing to work with our team of incredible assistant coaches and staff.”
Jendryaszek's offensive line paved the way for a successful 2022 campaign in which the Lions led the NJAC in passing offense (206.8 YPG) and ranked third in passing efficiency. Tackle Duro Ajayi was a first-team all-conference honoree after a second-team nod the previous year.
Jendryaszek coached a passing attack that ranked third in the NJAC in yards per game with an average of 192.3 yards per game in 2019. Quarterback Andrew Donoghue threw for 1,781 yards which is the seventh-most in a single season in program history. Wide receiver Vinny Guckin caught seven touchdowns which ties for fifth in a single season in program history. Jendryaszek coached Guckin and fellow wide receiver Jack Clevenger to Second Team All-NJAC honors.
In 2018, Jendryaszek oversaw a young offense that produced several notable performers. Quarterback Dave Jachera won four NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week awards on his way to being named NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Year. That marked the first major NJAC award won by a TCNJ football player in five years. Running back Mark Pacini won two NJAC Rookie of the Week awards, and wide receiver Jaiden Elliott earned one. TCNJ rookies, in total, had seven of the 12 possible NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week awards.
That young offense matured and came alive in the final three weeks of the season. The Lions had their three biggest yardage outputs in the final three games, and TCNJ had a season-high 450 yards of offense in the season-ending victory at Southern Virginia. The Lions rushed for 210 yards that day, surpassed only by the team's 291 yards on the ground in a Homecoming victory over William Paterson two weeks prior.
TCNJ had almost half of its red-zone trips in those final three games, converting for points on 11 of its 15 trips inside the opponents' 20. Those increased scoring opportunities allowed the Lions to have its two highest scoring days in the wins over William Paterson and Southern Virginia.
In 2017, Jendryaszek joined the Lions’ coaching staff as the offensive coordinator. Prior to his arrival at TCNJ, Jendryaszek was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Kings College from 2010 through 2016. At Kings, he also served for a period as the tight ends coach and spent time assisting as the strength and conditioning coach, recruiting and general football operations.
Jendryaszek began his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater, SUNY Cortland. He was the offensive line and assistant strength coach from 2008 to 2010. During his playing days, Jendryaszek was a member of the Red Dragons from 2002 to 2005. He was the 2002 Offensive Rookie of the Year and 2005 MVP Offensive Player for Cortland. As a senior, Jendryaszek was an All-NJAC First Team offensive lineman and went on to earn Football Gazette All-American Honorable Mention acclaim.
