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Ithaca College's head football coach, Michael Toerper, is departing to become the defensive coordinator for Cornell University's football team. Toerper's departure was announced on Monday (December 14), marking the end of his four-year tenure with the Bombers. During his time at Ithaca, Toerper led the team to a 35-10 record, securing back-to-back Liberty League titles from 2022 to 2023, two NCAA tournament appearances, and an undefeated regular season in 2022, finishing 12-1 overall.
Toerper's defensive strategies were pivotal, with his teams never allowing more than 16.9 points per game since 2022. Before his head coaching role, Toerper served as Ithaca's defensive coordinator before leaving in 2019 to coach safeties at the College of the Holy Cross. He returned to Ithaca in 2022 as head coach.
Now, Toerper joins a Cornell program that has not seen a winning season since 2008. He replaces Jared Backus, who has led Cornell's defense since 2013. Ithaca College has announced an immediate national search for Toerper's replacement, though no search committee has been formed yet.
Ithaca's offensive coordinator, Brandon Maguire, praised Toerper as an "incredible role model" for both players and coaches. The Bombers concluded their 2025 season with an 8-2 record, highlighted by a victory in the Cortaca Jug against Cortland.