Through three seasons, head coach John Perry has completely rebuilt the Merrimack football program, earning a Northeast-10 Championship in 2009 and paving the way for continued success.

Merrimack led the Northeast-10 in offense and scoring for the third straight season in 2010, while seizing the top-two conference defensive awards. Shawn Loiseau, who was second in the country in tackles per game, earned the Northeast-10 Defensive Player of the Year Award and was the Greater Boston Gridiron Club’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player becoming the first player in program history to earn both honors. Loiseau’s classmate, Tony Johnson was the NE-10 Defensive Lineman of the Year, leading the conference in sacks and tackles for a loss.

Perry’s up tempo, high-energy offense scored 25 or more points in nine of 10 games in 2010 and totaled 42 or more points in each victory. 

Merrimack’s offense set a school record with 241 first downs, quarterbacks James Suozzo and Joe Clancy combined for 3104 passing yards, most in school history. 

In all, seven Warriors earned all-conference honors, including first-team selections Loiseau, Johnson, David Bellmont and Greg Abelli. 

In 2009, Perry guided the top offense in New England to a 7-3 record, earning a share of the Northeast-10 Championship, the second title in program history. Suozzo was named the Northeast-10 Most Valuable Player, while ten other players were named to All-Conference teams. Perry’s offense was ranked fourth nationally, averaging 482.6 total yards per game while totaling 49 offensive touchdowns. 

With underclassmen, all of which were recruited by Perry and his coaching staff, earning plenty of time on the playing field, Merrimack led the Northeast-10 in scoring, rushing, total yards, first downs, and fewest sacks allowed. On the defensive side of the ball, Johnson, who led the conference and set the school record for sacks in a season as a freshman, led the conference in tackles for a loss per game and tied for first in fumbles forced. Loiseau set what was then the school record with 123 tackles, tied for the conference lead and was second in the nation with 12.3 tackles per game. Sophomore Anthony Smalls, who was third in the country in yards per carry and yards per game, became just the second running back in school history to reach 1,000 yards in a season.

In his first season, Perry guided the 2009 Warriors to a 6-4 record, 4-3 in the Northeast-10, finishing in third place in the conference. The 2008 Warriors, who were 4-0 on the road against Division II competition, allowed the fewest sacks in the conference, while ranking second in the nation with 4.10 sacks per game. Perry’s offensive-minded style resulted in school records for most rushing yards in a game (358), total offensive yards in a game (647), and first downs in a game (34) against Saint Anselm. Andrew Jackson became the first first-team All-American in school history, while 12 players were named to Northeast-10 All-Conference teams.

Perry, who has over 15 years of college football coaching experience, started at Merrimack on December 28, 2007 after spending the prior season as the associate head coach at the University of New Hampshire, his alma mater. 

Perry replaced Jim Murphy, who resigned after five seasons as Merrimack’s head coach. 

A 1992 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Perry spent the 2006 season as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Hofstra University. Prior to spending the 2005 campaign as the associate head coach for Georgetown University, he served as the offensive coordinator at Dartmouth College from 2000 through 2004. 

At Dartmouth, Perry immediately transformed the offense when he joined the team in 2000 and helped the Big Green rank eighth in passing and 10th in total offense nationally at the end of the 2002 campaign. Two Dartmouth quarterbacks under Perry’s tutelage, Brian Mann and Greg Smith, ended their careers ranked among the Big Green’s all-time passing and total offense leaders. 

From 1997-99, Perry coached receivers and was the recruiting coordinator at UNH. He spent three seasons coaching receivers at Brown, including Sean Morey, the Ivy League’s outstanding rookie in 1995 and the Ivy’s outstanding player in 1997. Perry’s coaching career began at Northeastern, where he worked with the running backs in 1992-94.  

Perry, who graduated with a double major in communications and history at UNH, earned conference All-Academic team recognition. As a Wildcat, he was a two-sport athlete also lettering in basketball. Perry was a record-setting receiver in football (he caught passes in 42 straight games), a two-time all-conference selection and was a four-year letter winner. A captain in 1992, he helped lead the Wildcats to the Division 1-AA playoffs in 1991. 

He and his wife, Jen, a Merrimack graduate, have three children, Cailtin, John and Elizabeth and reside in North Andover, Mass.

Dan Curran enters his second season with Merrimack and his first as the offensive coordinator.. In 2010, he worked with the offensive line in addition to being the Recruiting Coordinator.

The offensive line helped pave the way for Merrimack to become the top offense in the Northeast-10 Conference, leading the league in scoring and total yardage. Despite leading the league in passing attempts, the offensive line only gave up just 12 sacks which was good for second in the conference and tied for second all time in school history. Curran mentored two All-Conference players in David Bellmont and Jacob Bradley with Bellmont earning Division II All-Region Honors as well. 

Curran came to Merrimack after playing eight years of professional football which included time spent with the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints of the National Football League as well as the New Orleans Voodoo and Georgia Force of the Arena Football League.

 As a player in the Arena Football League, Curran earned First Team All-League Honors and was named to the All-Ironman Team as well as being named one of three finalists for Ironman of the Year after leading the league in rushing and becoming just the fourth player in league history at the time to rush for over 20 touchdowns in a season. 

A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Curran earned Atlantic-10 honors after rushing for over 1,000 yards and scoring 16 touchdowns in his senior season. The former Chelmsford High graduate was the Boston Globe Player of the Year and received USA Today All America honorable mention in addition to being named the sixth-best player in New England by Super Prep Magazine after leading Chelmsford to a Super Bowl victory and it's fourth consecutive Merrimack Valley Conference title. 

Curran currently resides in Chelmsford, MA with his wife Megan and their two children Ty and Kaley.

Mike Gennetti returns for his seventh season as part of the Merrimack College football coaching staff. Gennetti was promoted to the defensive coordinator position in July of 2011.

Formerly the linebackers coach, Gennetti’s linebackers anchored the Merrimack defense in 2009 and 2010, as Shawn Loiseau set the school record for tackles in consecutive seasons, while earning Northeast-10 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2010.

Prior to his current post, Gennetti spent two years as the defensive backs coach and strength and conditioning coach at Division III Worcester State College.

During his time at Worcester State, Gennetti helped the Lancer defense make one of the most dramatic improvements in one year.   In passing defense, the team went from 17th in the nation in 2003 to first in 2004.  While at Worcester State, he coached three all-conference players, including the 2003 MASCAC Rookie of the Year.

Gennetti was a four-year starter at defensive back at Worcester State, and captained the team as a senior in 2002.   In 2000, he was named to the Worcester All-Area First Team, finishing sixth in the nation in interceptions (eight in nine games).  In 2003, he was given the Senior Male Athlete of the Year award for leadership in sports at Worcester State.

A 2003 graduate of Worcester State, Gennetti earned a Bachelor of Science degree in public policy and community development.

Odell Jones enters his first season at Merrimack as linebackers coach and the recruiting coordinator.

Jones comes to Merrimack from Saint Anselm, where he was the linebackers coach. Previously, he was at MIT where he served as the defensive coordinator.

A football coach with 15 years of college experience and 13 years of high school experience, Jones has also coached at Saint Anselm and Stonehill among others.

Working at the Boston College summer football camp for 16 straight years, Jones coached high school football in Illinois for 13 years, highlighted by a two-year stint as head coach at Carver High School.

A 1986 graduate of East Carolina University with a degree in Communications, Jones played at Cisco College for one season before transferring to East Carolina.  He played for two years on the development squad for the Philadelphia Eagles before spending one season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

Mike DiCenso enters his third season at Merrimack and will serve as the offensive line coach.

Led by DiCenso, defensive lineman Tony Johnson was the Northeast-10 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2010 and an All-American selection. Johnson, a three-time first-team all-conference selection already has the school record for sacks in a season and a career.

DiCenso brings eight years of coaching experience, including four years at Arlington Catholic High School as the offensive line coach and special teams coordinator. He spent 2008 as the co-offensive coordinator at Framingham State, where he coached the first 1,000 yard rusher in program history. DiCenso also coached at Curry College in 2007, serving as the defensive backs coach for the NEFC champions.

A 2002 graduate from Bridgewater State where he played offensive line, DiCenso teaches adapted physical education for the LABBB Collaborative Program in Lexington and currently resides in Lowell with his wife Angela.

John Kuhne begins his fourth season on the Warriors’ coaching staff and his first as the special teams coordinator. In 2008, Kuhne volunteered his services to the football squad and spent three seasons as the running backs coach on the conference’s top-ranked offense.

Kuhne has coached football in New England since 1992 and most recently coached at Stoneham High School as the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator in 2008. He has also coached the Northeastern Knights in the New England Football Semi-Pro League as the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. Kuhne has also coached at Woburn High School, Timberlane Junior Football, and Reading Pop Warner Football.

He graduated from Northeastern University in 1992 with a degree in electrical engineering technology.

Kuhne currently resides in Wilmington.

Bill Ryan enters his first season at Merrimack and will oversee the secondary for 2011. Previously, Ryan coached the secondary at MIT for three season and served as Recruiting Coordinator.

He oversaw four NEFC All-Conference players, six all-academic honorees, and one ESPN Academic All-American.

Ryan has also coach the semi-pro North Shore Generals and at Swampscott High School.

Coach Ryan player linebacker for four seasons at WPI and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Engineering. He resides in Swampscott and has three sons, Liam, Andrew and Michael.

Dan Rowe joined the Merrimack coaching staff in March 2012 as Linebackers Coach.

Coach Rowe came to Merrimack from Yale University where he served as Video Coordinator, assistant in football operations, and Defensive Assistant. He assisted with the Bulldog's Linebackers in 2010 and their Defensive Ends in 2011.

Prior to working at Yale, Rowe was a student assistant for four years at the University of New Hampshire before graduating in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology: Sport Studies.

Rowe is a graduate of Exeter High School in Exeter, NH where he also assisted with the Blue Hawks football program.