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| Vince Brautigam's Cornell team went 4-5 this season, missing out on a 10th game and possible .500 mark when Grinnell closed down its football program for the season in September. Photo by Russ De Hoedt, d3photography.com |
Vince Brautigam will not return as Cornell’s head football coach after leading the program the past 10 seasons, it was announced Tuesday by athletic director Keith Hackett.
Brautigam’s teams went 42-56 since he took over in 2000. The Rams finished 4-5 this fall, including a 1-3 mark in the Midwest Conference South Division. Cornell beat Macalester, 17-14, in the MWC’s seventh-place game Saturday in Mount Vernon.
“We are grateful to Coach Brautigam for his efforts over the last 10 years and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” Hackett said. “My expectations are that we can and will do better. Our student-athletes and their experiences on and off the field at Cornell are my highest priorities at all times.”
A national search will begin immediately. CarrSports Consulting will serve as a search counsel. No further comments will be made until the conclusion of the search process.
Brautigam was named Cornell’s 14th head football coach in December 2009, after directing an eight-year turnaround at Dubuque (2001-08). The Rams went 0-10 in Brautigam’s initial 2010 season, and then improved to three wins in 2011 and four in 2012 before going 7-3 during a breakout 2013 campaign.
Brautigam was voted 2013 MWC Coach of the Year after guiding the Rams to a tie for second place in the conference race with a 7-2 mark. It was Cornell’s first winning season since 2001.
Cornell posted at least four wins in each of his final eight seasons in the MWC. The Rams had a winning 5-4 season in 2014. They finished 5-5 in 2018, 2016 and 2015.
Under Brautigam’s leadership, the Rams claimed 60 all-conference awards, including 28 first team selections. Cornell fielded the MWC Player of the Year in 2014 (Sam Cluck, offensive line) and 2017 (Andrew Joseph, defensive line), and MWC Newcomer of the Year in 2018 (Kale Kuhiiki, defensive line). The Rams had three all-region performers during Brautigam's time on the Hilltop.
The Rams are 27-39 in conference play since Brautigam’s arrival. He ranks fifth on Cornell’s football wins list with 42.
Brautigam has compiled a 132-161 career record in 29 collegiate seasons as a head coach. His teams won nine conference championships, eight of them while at Mount Senario (1990-2000).