JERSEY CITY, NJ… Rich Howell has been named Offensive Coordinator and assistant coach/quarterbacks by head coach Arnold Jeter.
Howell comes to NJCU with a wealth of coaching experience on both the college and high school level, and will be an important addition to the 2002 coaching staff.
“He brings a lot of experience to the table,” said Jeter. “We’re very excited and happy to have him as part of our program. I knew Rich when he was [coach at Harrison High School] because he had Ray Lucas, and I had the opportunity to spend some time with him at that time.”
His last position was at Bayonne High School in 2001, where he was the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
Howell recently served as head coach of nearby Kearny High School from 1995-1998, where he led the Kardinals to the best football record in over 54 years in 1997. He was honored with the Kearny Town of Resolution #1997-672 for his success that season. In 1996, Kearny PBA Local #21 named Howell their “Citizen of the Year.”
Prior to Kearny, Howell was an assistant coach at Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington, NJ from 1991-1994, and at Harrison High School from 1985-1990. The Blue Tide won the state championship in 1986. They also went undefeated in winning the 1989 BCSL National league title.
His last college position was at Monmouth University from 1975-1979, where he served as the assistant head coach while he was still an undergraduate. At the same time, he also coached baseball at Monmouth. In 1977, the Hawks were District 31 and Area 8 Champions, and advanced to the College World Series.
Howell attended Monmouth on both football and baseball scholarships, but due to a severe knee injury was unable to play. He turned to coaching instead. He was tabbed the Monmouth Fall Baseball Coach of the Year award as a student.
A 1978 graduate of then-Monmouth College with a B.S. in Elementary Education, Howell has been a teacher for the Kearny Board of Education for the past 21 years.
A 1970 graduate of Kearny High School, Howell was an outstanding athlete who played three seasons of varsity football for coach Don Wernas, and honored with the Athletic “K” Award, given annually to the school’s best athlete.
Howell is an active member of the New Jersey Football Coaches Association (NJFCA). Howell resides in his hometown of Kearny with his wife, Jacqueline, and their three children, son, Jonathan, 20, and two daughters, Alana, 8, and Molly, 7.
