In just two seasons, head coach John Perry has completely rebuilt the Merrimack football program, earning a Northeast-10 Championship in 2009 and paving the way for plenty of successful seasons to come.
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. Sophomore quarterback James Suozzo was named the Northeast-10 Most Valuable Player, while ten other players were named to the All-Conference team. Perry’s offense was ranked fourth nationally, averaging 480 total yards per game while totaling 38 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, sophomore Tony Johnson, who led the conference and set the school record for sacks as a freshman, was second in the nation in tackles for a loss and led the league in fumbles forced and fumbles recovered. Sophomore Shawn Loiseau set the school record with a conference-best 123 tackles and led 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.
The Warriors also set numerous team school records, including the scoring record (349 points), total rushing yards (2,516), total yards (4,826) and first downs (226). For the second straight year, the offensive line set the school record for fewest sacks in a season with 11, four fewer than in 2008.
In his first season, Perry guided the 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 the Northeast-10 All-Conference team.
Perry, who has over 15 years of college football coaching experience, started at Merrimack on December 28, 2007 after spending last 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.
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.
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 1992-93.
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.
Scott Sperone enters his third season as the defensive coordinator at Merrimack.
Under Sperone’s leadership, Shawn Loiseau (123 tackles), Nick DesJardins (four fumbled returned) and Jason Fischer (six interceptions) set school defensive records in 2009, as Merrimack captured a share of the Northeast-10 title with a 6-2 conference record, highlighted by a goal line stand in the final minute of a 14-12 victory over Bentley.
The 2008 Warrior defense ranked second in the nation with 4.1 sacks per game, while defensive back Andrew Jackson became the first first-team All-American in school history
Sperone came to the Warriors from Brown University when he was the running backs coach in 2006 and 2007. He also prepared practice schedules and offensive scripts, while managing the Junior Varsity offense.
A 2001 graduate of Springfield College, Sperone has also coached at Williams College, Stonehill College, Springfield College, and King’s College. He earned his Master’s in Education from Springfield in May of 2004.
While at Springfield, Sperone played free safety and strong safety from 1997 to 2000.
He also served as an assistant swimming and softball coach at Williams College and was a volunteer head coach for the Montville Shamrocks and Montville American Legion baseball.
Mike Gennetti returns for his sixth season as part of the Merrimack College football coaching staff. For the second straight year, he will coach the linebackers after coaching the secondary in 2007. He will also be responsible for recruiting Eastern Massachusetts.
Gennetti’s linebackers anchored the Merrimack defense in 2009, as Shawn Loiseau set the school record with 123 tackles, while Shane Brown’s leadership and experience led a young core to the conference championship.
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.
John Kuhne begins his third season on the Warriors’ coaching staff and will serve as the running backs coach for the 2009 season. In 2008, Kuhne volunteered his services to the football squad.
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 coaches 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.
Dan Ballou begins his third stint at Merrimack College and his eighth season on the collegiate level as the Warriors Tight Ends Coach.
He comes to Merrimack from Northeastern University where he coached receivers for two years.
Last season, he helped the Huskies young group of receivers rack up over 60 receptions. Before arriving at NU, he spent four seasons as the Wide Receivers coach at Merrimack College. Ballou coached the wide receivers and worked extensively with Merrimack’s special teams units. Under his direction, the Warriors’ kick off unit improved from last to first place in the Northeast 10 Conference. Ballou also coached several All-American and All-New England players.
Prior to his stint at Merrimack, Ballou spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Wilmington High School in Wilmington, Mass. There, he worked with the receivers, defensive backs and specialists. Ballou was a four-year starter for Wake Forest from 1993-97. He graduated with a degree in Speech Communications in 2002.
Mike DiCenso enters his second season at Merrimack and will serve as the defensive line coach.
Led by DiCenso, defensive lineman Tony Johnson was a first-team all-conference selection and already has the school record with 20.5 sacks in just two seasons.
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.
Pat O’Toole begins his third season with the Warriors, serving as the outside linebackers coach.
O’Toole’s linebackers anchored the Merrimack defense in 2009, as Shawn Loiseau set the school record with 123 tackles, while Shane Brown’s leadership and experience led a young core to the conference championship.
Under O’Toole’s supervision in 2008, freshman Tony
Johnson set the school record for sacks with a conference-best 11.5
sacks, while earning first-team all-conference honors.
