Towson University has hired Rob Ambrose, a former player and assistant coach at the school, as its head football coach, replacing Gordy Combs, who was fired earlier this month after 17 seasons.
Ambrose, a Frederick County native who has spent the past seven years as an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut, signed a five-year contract to become the Tigers’ fourth head coach in the team’s 40-year history. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“All three of my predecessors are legends and men that I admire,” Ambrose, who is UConn’s offensive coordinator, said in a statement. “It’s with great humility that I follow in their footsteps. I am so thankful to be part of this program’s past and I am grateful to be part of the future.”
Ambrose follows Carl Runk (1969-71), Phil Albert (1972-1991) and Gordy Combs (1992-2008), as he played receiver Albert before suffering a career-ending injury during his senior year. He was an assistant coach under Combs for nine seasons, beginning in 1992 before becoming head coach at Catholic University in 2001. The following year, he was hired as an assistant coach at UConn.
In Ambrose’s seven seasons, the Huskies have gone 48-36, including a 7-5 record this year entering the team’s game against Buffalo in the International Bowl on Jan. 3.
Ambrose replaces Combs, who had a career record of 92-90 after the Tigers went 3-9 this fall. Before becoming head coach, Combs spent 19 seasons as an assistant coach at the school after playing for the Tigers in 1971 and 1972. Combs was fired on Dec. 2.
“Rob was on our list from the very beginning,” Mike Hermann, Towson’s athletics director, said in a statement. “But I felt it was important to conduct a thorough national search to ensure that we found the very best coach for Towson University…He admits he’s been planning for this day since he left Towson as an assistant coach eight years ago.”
