Central football announces new head coach

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Central announced Adam Lechtenberg as the university’s 15th head football coach on Jan. 12. Lechtenberg served as the Blue Devils co-offensive coordinator for the 2010 and 2011 campaigns, contributing to Blue Devils’ 2010 Northeast Conference championship.

“We extend an enthusiastic, warm ‘welcome back’ to Mr. Lechtenberg and his family as they return to Central Connecticut State University,” said President Zulma R. Toro. “Coach Lechtenberg’s commitment to the social, academic, and athletic experience of student-athletes is in line with the core principles of our university.”

Lechtenberg’s offenses ranked in the top third in the nation in nearly every category, and the 2010 squad led the NEC in nine categories. Lechtenberg also was the lead recruiter for the Blue Devils’ all-time leading rusher, Rob Hollomon.

“It is a pleasure to have Adam back as part of our Blue Devil family,” said Director of Athletics Tom Pincince. “He has coached, recruited, and excelled on the field at each stop of his career. He impressed during the interview process with his preparation, passion, and plan for success — athletically and academically — for our student-athletes and football program. That attention to detail was a key.”

During the Fall 2022 season, Lechtenberg served as assistant head coach and co-offensive coordinator at the University of Central Oklahoma. In five seasons at Virginia Tech, Lechtenberg continued to recruit offensive talent, signing two transfer running backs that have both gone on to NFL careers. Under his tutelage in 2020, the Hokies led the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing, producing a school record for yards per play that season.

Lechtenberg also managed the passing game and served as wide receivers coach at the University of Tennessee-Martin in 2016 as part of the second ranked offense in the Ohio Valley Conference. The four seasons prior, he served as the director of player personnel and interim wide receivers coach at the University of Memphis.

Before taking over play-calling duties at Central, Lechtenberg spent three seasons as the offensive graduate assistant coach at Texas Christian University, working with quarterbacks and the offensive line. He began his collegiate coaching journey in 2005 at Wayne State College, as wide receivers coach, spending three seasons with the Warriors.

“I am thrilled for the opportunity to serve as the head football coach at Central Connecticut State University,” said Lechtenberg. “I enjoyed my time at Central and look forward to returning and making more championship memories.”

The 2023 season will be the 84th intercollegiate campaign for Central football. The Blue Devils have earned six NEC championships, including a 2019 title that saw a record 11 wins.