Handy Named Offensive Coordinator: Amsler, Enke, and Ricci Join Coaching Staff

Alfred State head football coach Scott Linn has announced his 2021 coaching staff. Zach Handy, who is entering his fourth season with the program, has been named the Offensive Coordinator while Jakob Amsler, Evan Enke, and Hayden Ricci have been added to the staff.

Handy joined the Alfred State coaching staff in 2018 and has served as the Offensive Line coach the last three years. He will now take over the Offensive Coordinator duties along with instructing the offensive line.

Amsler will coach the Pioneers defensive backs this year. He most recently served as a undergraduate coaching intern at Juniata College (Huntingdon, PA). Amsler coached the defensive backs, defensive line, linebackers, special teams, and long snappers. He was responsible for defensive film breakdown, scouting reports, and assisting in creating game plans. He also managed the recruiting database, chartered offensive plays on gameday, and assisted the Director of Football Operations. He was part of the Eagles staff from January 2019-May 2021. From May 2018 to May 2021, Amsler also served as a coaching volunteer at Central Buck West (Doylestown, PA). He helped coach running backs, linebackers, defensive backs, and long snappers.

Amsler played safety and was a long snapper at Juniata during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. He graduated with a bachelor degree in secondary education from Juniata in 2021 with a social studies certification. He was named to the dean's list three times.

Enke returns to the sidelines for Alfred State for a second stint on the Alfred State coaching staff. He will coach the linebackers during the 2021 season.

Enke coached on the defensive side of the ball at Alfred State from 1995-2001 under head coaches Mark Shardlow and Mick Caba. He served as a defensive line coach and as defensive coordinator during his seven years on the staff. Since his last time coaching at Alfred State, Enke has been coaching high school football. Most recently he was an assistant coach at Wellsville High School.

Enke is the department chair of the Computer and Information Technology department and also teaches within the department. He competed on the football and track & field teams at Alfred University while earning bachelor's degrees in both history and political science. He also earned a master's degree in professional studies while serving as an assistant coach for the Saxons. 

Ricci joined the Alfred State coaching staff this summer. He will coach the wide receivers.

Ricci has previous football coaching experience at the University of Buffalo and St. John Fisher. He has also coached wrestling at East Rochester High School.  As an offensive intern at the University of Buffalo, he evaluated and ranked student-athletes for scholarship offers and monitored all New York state prospects. He also evaluated opponents tendencies and personnel. Prior to that he was a student assistant tight ends coach at St. John Fisher. He worked with the offensive coordinator on practice plans, assisted the offensive line coach, and charted all offensive plays and defensive fronts during gamedays. He also served as the JV offensive line coach.

Ricci was a member of the St. John Fisher football team. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History in 2020. 

The Alfred State football team opens preseason camp for the 2021 season next week. They open up the 2021 campaign on September 4th when they host Utica College at 5 p.m.

2021 Alfred State Football Coaching Staff:

Scott Linn: Head Coach

Zach Handy: Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line

Dave Mears: Tight Ends

Hayden Ricci: Wide Receivers

Barry Young: Running Backs

Drew Gallardy: Defensive Coordinator

Jakob Amsler: Defensive Backs

David Baron: Defensive Line

Evan Enke: Linebackers