Frostburg State University Athletics

Eric Wagoner enters his third season as head coach of the Football program in the 2024 season.

In 2023, FSU finished with a record of 7-3, including a 6-3 mark in MEC play that was good enough to tie for second place in the conference. The Bobcats finished as a top defensive team, allowing just 275.5 yards per game, 21 total touchdowns and 17 points per game, all the best in the MEC and top-20 marks in all of Division II. 
 
Under his direction, 13 total players earned All-MEC honors, including the Defensive Freshman of the Year in Darrell Scott and four First Team members(Brandon Dillard - OL, Colby Street - LB, Leonard Scott - DL, and Wylan Harich - DB). FSU also excelled in the classroom, as eight players were named College Sport Communicators Academic All-District, 14 received Academic All-MEC honors, and a further 32 earned a spot on the Commissioner's Honor Roll. 

During his first season at the helm, Frostburg went 8-3 overall, including a 7-3 record in MEC play that put them third in the conference. FSU was the second-best defensive team, allowing 316.6 yards per game, 23 total touchdowns, and 16.4 points per game. The Bobcat rushing defense was particularly impressive, allowing just 105 yards per game on the ground, a full 20 yards per game better than the next-best team. 

A pair of Frostburg players received All-American honors in kicker Dayne Koontz and OL Gottlieb Ayedze, while the former was also named a College Sport Communicators Academic All-American. Joining them in receiving First Team All-MEC honors were DE Luke Freeman, LB Dylan Culpen, and DB Wylan Harich, all part of 14 total All-MEC honorees. 

Prior to taking over as head coach, Wagoner had spent two seasons as the Bobcats' Defensive Coordinator, during which the team went 13-2 across the Spring 2021 and Fall '21 seasons. FSU was the second-best defense by yards per game allowed (294.2) and points per game (16.4), while being the top-ranked rushing defense at just 84.4 yards per game allowed. 

Wagoner came to Frostburg after serving on the coaching staff at the University of Saint Francis in Indiana for the last 12 years, having been the program's DC for seven seasons. He helped the Cougars win NAIA National Championships in 2016 & 2017 and he was named the 2016 Football Scoop NAIA Coordinator of the Year.
 
In 2016, his defensive squad finished second in the country in scoring (18.4) and second in rushing defense (101.0 ypg). In '17, his Cougar defensive squad led the nation in scoring defense (17.2) and finished first in both total defense (298.0) and rushing defense (92.0). In 2018, he helped the defense to second in NAIA in rushing defense (99.6).
 
Wagoner also served as the Cougars' special team's coordinator and his unit led the Mid State Football Association in kick returns five times in a seven-year stretch. Those return groups also returned eight kicks for TDs.
 
Under his tutelage, 33 players have earned all-conference honors, including 23 first-team honorees. He also coached three AFCA All-Americans and the 2016 Mid State Football Association Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Since 2008, Saint Francis has made 10 NAIA playoff appearances with 15 wins and the Cougars won five Mid State Football Association Championships. During that same stretch, Saint Francis has won 116 games against just 27 losses.
 
Wagoner is a graduate of Saint Francis and was a four-year letter winner for the Cougar football team. He helped the team to a 51-4 overall record with four league championships, four playoff appearances and three national championship game appearances.
 
He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Saint Francis in 2007 and he earned his master's in business administration in 2011.