Tom Rogish is entering his second season as the head coach of the Frostburg State University football program and has things headed in the right direction after his first season in 2008.
Last fall, Rogish guided the Bobcats to a 3-6 overall record against the nation’s toughest schedule, including wins over SUNY Brockport (27-14), Southern Virginia (21-13) and Apprentice (20-7).
The Bobcats led the Atlantic Central Football Conference in interceptions (12) and turnover margin (+2) and finished second in red zone offense (81.8), pass offense (182.7) and pass efficiency (138.1).
Rogish, the 12th head coach in the program’s 47-year history, brings over 30 years of coaching experience to Frostburg State including 29 years in the collegiate ranks.
Rogish began his collegiate coaching career at Juniata (Division III), but has spent the last 22 years at the Division II level at perennial powers Indiana (Pa.) and Shepherd (W.Va.).
Prior to his arrival in Frostburg, Rogish spent two years on the defensive staff at Shepherd College. The Rams made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and 2007 including a run to the NCAA Division II Northeast Region championship this past fall. Shepherd finished the fall season with one of the top defenses in the country. The Rams were 25th in scoring defense (19.9), 13th in turnover margin (1.2) and 41st in total defense (321.3).
Rogish, one of the top defensive coaches at the small college level, spent the majority of his collegiate coaching tenure with Indiana (Pa.), serving as the defensive coordinator from 1986-1993 and the Associate Head Coach from 1994-2006.
Under his tutelage, 113 players were named All-PSAC West defensive selections including 62 on the First Team. He coached nine Associated Press All-Americans on the defensive side of the ball including two PSAC West Players of the Year.
The Crimson Hawks, known as the Indians prior to the 2007-08 year, made the NCAA Division II Playoffs 14 times from 1987-2002 including two national runner-up finishes in 1990 and 1993. During Rogish’s stay in Indiana, the school posted 182 total wins, had nine seasons with 10 or more victories, was ranked in the Top 10 in 17 of the 20 seasons and posted a school record 13 wins in the 1993 campaign.
Rogish spent two seasons at the NCAA Division IAA level with Lehigh in 1982 and 1983, helping the Engineers (now the Mountain Hawks) to an 8-3 overall record in the second year and two AP All-American awards.
He also spent time at the high school level coaching Altoona Area from 1973-1977 and Southern Huntingdon from 1984-1986. Both schools are situated in Western Pennsylvania.
Rogish has an extensive administrative background, overseeing all aspects of the coaching profession such as budget, NCAA compliance, team travel, preseason camp schedule while serving as the officials and sport information liaison. He has served as an assistant professor and lecturer at Indiana and Shepherd and the Director of Intramurals at Juniata.
He is a member of AFCA and has served as the Chairman of AFCA Division II Assistant Coaches Committee from 1989-91 and 1996-2005. While in that role, he designed and maintained the Division II coach’s website and developed an email distribution list for 154 DII staff representatives.
Rogish, who earned his Bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education from IUP in 1971, is familiar with Frostburg State having earned his Master’s degree in Health and Physical Education in 1981.
He and his wife Marcia reside in Bedford, Pa. Together they have two children Jody, a graduate of Carnegie Mellon, and Jeff, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy.
