WORCESTER, Mass. — Holy Cross football head coach Dan Curran announced his full coaching staff for the 2026 season on Thursday, Feb. 5. 

Bryan Robbat, who served as associate head coach, special teams coordinator and secondary coach under Curran for the last two seasons, will take on the role of defensive coordinator in 2026. 

Throughout his career, Robbat has coached four defensive backs who have eventually signed NFL contracts; his student-athletes have received all-conference honors a total of 19 times, and four of his players have earned All-America recognition. 

Robbat has made a statement in his two seasons on The Hill, with Holy Cross' special teams unit ranking as the best in the Patriot League — and one of the best in the country. The Crusaders' special teams led the conference in nearly every statistical category, and ranked first nationally in blocked punt and second nationally in punt return touchdowns, blocked kicks and special teams touchdowns.  

In his time at Merrimack, Robbat helped lead the top-ranked defense in the NEC and ranked fourth in all of FCS in total defense during the 2023 season; that team also ranked number one in the country in third-down conversion and in the top five in FCS in four other defensive statistical categories. In 2022, the Warriors' defense ranked atop the NEC in rushing defense, sacks and third down conversions. 

Matt Schell has been elevated to the role of offensive coordinator after two seasons on The Hill, in which he served as tight ends coach, pass game coordinator and recruiting coordinator. In his time at Holy Cross, Schell helped develop Jacob Petersen, who became the first Holy Cross tight end to earn first team All-Patriot League accolades since 2010 and had the third-most receiving yards of any FCS tight end during the 2024 season. 

Schell has extensive experience developing elite offensive players; during his previous tenure at Merrimack, he developed and mentored Donovan Wadley, who earned 2023 NEC Offensive Player of the Year honors. Wadley had never played wide receiver prior to Schell's arrival on the staff, but converted from running back in just one season under Schell's tutelage. 

Prior to his time at Merrimack, Schell helped build a championship-caliber offense at Pitt during the 2021 season as an assistant quarterbacks coach and offensive quality control coach. Schell directly aided the offensive coordinator with game plan creation and development, resulting in the highest-scoring offense in Pitt history as well as an ACC Championship. The Panthers were the top offense in the ACC averaging 41.4 points and 486.6 yards per game, while ranking third nationally in scoring and eighth in total offense. Individually, the Panther offense featured two of the nation's top skill players: senior Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Kenny Pickett and Biletnikoff-winning wide receiver Jordan Addison.

Jimmy Walsh has been promoted to special teams coordinator, and will continue to coach the linebackers. He has been a member of the Crusader staff the past two seasons. Walsh has previous experience as a special teams coordinator at the University of Maine, Colby and Merrimack, and also served as a special teams graduate assistant at Rice University. In his time at Maine, the Black Bears were one of only 18 teams in FCS that did not allow a blocked kick or punt, and Maine ranked third in the CAA with a net kickoff average of 41.2.

Dalton Daddona will serve as the running backs coach this season, and is elevated from his role as an offensive quality control coach in 2025. Daddona appeared in 42 contests as an offensive lineman for the Crusaders between 2020-2024 — and was part of an offensive line room that perennially ranked as one of the top in the nation in that span. 

Westin Elliott moves to the role of quarterbacks coach after serving as the running backs coach in 2025. He previously was an offensive quality control coach with the Crusaders in 2024, and also coached at St. Thomas More in Oakdale, Conn., as the football program's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2023. A stellar collegiate quarterback, Elliott played one season at Merrimack College, setting five separate program records in 2021, in addition to setting the Northeast Conference single-season record for touchdown passes (30) en route to earning NEC Second Team All-Offense honors. He was ranked as the 21st-best quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft via Sports Illustrated. Prior to his season at Merrimack, Elliott spent four years at Louisiana Tech University, appearing in 12 games.

The Crusaders welcome two new additions to the coaching staff in 2026: Joe Kreinsen, who will serve as offensive line coach and run game coordinator, and Mikal Myers, who will coach the defensive tackles. 

Kreinsen joins the Crusaders after spending the two previous seasons as an offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Merrimack. Kreinsen was instrumental in helping the development of offensive lineman Cole Birdow, who would go on to earn an opportunity as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots. At Merrimack, the team set program records in the FCS era for rushing yards per game (192.5) and yards per carry (4.9), while also ranking 13th in FCS with a 90 percent red zone conversion rate. He previously coached at Thomas More University in Kentucky as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator, Lake Erie College as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, the University of Pittsburgh as a graduate assistant working with the offensive line, and the University of Massachusetts in various roles.

Myers most recently coached at the University at Albany as the team's defensive line coach after previously serving in the same role at the University of New Haven. Myers has also spent time with Maine as a defensive tackles coach and with American International College as a graduate assistant linebackers coach. Prior to his coaching journey, Myers was a standout defensive lineman for the University of Connecticut. In five seasons with the Huskies, he played in 45 games while making 15 starts, and was named a team captain his final season. He was the 2016 recipient of the Kendall Madison Award, which is given to a strong player whose dedication, hard work, and outstanding citizenship best exemplify the strong spirit of the UConn Huskies. Myers received an invitation to the 2017 College Gridiron Showcase and an invitation to the Baltimore Ravens camp that same year.

Rich Gunnell remains on the staff as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach. Bo Alexander will continue to serve as a defensive line coach, and Jesse Monteiro has been elevated from the safeties coach to the secondary coach. 

The Crusaders open the 2026 season with a home contest against Lehigh on August 29. 

2026 HOLY CROSS FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF
Dan Curran | Head Coach
Bryan Robbat | Associate Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator
Matt Schell | Offensive Coordinator / Tight Ends
Jimmy Walsh | Special Teams Coordinator / Linebackers
Rich Gunnell | Assistant Head Coach / Wide Receivers
Bo Alexander | Defensive Line Coach  
Dalton Daddona | Running Backs Coach
Westin Elliott | Quarterbacks Coach
Joe Kreinsen | Offensive Line Coach / Run Game Coordinator 
Jesse Monteiro | Secondary Coach
Mikal Myers | Defensive Tackles Coach

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