Recruiting Areas: Eastern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Ohio
Rich Gunnell has spent three seasons as the wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator for Holy Cross.
Throughout the past three years, Gunnell has helped lead one of the top offenses in the entire nation, guiding the Crusaders to three consecutive Patriot League titles.
In 2023, Holy Cross finished the year ranked fourth nationally in total offense (466.6 yards per game) and seventh in scoring offense (36.9 points per game). All-American receiver Jalen Coker led the nation in touchdown receptions (15) and ranked eighth nationally with 1,040 receiving yards while setting program records for single-season touchdown receptions, career touchdown receptions (31) and career receiving yards (2,715). Coker was a finalist for the 2023 Walter Payton Award and finished in the top 10 in voting, the only receiver to do so.
In 2022, Holy Cross ranked second in FCS in yards per completion (16.2) and eighth in scoring offense (37.4 points per game). Coker earned All-Patriot League first team honors. As a team in 2022, Holy Cross went 11-0 during the regular season for the third time in program history and first time since 1991. The 2022 Crusaders (12-1) recorded the most single-season wins in program history and advanced to the NCAA FCS quarterfinals for the first time since 1983; their lone loss on the campaign was a hard-fought playoff contest to top-seeded South Dakota State, the eventual national champions.
Gunnell joined the Holy Cross staff after serving as the running backs coach at Boston College under head coach Jeff Hafley. A former standout player with the Eagles, Gunnell spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the staff, including four years as the wide receivers coach and a stint beginning on Dec. 1, 2019 as the team’s interim head coach, coaching the Eagles in the 2020 TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl. Under Gunnell’s tutelage, running back Pat Garwo rushed for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns to earn second team All-ACC honors during the 2021 season. He was part of an offensive coaching staff in 2020 that featured six All-ACC selections and finished 24th nationally in passing offense.
In 2018, the Eagles’ offense registered the sixth-highest scoring offense in school history, averaging 32.0 points per game. He oversaw the development of two converted high school quarterbacks into NFL wide receivers, as both Michael Walker (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Jeff Smith (New York Jets) made the leap from BC to the NFL following the 2018 season.
The New Jersey native came to Boston College after almost a two-year stint as the head coach at Marian High School in Framingham, Mass. He worked on the BC staff as a graduate assistant for two years (2012-13) and spent the previous season as the assistant defensive line coach at Tufts.
A four-year wide receiver for the Eagles from 2006-09, he was captain and team MVP in 2009 and earned honorable mention All-ACC honors. Gunnell ranks fourth in BC career history in receptions (181), third in receiving yards (2,459), fifth in touchdown receptions (18) and tied for second with eight 100-yard receiving games.
GUNNELL’S COACHING CAREER
2022- | Holy Cross (Wide Receivers / Pass Game Coordinator)
2020-21 | Boston College (Running Backs)
2016-19 | Boston College (Wide Receivers)**
2014-15 | Marian HS (Mass.) (Head Coach)
2012-13 | Boston College (Graduate Assistant)
2011 | Tufts (Defensive Line)
**Named interim head coach on Dec. 2, 2019
