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Author Topic: RIP Tom Cecchini  (Read 174 times)

Offline nickgyp

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RIP Tom Cecchini
« on: January 20, 2025, 01:33:13 PM »
Only learned today that Xavier?s last football coach, Tom Cecchini, passed away in 2023. I don?t recall seeing it mentioned anywhere on Xavier boards elsewhere. He was a good guy who addressed a Xavier club football team banquet in 2008 at Roger Bacon. He even welcomed my ill-fated attempt to walk-on at Xavier in the spring of 1973.
Thought he had the team turned around when it finished 5-5-1 later that year but Fr. Mulligan had other plans as did the Board of Trustees.


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Offline Bruce

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Re: RIP Tom Cecchini
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2025, 06:33:41 PM »
News to me. I hadn’t heard that, either.


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Offline nickgyp

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Re: RIP Tom Cecchini
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2025, 07:24:54 AM »
I would have thought his passing would have merited some mention by the school even though he was not an alum. I always felt bad for him as Xavier football in its prior three seasons was simply abysmal. 5-5-1  is not particularly earth shattering except in 1973, the Musketeers played some entertains football in closing out the season with a number of wins. There were positive vibes in the direction Cecchini was taking the team; and he had worked hard to make it happen. The decision to drop football completely denied him and the team a chance to prove itself.

I know he went on to coach with Iowa and later the Minnesota Vikings but I wish he had the opportunity to succeed here. The fact that his passing was missed by the school just seems consistent with how all his dedication to Xavier football was rewarded.

 

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