Eric Hamilton (American football)
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1953)}}
{{about|the American football coach|the bishop|Eric Hamilton (bishop)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Eric Hamilton
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1953|9|19}}
| birth_place = Bordentown, New Jersey, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1971–1974
| player_team1 = Trenton State
| player_positions = Center
| coach_years1 = 1975–1976
| coach_team1 = Trenton State (GA)
| coach_years2 = 1977–2012
| coach_team2 = Trenton State / TCNJ
| overall_record = 212–144–6
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record = 4–5 (NCAA D-III playoffs)
| championships = 7 NJSAC/NJAC (1980, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1996, 2007)
| awards =
| coaching_records =
}}
Eric Hamilton (born September 19, 1953) is an American former college football coach. He served as head football coach at The College of New Jersey from 1977 to 2012, compiling a record of 212–144–6.
Athlete
A native of Bordentown, New Jersey, Hamilton graduated from Bordentown Regional High School in 1971, where he earned all-area and all-league honors playing center for the football team and also competing in track and field.[https://brhs.bordentown.k12.nj.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=444485&type=d&pREC_ID=958474 "Eric Hamilton Class of 1971"], Bordentown Regional High School. Accessed January 20, 2018. "Eric Hamilton graduated from Bordentown Regional High School in 1971. While at Bordentown Regional High School, he earned 'all area and all league' honors as an offensive center in addition to participating in track and field."
He subsequently attended Trenton State College, now known as The College of New Jersey ("TCNJ" or "New Jersey"), in the early 1970s. He played center for the Trenton State Lions football teams from 1971 to 1974. He was named an all-conference player three times and received All-ECAC honors in 1973 and 1974. He also received All-American designations in 1974 from Kodak, the Associated Press, the United Press International.{{cite web|title=2001 NFF Chapter Leadership Honorees Announced |publisher=National Football Foundation |url=http://www.footballfoundation.org/news.php?id=62 |accessdate=June 27, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Coaching career
After graduating from Trenton State in 1974, Hamilton became a graduate assistant for the Trenton State football team in 1975 and 1976. In January 1977, Hamilton was named the head football coach at TCNJ at age 23. At the time, he was the youngest head football coach at any college in the United States.{{cite news|title=Eric Hamilton on Princeton TV30|publisher=Princeton TV30|year=2008|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOeIYJn4_HU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/HOeIYJn4_HU |archive-date=December 15, 2021 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}} Interviewed Princeton TV30 in 2008, Hamilton said that his most memorable experience was his first game as head coach at Trenton State. At age 23, he was "scared to death" to play on the road on a Friday night in a rain storm and wasn't sure what to say to the team. He put on scuba flippers, and a scuba mask, walked into the locker room and said, "All right guys, let's go out and play." The team won 14–0 in the mud and the rain, and he recalled it as "the most fun he ever had."
In 36 years as the head coach, he led the TCNJ Lions football teams to eight New Jersey Athletic Conference championships. His teams also played in NCAA tournaments in 1990, 1996, 1997, and 2007, and in ECAC tournaments in 1995 and 2003. He became the winningest football coach in Trenton State/TCNJ history in 1985 when he won his 56th game at age 32. In 1990, The New York Times praised the Trenton State team as "a typical Hamilton team noted for its discipline."{{cite news|author=William N. Wallace|title=COLLEGE FOOTBALL; Hofstra Remains Unbeaten|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 25, 1990}} He has had one 10-win season (1990), three 9-win seasons (1982, 1997, and 2007) and seven 8-win seasons (1980, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1996 and 1998).
Hamilton reached the 200 career win milestone on October 30, 2010, when TCNJ defeated Western Connecticut State 22–16.{{cite news|title=TCNJ's Eric Hamilton gets 200th win |newspaper=The Trentonian |url=http://www.trentonian.com/article/TT/20101030/SPORTS/310309961 |date=October 30, 2010 |accessdate=August 31, 2014}}
Hamilton is also a leader of the Sunshine Football Classic, an annual football game for high school all-stars held at TCNJ's Lion Stadium to raise money for chronically ill, seriously ill, physically challenged or abused children ages 3–18.{{cite web|title=Sunshine Classic Remains Integral Part of Delaware Valley Chapter's Mission |publisher=National Football Foundation |url=http://www.footballfoundation.org/news.php?id=649 |date=July 13, 2005 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news|author=Mary Ann Tarr|title=Classic about football and helping others|newspaper=The Times|date=March 22, 2010|url=http://www.nj.com/hssports/times/index.ssf?/base/sports-8/1269236749244740.xml&coll=5}} The Sunshine Football Classic has been played each year since 1997.{{cite news|title=Sunshine Football Classic History|publisher=Sunshine Football Classic|url=http://sunshinefootballclassic.com/history.html}}
Hamilton retired shortly before the start of TCNJ's 2013 season. During an October 2012 home game against Kean, he and his son Matthew, an assistant at TCNJ, had been involved in a verbal altercation with Kean officers. The elder Hamilton was facing a two-game suspension imposed by the school as a result of the incident; in addition, Matthew was not rehired. In an unrelated matter, Hamilton was also facing an ethics complaint stemming from his prior tenure on a local school board.{{cite news|url=http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2013/07/tcnj_head_football_coach_eric_hamilton_retires_before_serving_two-game_suspension.html |title=TCNJ head football coach Eric Hamilton retires before serving two-game suspension |first1=Mike |last1=Davis |first2=Joe |last2=Zedalis |work=NJ.com |date=July 19, 2013 |accessdate=August 31, 2014}}
NCAA Football Rules Committee
In 2004, Hamilton began serving a four-year term on the important NCAA football rules committee. Hamilton was involved in the decision to implement, and voted in favor of, the use of instant replay in college football.
Overall coaching record and awards
Hamilton compiled a record of 212 wins, 144 losses, and 6 ties.{{cite web|title=NCAA Career Statistics|publisher=NCAA|url=http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careersearch|accessdate=June 21, 2010}} He has received numerous awards for his accomplishments and contributions to the sport of college football, including the following:
- In 1995, Hamilton was inducted into TCNJ's Alumni-Athletic Hall of Fame.
- In 2008, Hamilton was a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award.{{cite news|title=Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Division III finalist video for Coach Hamilton|publisher=TCNJ|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ctkWxvwqo}}{{cite news|title=TCNJ's Eric Hamilton amongst candidates for 2008 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year|publisher=TCNJ|url=http://www.tcnjathletics.com/news/2008/9/17/LibertyMutualCoach.aspx?path=fball|accessdate=June 27, 2010}}
- Hamilton was selected as the New Jersey Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1990, 1997, 1998 and 2007.{{cite web|title=2007 NJAC FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM|publisher=New Jersey Athletic Conference|url=http://www.njacsports.com/sports/2009/3/26/fballconf07.aspx}}
- In 2001, Hamilton received an award from the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame for outstanding leadership.
Personal life
Hamilton and his wife, Kathleen Hamilton, have five adult children.{{cite web|title=Eric Hamilton profile|publisher=TCNJ|url=http://www.tcnjathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=608&path=fball}}{{cite web|title=TCNJ's Eric Hamilton amongst candidates for 2008 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year|publisher=The College of New Jersey|date=September 17, 2008|url=http://www.tcnjathletics.com/news/2008/9/17/LibertyMutualCoach.aspx}} As noted earlier, one of his sons had been an assistant under him until being released after the 2012 season.
A resident of Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, Hamilton served on the board of education of the Hamilton Township School District from 1998 to 2012.Davis, Mike. [http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2013/07/tcnj_football_coach_eric_hamilton_retires.html "Recently suspended TCNJ football coach Eric Hamilton retires after 37 years"], The Times (Trenton), July 19, 2013. Accessed January 20, 2018. "Hamilton also served on the Hamilton Township school board from 1998 until 2012, including terms as board president."
Head coaching record
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Trenton State / TCNJ Lions
| conf = New Jersey State Athletic Conference / New Jersey Athletic Conference
| startyear = 1977
| endyear = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1977
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 4–5
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1978
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 6–3
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = 3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1979
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 7–3
| conference = 4–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1980
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 8–1–1
| conference = 6–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1981
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 5–4–1
| conference = 3–2–1
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1982
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 9–1
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1983
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 8–2
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1984
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 3–7
| conference = 2–4
| confstanding = T–5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1985
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 6–4
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1986
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = T–4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1987
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 2–4
| confstanding = 5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1988
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 8–2
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1989
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 8–1–1
| conference = 4–1–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1990
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 10–2
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division III Quarterfinal
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1991
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 5–3–1
| conference = 3–2–1
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1992
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 3–7
| conference = 2–4
| confstanding = 5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1993
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 3–6–1
| conference = 2–3
| confstanding = T–4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1994
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 5–4–1
| conference = 3–1–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1995
| name = Trenton State
| overall = 8–3
| conference = 4–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname = ECAC Division III Southeast Championship
| bowloutcome = W
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1996
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 8–3
| conference = 5–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division III Quarterfinal
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1997
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 9–3
| conference = 4–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname = NCAA Division III Quarterfinal
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1998
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 8–3
| conference = 5–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division III First Round
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1999
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 4–5
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = 3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2000
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 4–5
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2001
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 6–4
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = 3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2002
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 6–3
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2003
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 6–4
| conference = 4–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname = ECAC Southeast Playoff Game
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2004
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 7–2
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2005
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 3–7
| conference = 1–5
| confstanding = T–6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2006
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 2–5
| confstanding = T–5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2007
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 9–3
| conference = 6–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division III Second Round
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2008
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 4–5
| confstanding = 6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2009
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 3–6
| confstanding = T–6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2010
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 5–5
| conference = 5–4
| confstanding = T–4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2011
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 7–3
| conference = 6–3
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2012
| name = TCNJ
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 3–5
| confstanding = 6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Trenton State / TCNJ
| overall = 212–144–6
| confrecord = 135–82–4
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 212–144–6
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| legend = no
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{New Jersey Lions football coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Eric}}
Category:American football centers
Category:Bordentown Regional High School alumni
Category:TCNJ Lions football coaches
Category:TCNJ Lions football players
Category:The College of New Jersey faculty
Category:People from Bordentown, New Jersey
Category:Sportspeople from Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
Category:Players of American football from Mercer County, New Jersey
Category:Players of American football from Burlington County, New Jersey