 Archer in 2019 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 5, 1982 |
| Playing career | |
| 2001–2004 | Cornell |
| Position(s) | Offensive lineman |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2006 | Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham (assistant) |
| 2007–2012 | Cornell (assistant) |
| 2013–2023 | Cornell |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 29–71 |
David John Archer (born November 5, 1982) is an American football coach and former player. He was most recently the head coach of the Cornell Big Red football team, from January 2013 until November 2023.[1]
Early life
Archer played high school football at Union-Endicott High School in Endicott, New York, where as a senior he served as team captain was named a first-team New York State all-star. Archer was a three-year starter for the Big Red football team at Cornell University, serving as team captain during his senior season, before graduating with a degree in economics in 2005.[2]
Coaching career
In 2006, while teaching fourth and eighth grades in Newark, New Jersey as part of Teach For America,[3] Archer was an assistant coach at Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham, before returning to Cornell in 2007. He worked at Cornell as an assistant until his appointment to the head coaching position for the Big Red in January 2013. As of his appointment, Archer was the youngest head college football coach in NCAA Division I.[2]
Having failed to attain a winning season since 2005, the Big Red continued to be unable to do so under Archer, however, accumulating 9 losing seasons and one break-even season in eleven years; the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Archer's teams did not attain a share of an Ivy League title, though defeated the eventual Ivy League champion twice in his final four seasons and won its first away game against a ranked opponent since 1950 when the team overcame a 23-point deficit to defeat No. 25 Colgate in 2016. Following the 2023 season, Cornell athletics director Nicki Moore announced that Archer would not return to the head coaching role for the 2024 season. Archer was the longest-tenured head coach at Cornell since George K. James (1947–60).[1][4]
Head coaching record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornell Big Red (Ivy League) (2013–2023) | |||||||||
| 2013 | Cornell | 3–7 | 2–5 | 7th | |||||
| 2014 | Cornell | 1–9 | 1–6 | 7th | |||||
| 2015 | Cornell | 1–9 | 1–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 2016 | Cornell | 4–6 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2017 | Cornell | 3–7 | 3–4 | T–5th | |||||
| 2018 | Cornell | 3–7 | 2–5 | 7th | |||||
| 2019 | Cornell | 4–6 | 3–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 2020 | No team | ||||||||
| 2021 | Cornell | 2–8 | 1–6 | T–6th | |||||
| 2022 | Cornell | 5–5 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2023 | Cornell | 3–7 | 2–5 | 7th | |||||
| Cornell: | 29–71 | 19–51 | |||||||
| Total: | 29–71 | ||||||||
References
- 1 2 "Cornell Announces Change in Football Leadership". Cornell University Athletics. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- 1 2 Neel, Roger (13 April 2014). "Cornell Head Football Coach David Archer Returns Home". WNBF News. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ↑ "David Archer Named 27th Head Coach of Cornell Football". Ivy League Athletics. 3 January 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ↑ Bronfin, Adam (1 October 2016). "Upstart Upsetters: Cornell Football Shocks No. 25 Colgate After Trailing 28-5". The Cornell Daily Sun. Retrieved 20 November 2023.