McCorkle elevated to head coach
- Updated: October 20, 2023
HANOVER — Dartmouth College athletic director Mike Harrity has announced that Sammy McCorkle, the interim head football coach for the Big Green since May 8, has been promoted to serve as the program’s head coach.
McCorkle was originally elevated from his position as associate head coach to acting head coach on April 4 to lead the football team after Buddy Teevens — the team’s head coach since 2005 — sustained critical injuries in a bicycle accident in March before passing away last month. Following the conclusion of spring practice, McCorkle was tabbed as the interim head coach for the 2023 fall season.
Entering the homecoming game on Saturday against Columbia, McCorkle has led the team to a 2-3 overall record and a 1-1 mark in the Ivy League through the midpoint of the season. The Dartmouth defense ranks among the top 20 in the FCS in total yards allowed and rushing yards allowed, as well as sixth in third-down percentage defense. The offense leads the nation in fewest sacks allowed while completing 66.2 percent of its passes (17th in the country), plus is second in rushing in the Ivy League.
In his first 18 years coaching at Dartmouth, McCorkle worked with the defensive secondary as well as special teams and was promoted to associate head coach prior to the start of the 2014 season. A total of 26 of his players in the defensive backfield earned All-Ivy honors a total of 39 times, including a spot on the first team a dozen times. That total does not include the four players to earn All-Ivy honors as return specialists on five occasions.
Two of his players have earned All-America honors as well, most recently cornerback Isiah Swann, a consensus first-team pick in 2018 when he led the nation in interceptions, and a member of the first team again the following year. Shawn Abuhoff also was named a first-team All-American as a return specialist in 2010 by the Sports Network after returning three punts for touchdowns that season.
McCorkle’s defensive secondary unit has played a big role in the Big Green’s three Ivy League titles over the last eight years. The 2021 team was fourth in the nation in passing yards allowed, and in 2019, the defense had four pick-sixes among five defensive scores, fourth among FCS programs. In both campaigns, the Dartmouth defense ranked in the top three nationally as well. And in 2015, the Big Green were ninth in the country in passes intercepted while leading the nation in scoring defense.
Prior to Dartmouth, McCorkle spent two seasons as the head coach at Martin County High in Stuart, Florida, following a three-year stint as an assistant coach at UT-Martin. He began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, the University of Florida, where he was a standout defensive back. McCorkle played on four SEC championship teams, competed in four bowl games (Gator, Sugar twice and Fiesta) and a national title game, and graduated in 1996 with Florida’s single-season and career records for blocked punts. He was named Florida’s special teams player of the year twice.
*******
Those who would like to help New Hampshire Football Report promote football in the Granite State can do so by purchasing a New Hampshire Football Report membership or by making a donation below. Sponsorship inquiries can be sent to nhfootballreport@gmail.com. Your support is greatly appreciated.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login