Yale Hires Eddie Robinson Award Winner Kevin Cahill as New Head Coach

Yale has officially named Kevin Cahill as the new head football coach of the Bulldogs. He's the 35th head coach in program history, replacing Tony Reno, who unexpectedly stepped down due to health reasons on Feb. 17.

"It's an honor to return to Yale Football. This legendary program has a proud history built on academic excellence, sportsmanship, and competitive success, and I look forward to working every day to build upon that foundation," Cahill said.

"I am grateful to President McInnis, Athletic Director Vicky Chun, and the entire administration and alumni for the confidence they have placed in me. My family and I are proud to be part of the Yale community once again, and we are committed to upholding the standards and traditions that make this program exceptional."

Cahill established himself as one of the top coaches in the FCS, conducting one of the biggest turnarounds in the country at Lehigh. After a 2-9 season, Cahill led the Mountain Hawks to the FCS Playoffs in back-to-back seasons, winning the Patriot League championship in both years.

In 2024, Lehigh won its first FCS Playoff game since 2011, while in 2025, the Mountain Hawks earned a Top 8 seed after a 12-0 regular season, which is just the sixth undefeated regular season in Lehigh history. In both seasons, Lehigh finished as a Top 25 program nationally, including a Top 10 finish in 2025.

Cahill won the 2025 Eddie Robinson Award, given to the top head coach in the FCS subdivision. He became just the second head coach in program history to win the award, joining Pete Lembo, who won the award in 2001.

Over his three seasons at Lehigh, Cahill compiled a 23-14 overall record and a 13-6 record in Patriot League games.

Cahill spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Yale from 2012 to 2022. He helped lead the Bulldogs to three Ivy League championships, including two as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.

Before his stint at Yale, Cahill was an assistant at Maine from 2008 to 2011. He also had stints as an assistant at Murray State (2006-07) and UT Martin (2004-05).

This is a splash hire for the Bulldogs, landing one of the hottest coaching candidates in the FCS. It also helps continue the momentum from Yale's run to the FCS Playoffs last season, where the Bulldogs pulled off a historic comeback win over Youngstown State in the first round.

𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗠𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 🧱

Kevin Cahill has been named the next Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach of Yale Football.

🔗 https://t.co/2a6HTIQRFK | #ThisIsYale pic.twitter.com/QtUejuVWhj
— Yale Football (@yalefootball) February 23, 2026

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