February 7th, 2025 7:30am
From Colorado Mines sports information:
By: Tim Flynn
GOLDEN, Colo. - Bob Stitt, who put the Colorado School of Mines football program on the national map in the early 2000s and led the Orediggers to new heights, will return as the program's head coach after a national search.
"I am excited to welcome Bob Stitt back as the head football coach at Colorado School of Mines," said Director of Athletics David Hansburg. "Coach Stitt has proven he can win at Mines, and he has a tremendous ability to coach and develop players. His success with limited resources during his first tenure with the Orediggers gives me confidence he can help us win a national championship with our program where it is today."
Stitt met with the team Friday morning, and will hold an introductory press conference with media on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
"My family and I are thrilled to be back at Mines and for me to once again lead the Oredigger football program," Stitt said. "I cannot thank David Hansburg and President Johnson enough for giving me the opportunity to return to the place that I love, that gave me my start as a head coach, and where my family considers home."
First arriving in Golden in 2000, Stitt compiled a record of 108-62 during his 15 seasons at Mines, and he is the program's all-time leader in wins. In 2004, the Orediggers won their first RMAC title in 46 years and earned the program's first-ever NCAA championship berth and postseason win; Stitt would go on to lead Mines to conference titles and NCAA appearances again in 2010 and 2014. Stitt was the RMAC Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2010 and the AFCA regional coach of the year in 2004, and he coached 16 All-Americans, 31 All-Region selections, and 129 all-RMAC performers, along with 2004 Harlon Hill Trophy winner Chad Friehauf and 2010 finalist Clay Garcia, during his 15 seasons. Stitt was inducted into the Mines Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021.
"There is no doubt in my mind this is the best job in Division II football, and I take the responsibility of maintaining the football excellence that has been established here very seriously," Stitt said. "Our staff will work diligently to put our players in a position to win championships at the highest level each and every season."
Stitt's first tenure put Mines on a path to success that it still enjoys today. Prior to his hiring, Mines had only one winning season in the previous two decades; since 2007, Mines has had 17 consecutive winning seasons, including seven or more wins each year since 2013. Stitt developed a national reputation as an offensive innovator while at Mines, and his teams set virtually every program offensive record including many that still stand.
Stitt departed Mines after the 2014 season to become the head coach at Montana, where he spent three seasons with a 21-14 record and a 2015 NCAA FCS tournament appearance. He spent the 2018 season as an offensive analyst at Oklahoma State, then 2019 as the offensive coordinator at Texas State, before returning to Colorado in the private sector. Stitt returned to coaching last summer as the head coach of the Mile High Prep Football Club in the Prep Super League, which played its home games at Marv Kay Stadium, then spent the fall as the offensive coordinator of powerhouse high school program Valor Christian in Highlands Ranch, helping them to the Colorado 5A state semifinals.
Prior to arriving at Mines in 2000, Stitt was the offensive coordinator at Harvard, and also served as the OC at Austin College and his alma mater, Doane, after position coaching stops at Northern Colorado, Nebraska Wesleyan, and Doane. He is 129-76 overall as a head coach.