January 28th, 2025 6:00am
From Bentley sports information:
WALTHAM, Mass. – Following a national search, Bentley University has turned to a former Falcon quarterback and current member of the coaching staff to serve as its new head football coach.
CJ Scarpa '17, the Falcons' associate head coach and offensive coordinator the last two seasons, has been selected to serve as Bentley's eighth head football coach, Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams announced Monday.
Scarpa has been serving as the interim head coach since former head coach Saj Thakkar departed last month for Division-I Davidson College.
"I am thrilled that CJ will be our new head coach," said Williams. "His exceptional communication skills, experience with the program as a player and coach, and his commitment to our program make him the ideal person for the job. His understanding of the university and his vision for ensuring our football program remains unified and connected with the university's mission truly set him apart from our many great applicants."
"I am both honored and excited to have the opportunity to lead the Bentley University football program," said Scarpa. "First, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported me and so many others on this incredible journey. I am indebted to a wide network of individuals whose love and encouragement has been invaluable. I extend my sincere thanks to Vaughn Williams, Dean Shepardson, President Chrite, and the entire Bentley community for trusting me with the privilege of leading this outstanding football program."
During his two seasons on the Bentley coaching staff, the Falcons posted a 14-6 record, including 8-2 last fall, and ranked second in the Northeast-10 in offense each season.
Scarpa demonstrated that he can effectively create dynamic and winning game plans. While the 2024 Bentley offense often aired it out (2,801 passing yards, 24 TD passes) and averaged just a shade under 30 points a game, the 2023 Falcons dominated on the ground. Bentley's 174.4 rushing yards per game ranked second in the NE10 two seasons ago, a mark that was only 0.4 yards off from the conference lead.
Last fall, five of his players on the offensive side of the ball earned All-Northeast-10 honors, including NE10 Most Valuable Player Rashon Bradford.
"As a proud Bentley alum, I am excited to continue building upon the strong foundation that has been established in recent years. Our team is fully committed to shaping the identity of the program, both on and off the field. Each day, we will be driven to be the best version of ourselves, regardless of what's in front of us. Together, we will cultivate a culture and brand that Bentley University will be proud to call its own."
Since graduating from Bentley in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science degree in management and playing a fifth season at Merrimack College, Scarpa has amassed significant coaching experience at all levels. He was a football operations intern for the New England Patriots, an assistant quarterbacks coach at Harvard University, a tight ends coach at Austin Peay State University, special assistant to the head coach at Arkansas State and quarterbacks coach at Williams College before returning to Waltham in 2023.
The Andover native began his collegiate career as a red-shirt at Elon University before playing three seasons at Bentley (2014-16). His most productive season came as a senior when he threw for 901 yards and eight touchdowns and completed 58 percent of his passes.
As a grad student at Merrimack in 2017, Scarpa's statistics included 2,588 passing yards, 18 TD passes and a .591 completion percentage. He had four touchdown passes against both Bryant University and American International.
"I am deeply grateful to be part of such a special place, surrounded by extraordinary people," concluded Scarpa. "It's time to get to work. Go Falcons!"