Boston College Athletics
Columbia Names Bob Shoop Head Football Coach
January 08, 2003 | Football
Jan. 8, 2003
Columbia University announced the appointment of Bob Shoop, defensive backfield coach at Boston College for the past four seasons, as its head football coach Wednesday. Columbia Director of Physical Education & Intercollegiate Athletics John Reeves selected Shoop as the 17th coach in the 134 years of Lion football.
The former Yale wide receiver has been mentored by some of the top coaches in collegiate football and has been a part of several significant turnaround efforts. Shoop's secondary played a key role in BC's 9-4 record and Motor City Bowl championship this season. The Eagles ranked 13th in the nation in passing defense and 17th in pass efficiency defense.
"I am very happy for Bob Shoop and his family," BC head coach Tom O'Brien says. "Our players and staff will miss Coach Shoop, and I am grateful for the outstanding job he did for us at Boston College. At the same time, I am excited that Bob will have the opportunity to become a head coach. Bob is an Ivy League grad, and I think he is a perfect fit to lead Columbia football."
Shoop came to BC after a one-year stint as defensive backs coach at the U.S. Military Academy. He served as defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at Villanova University in 1997, and was defensive coordinator/special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator/defensive backs coach at his alma mater, Yale, from 1994-96.
Shoop also served as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at Northeastern University (1991-93) and as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Virginia (1990).
Shoop is a 1988 graduate of Yale, where he was a three-year football letterman as a wide receiver and a four-year letterman in baseball. A native of Pittsburgh, Shoop and his wife, Maura, have two sons: Tyler (5) and Jay (3).
