Saint Francis Career Highlights:
- Winningest head coach in program history
- Three-time NEC Coach of the Year (2015, 2016, 2022)
- 2022 Eddie Robinson Finalist
- 2016 ECAC Coach of the Year
- NEC Champion (2016, 2022)
- Coached three NEC Offensive Players of the Year (Khairi Dickson, 2014; Kamron Lewis, 2016; Cole Doyle, 2022); one NEC Defensive Player of the Year (Donnell Brown, 2022); three NEC Offensive Players of the Year (Anthony Abeid, 2012; Marcus Bagley, 2014; Makai Jackson, 2022) and three NEC Defensive Rookies of the Year (Lorenzo Jerome, 2013; Gregory Reddick, 2021; Carter Glassmyer, 2022)
- Coach 102 All-NEC performers (58 All-NEC first-team performers; 44 All-NEC second-team honorees)
- Coached 27 All-American honors (eight All-American first-team honors, eight All-American second-team honors, 11 All-American third-team honors)
- Coached nine players who graduated from Saint Francis and received an NFL camp invitation, and three players played in the CFL
Former National Football League All-Pro offensive lineman Chris Villarrial was named the 25th head coach of the Saint Francis University football program on December 20, 2009. He served one year as the offensive coordinator under predecessor Dave Opfar before he became the head coach. The 2026 season will mark the 18th year with Saint Francis, the 17th season as a head coach (16th playing season since the Red Flash did not field a team during COVID).
With 68 career wins, Villarrial is the winningest coach in Saint Francis football history. He passed Art Martynuska (1969-79, 81 - 45 wins) with a 35-21 win at Delaware State on Nov. 23, 2019.
In the fall of 2025, Villarrial was named one of the 75 Greatest Male Athletes by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference as part of celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the conference.
In 2025, Geno Calgaro marked the 58th time a player has received All-NEC first-team recognition. Villarial has also had a player earn All-NEC second-team honors 44 times, for a total of 102 All-NEC honors in the Red Flash’s time in the NEC.
The 2024 season was highlighted by a 23-17 win over Kent State on September 6, 2024, for the program's first-ever victory over an FBS opponent. The Red Flash 4-7 overall and 2-4 in league play in 2024. Geno Calgaro was named an FCS Football Central Freshman All-American.
Saint Francis went 4-6 overall and owned a 4-3 conference record during the 2023 season. Saint Francis defeated Stonehill in its first road conference game of the season, 15-10, on Sept. 30. The Red Flash then defeated Wagner at home, 31-7, on Oct. 12 in the first-ever NEC football game televised on CBS Sports Network. Saint Francis also defeated Merrimack 28-21 on Oct. 28 after completing a 15-point comeback. The Red Flash ended the 2023 season with a 49-14 road victory over Central Connecticut.
The Red Flash earned two All-American nods with offensive lineman Seth Osborne named Associated Press FCS Third Team All-American and linebacker Carter Glassmyer named Stats Perform FCS Freshman All-American. Glassmyer was also named a Jerry Rice Award Finalist, which is presented to the top freshman in the FCS.
Under Villarrial’s guidance, Glassmyer earned ECAC and NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Red Flash earned seven total All-NEC selections, with five on the first team and two on the second team.
Saint Francis went 9-3 overall and 7-0 in conference play to earn its second NEC title in program history during the 2022 season. The undefeated conference season was the ninth in NEC history. In its second game against an FBS opponent in program history, Saint Francis took Akron to overtime and dropped the game 30-23. Saint Francis rattled off nine consecutive wins after starting 0-2, which included beating all seven conference opponents by an average of 34.6 points per game. The Red Flash defeated Merrimack 52-23 in the NEC Championship game on Nov. 19 (both teams entered with a 6-0 conference record). Saint Francis fell in its second FCS Playoff game in program history, 56-17.
During the 2022 season, Villarrial earned his third NEC Coach of the Year honor and was named one of 16 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the FCS National Coach of the Year.
As a team on the national level, Saint Francis had a finalist in four of the five major FCS awards presented by Stats Perform. The team also had seven total All-American selections, headlined by defensive end Donnell Brown's Stats Perform FCS Third Team All-America honor. In the NEC, the Red Flash earned four of the five major yearly awards and totaled a program record 10 All-NEC First Team selections.
Saint Francis went 5-6 overall and 4-3 in NEC games during the 2021 season. It was the third time Saint Francis had an above-average.500 records in conference play since joining the NEC in 1996. Saint Francis played its first FBS opponent in program history on Sept. 3 at Eastern Michigan - a 35-15 loss. Saint Francis defeated Duquesne 17-10 on Oct. 30 for its first road win over the Dukes since joining the NEC in 1996 (previously 0-9). The Red Flash finished the season second in the NEC in scoring defense (19.1) and fourth in scoring offense (22.9).
Saint Francis went 6-6 in 2019, scoring 30 or more points in five of the last six games and posting the top passing attack in the NEC. Defensively, the Red Flash ranked 3rd in the NEC in scoring defense and total defense, and 13th in the FCS in total defense. Saint Francis has ranked in the top three in the NEC in scoring defense and total defense every season since 2015.
Villarrial is a two-time NEC Coach of the Year, winning the award in 2015 and 2016, as well as the Metropolitan New York Football Writers’ Bob Ford Coach of the Year in 2015 and the ECAC Coach of the Year in 2016.
He led the Red Flash to its first-ever NEC Title and FCS Playoffs berth in 2016 with a 7-5 overall record and 5-1 mark in the NEC. The 2016 season also included Saint Francis’ first-ever appearance in a Top 25 poll, when it was ranked 25th in the STATS FCS Media Poll on November 14. SFU met Villanova in the first round of the FCS Playoffs, but fell 31-21.
Nine players have gone on to professional opportunities, most recently Jermaine Ponder, who played in preseason games for the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Houston Texans. He recorded an interception in the Texas final preseason game of 2019.
Lorenzo Jerome became the first Saint Francis player to play in an NFL game, making his debut with the San Francisco 49ers. Jerome signed a deal with the 49ers in 2017 and has spent time with the 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Calgary Stampeders organizations.
Villarrial inherited a losing program. The Red Flash won just two games over two seasons prior to Loretto, but Villarrial increased the win total from 1 in 2010 to 7 in 2015 and 2016. He has recorded three seasons of .500-or-better football.
Villarrial's teams have also shown they can compete with the best programs in the country. The Red Flash recorded its first win over a nationally-ranked opponent in 2014, defeating No. 22 Sacred Heart 30-27. The Red Flash also defeated No. 22 Liberty 13-9 in 2017, two weeks after the Flames had defeated Baylor. Liberty transitioned to FBS the following season.
A native of Hershey, Pa., Villarrial spent 11 seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman with the Chicago Bears (1996-2004) and the Buffalo Bills (2004-06).
Villarrial made an impression on NFL scouts prior by breaking the NFL Combine Bench Press Record, and was then drafted in the fifth round (152nd overall) by Dave Wannstedt in April of 1996. As a member of the Chicago Bears from 1996-2004, Villarrial played six seasons under head coach Dick Jauron, and was a two-year All-Pro player in addition to being named to the All-Joe Team. He paved the way for a 1000-yard rusher every season, blocked for Anthony Thomas, who was the NFL Offensive Rookie-of-the-Year in 2001, and was a member of an offensive line that gave up the fewest sacks in the NFL in 2001, when the Bears advanced to the NFC Divisional Playoff Game. He also received the Golden Bear Award, given to the rookie with perfect attendance in the weight room.
Villarrial was one of the most sought-after free agents in Buffalo Bills history for head coach Mike Mularkey, and continued his streak of 1,000-yard rushers every season with the Bills. He was a member of an offensive line that gave up the fewest sacks in franchise history. Villarrial, who also played two seasons in Buffalo under coach Jauron, finished his NFL career with 148 starts.
Following his professional career, Villarrial returned to Ebensburg, where he served two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Central Cambria High School football team. He led the team to two district title games and personally helped 13 players continue their playing careers at the collegiate level while developing and implementing a successful strength and conditioning program.
Villarrial, who has been active in the community through Special Olympics and cancer research funding, played his collegiate football under head coach Frank Cignetti at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he studied Special Education with a concentration in rehabilitation. While playing for IUP, Villarrial was a three-year All-American and three-year all-conference player. He played in the 1993 Division II national championship game and received the Jim Langer Award for Best Lineman in Division II in 1996. Villarrial had his college jersey No. 75 retired by IUP.
Villarrial is a 1991 graduate of Hershey High School, where he played for head coach Bob “Gump” May. Hershey retired Villarrial’s high school jersey No. 78 on May 5, 2001.
