'Do it for and with each other': NFL Network takes HC coach Bob Chesney's words to heart in Super Bowl montage

Before last season’s game at the University of Buffalo, Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney, as always, fired up his team in the locker room, and the Crusaders responded with a dramatic finish, beating their Football Bowl Subdivision opponent with a Matthew Sluka-to-Jalen Coker Hail Mary.

A portion of Chesney’s pep talk, when he reinforced that the Crusaders “do it for and with each other,” was part of an NFL Network montage leading up to Super Bowl LVII.

Chesney, always known for his moving and motivational pregame speeches, was part of another epic one on Sunday. The 1-minute, 17-second NFL spot included inspiration from college coaches across the country and legendary orators such as Vince Lombardi.

The piece aired on NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network and at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, before the Super Bowl.

HC, which advanced to the quarterfinals of last season’s Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, ended its historic 2022 campaign 12-1 and ranked No. 6 in the nation. Holy Cross captured its fourth straight Patriot League championship.

“It was awesome,” Chesney said, “and to be in the same commercial as Vince Lombardi and all those guys was pretty neat. We talk about it all the time, the momentum and continuing the positive trajectory of this program. Being highlighted in that light is pretty exciting.”

In late October, Holy Cross alumnus Efrain Lozano, who works for NFL Media, reached out to HC senior associate director of athletics Nick Smith and HC director of video network production Scott Wiktorowski about including Chesney in the Super Bowl pregame speech project.

“They asked me if I could take a look through what we had on our end,” Wiktorowski said.

Danielle Racicot, HC’s creative content producer, is in the locker room before every game with her video camera.

“She’s capturing everything he says to the team,” Wiktorowski said. “We went through her footage and some of the key games, and sent those speeches over, and they took a listen. They came back, and then we went to the review process of narrowing it down to the best part (of the speech) that we thought really portrayed how Bob is as a coach and how aligned he is with the college’s mission at the same time.”

Smith was thrilled with the final version.

“The clip of Bob was completely in alignment with the mission of the college and also with the way that we conduct our football program that is certainly ‘team first,’ ” Smith said. “The atmosphere is always about the team.

“The exposure of our program has continued to elevate from the time that Coach Chesney has got here,” Smith added, “and it continues to elevate every day. Now, we’re on NFL Network and on social media from an NFL perspective. That’s kind of mind blowing, but it really is showing where our trajectory is going.”

As Smith pointed out, HC’s FCS quarterfinal game at South Dakota State on ESPN drew 1.53 million TV viewers, the most for a 2022 FCS playoff game.

Additionally, HC ranked 11^th among FCS teams in social media interactions generated for 2022, according to SkullSparks, which compiles a wide range of college athletics digital analytics.

“To have that sort of momentum going,” Chesney said, “and having a commercial broadcast with the Holy Cross logo in front of (a Super Bowl audience) is pretty cool. It’s neat to have that many eyes on your program. These are all positive things for this program. We hope to be on a national stage, and clearly it’s not just one thing, but now multiple times we’ve appeared there.”

The Super Bowl itself certainly lived up to the pregame hype video, with the Kansas City Chiefs beating the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35, for their second Super Bowl title in four years.

“(Chiefs quarterback Patrick) Mahomes is fun to watch and some of the schematic details these guys do, the Chiefs in particular,” Chesney said. “I thought the fourth-down quarterback sneaks by the Eagles were impressive, too.”

Chesney, who is from Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, grew up with Chiefs GM Brett Veach, who is from neighboring Mount Carmel, Pa.

“What a great evaluator of talent he is,” Chesney said.

Usually Pennsylvania kids are Eagles or Pittsburgh Steelers fans, Chesney said, but he cheered for the Miami Dolphins and Dan Marino.

It was a big week for Holy Cross football on a local level, too.

At last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Worcester Mayor Joseph M. Petty presented Chesney, Holy Cross director of athletics Kit Hughes and the team a key to the city.

“You made our city so proud,” Petty said. “In recognition of the College of the Holy Cross football’s historic season, it’s only right and fair that you receive our city’s highest honor.”

Several players, including Sluka, Coker and Jacob Dobbs accompanied Chesney and Hughes to the City Council chamber.

“That was a really nice thing for Mayor Petty to do,” Chesney said. “As we stood there and went into that office with a guy from Michigan (Dobbs), a guy from New York (Sluka), everyone from somewhere else, and here they are calling Worcester their second home. To be honored in their second home and be proud of it, and to know that people are proud of them is something that really tells the tale of the relationship that’s been built between the community and these young men.”

Conference celebrates at WPI

The NEWMAC is marking its 25^th anniversary this year, and as part of the celebration, the conference will recognize 21 individuals as NEWMAC Champions of Excellence Service Award recipients during a reception Saturday at WPI.

Most fittingly, two of WPI’s best, director of physical education, recreation and athletics Dana Harmon and associate athletic director and sports information director Rusty Eggen, who have both played major roles in the NEWMAC’s growth, success, leadership and rise as one of the pre-eminent NCAA Division 3 conferences in the country, are among the honorees.

Harmon, the first woman to serve as WPI’s director of athletics, is the only three-year-term president of the NEWMAC Directors Group and a member of the executive committee. In her 21 years at WPI, the varsity athletic program has experienced unprecedented success and achievement in the classroom, in competition and in the community. In addition to expanding staff and operating budgets, Harmon has been responsible for over $100 million in new athletic facilities and renovations.

“As AD, Dana had the vision to build a quality athletic facility that has helped support WPI’s varsity athletics,” WPI associate athletic director Ann McCarron said, “and given them tools to become highly competitive, championship caliber teams. Throughout her tenure, Dana has been a steward for WPI’s athletic facilities and a strong advocate for the (physical education, recreation and athletics) department.”

Harmon was a NACDA Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year in 2020.

Eggen, in his 17^th year at WPI, has been a leader in the NEWMAC Sports Information Directors Committee and recently became chair and executive committee member of the NEWMAC Assistant Athletic Directors Group. He was a member of the COVID Working Group, which played a crucial role in the conference’s ability to return to competition. He is an active member of the conference’s compliance and officiating committees.

Eggen has built strong relationships with local media as an advocate for WPI student-athletes and their accomplishments.

“Rusty is the heart and soul of WPI athletics,” McCarron said. “He is the hardest working SID/associate AD in the state. He cares deeply about the student-athletes and their experiences at WPI. He is just as well known for his great sense of humor, making him a pleasure to work with.”

The conference will also honor the founding athletic directors of the NEWMAC, including Clark’s Linda Moulton and WPI’s Ray Gilbert.

Head of the Class

∎ Keene State senior forward Jeff Hunter of Hudson scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the fifth-ranked Owls to an 82-65 win over UMass-Dartmouth, a victory that clinched the Little East Conference regular-season title.

∎ Regis sophomore forward Russell Rau of Fitchburg led the Pride to two victories by averaging 26.5 points on 59% shooting (63% from 3-point territory) and seven rebounds.

∎ Assumption junior guard Molly Stokes of Worcester averaged 15.5 points to lead the No. 13/18 Greyhounds to their first 20-win season since 2012-13.

∎ Rivier sophomore forward Alexa Dufries of Leicester made 4 of 8 3-point attempts and scored 16 points in a win over Johnson & Wales.

∎ Assumption senior forward Shane Sullivan of Holden scored two goals and added two assists for the men’s ice hockey team.

—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTolandTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: HC coach Bob Chesney's words pump up NFL Network's Super Bowl coverage