Enters 5th Season In 2024 • Career Record: 25-22 • 28 All-PSAC selections • 3 All-Americans
Jimmy Terwilliger, ESU’s record-setting quarterback and the 2005 Harlon Hill Award winner as the most outstanding player in Division II football, enters his fifthfull season as head coach of the Warriors in 2024.
Terwilliger guided the Warriors back to the NCAA Playoffs in 2023, recording a five-win improvement from 2022 with a 9-3 overall record, tied for the second-best improvement in program history. The historic season was the fifth NCAA Playoff appearance in program history and the first since 2009. The 2023 season marked the ninth season in program history with at least nine wins since 1926. The Warriors enjoyed playing in the renovated Eiler-Martin Stadium with the addition of an upgraded Daktronics videoboard and Mustac Show Control lights, posting a perfect 6-0 record when playing in the Poconos. It was the first time ESU went undefeated at Eiler-Martin Stadium since 2002 and the Warriors’ 6-0 record matches the program record for home wins in a seaosn with the 2002 and 1965 seasons. It was the 19th season ESU went perfect at home.
A total of 10 Warriors earned All-PSAC East recognition in 2023, the most for ESU since
- Landing on the All-PSAC East First Team for the Warriors were Tim Kinney (OT),
Dasean Dixon (DL), Deshawn McCarthy and Jahmere Crumpton. ESU’s six All-PSAC
East Second Team selections include: Tyriq Lewis (RB), Raymond Christas (C), Jonathan Post (TE), John Siggins (WR), Justin Cook (Return Specialist) and Sergei Felizor (LB).
ESU posted a 4-7 record in 2022, picking up its second consecutive win against Bloomsburg for the first time in 30 seasons, along with guiding the Warriors past
Shippensburg for the first time since 2014. ESU kicker Devin Bartholomew earned AFCA All-America Second Team honors, while Bartholomew, Deshawn McCarthy and Tyler Watson earned All-PSAC East recognition.
With the 2020 season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Warriors returned to the gridiron in 2021 and posted a 5-6 record. ESU picked up victories in three of its first five matchups, suffering losses to No. 8 Slippery Rock and eventual PSAC champion Kutztown by a combined 22 points. The Warriors bounced back with a dominant 27-7 win over Millersville on Homecoming at Eiler-Martin Stadium. After a road loss to West Chester, ESU downed Bloomsburg for the first time since 2015 with a 35-14 triumph.
Under Terwilliger’s watch in 2021, eight Warriors earned All-PSAC East recognition, including first team nods from Gunner Anglovich (TB), Rece Bender (WR), Deshawn McCarthy (DE) and Tyler Watson (S). Anglovich and Bender were two crucial offensive pieces, as Anglovich ranked fourth in the PSAC and second in the PSAC East division in rushing (962 yards). Bender, a defensive backfield nightmare with his explosive play, ranked second in the PSAC in all-purpose yards and fourth in receiving yards.
McCarthy became the first defensive end and eighth Warrior ever to earn AFCA First Team All-America status, and the first defensive player since Curtis Bunch in 1991. He ranked third nationally in sacks and led the PSAC in the category.
Terwilliger led ESU to a 6-5 overall record in 2019, which marked the team’s first winning season since 2015. In the season opener, the Warriors topped Division I FCS opponent Wagner for the program’s first win over a DI opponent since 1994. The victory sparked a win streak of five straight for the Warriors to open the season. Terwilliger guided the Warriors to the fifth most improved team in terms of win total in Division II in 2019, increasing the Warriors wins from two in 2018 to six in 2019.
Terwilliger coached and mentored seven student-athletes who went on to earn PSAC East All-Conference honors during his first full season in 2019, including First Team selections Jordan Walters, Andre Eldridge and Jameer Brooks. Walters was also named an All-American by four different organizations (AFCA, AP, D2CCA and
D2Football.com), while Levi Murphy was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American.
Prior to taking the reins, Terwilliger served as associate head coach during the 2018 season and led the program in an interim capacity for the final two games after legendary head coach Denny Douds stepped aside following 45 years at the helm.
He was ESU’s defensive backs coach his first three years, from 2015-17, which included mentoring cornerback Teron Dobbs to All-PSAC East honors his first season. Most recently, free safety Billy Inge III and safety Justin Johnson finished 1st and 2nd in DII in forced fumbles in 2017.
Terwilliger, a four-time Harlon Hill candidate and three-time finalist, graduated with 18 NCAA Division II records and two NCAA all-division records as part of his All-America career at ESU (2003-06). He was inducted to the ESU Athletic Hall of Fame in fall 2017.
Terwilliger led the Warriors to two NCAA DII Playoff appearances (2004 and 2005) and won the Northeast Region title in 2005, advancing to the national semifinals. ESU won the PSAC East regular season title in 2003.
He tied the NCAA all-division record for touchdown passes (148) and set DII career records for total offense (16,064 yards), passing yards (14,350), pass efficiency (170.7), touchdowns responsible for (161) and points responsible for (966).
In his record-setting 2005 season, Terwilliger threw for 4,571 yards and 50 touchdowns, and ran for 389 yards and four TD for 4,960 yards of total offense, leading the Warriors to an 11-3 record.
He was the first quarterback in DII history with 3,000 yards of total offense in each of his four seasons. He was a three-time All-America selection, and was twice named to the AP Little All-America second team (2005 and 2006).
Terwilliger was a three-time first team Daktronics All-Region selection (2004-06) and a three-time PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year (2003-04, 2006). He is the only QB in PSAC East history to be named first team in each of his four seasons.
Terwilliger graduated from ESU in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education. He was named to the PSAC Top 10 in 2005 and 2006 and was an Academic
All-District selection in 2004.
He was a health and physical education teacher for eight years in the East Stroudsburg, Pleasant Valley and Parkland school districts.
Terwilliger helped Parkland to the District 11 championship in 2014 after leading
Pleasant Valley to the District playoffs three times (2010, 2012, 2013) in five years as head coach. He coached PV to the Mountain Valley Conference championship in 2010 and was named the MVC Coach of the Year.
He was an assistant coach under his high school coach, Ed Christian, at East Stroudsburg South in 2007 and 2008 and helped the Cavaliers to a pair of District playoff appearances.