Team Slideshow
Team Info
Football - Varsity
Overview
Overview
The Taft Football Program is one of the most historic in all of New England. At Taft players of all levels have found success. Over the years we have had beginners who want to learn the game and accomplished athletes with major division one scholarships including Patrick Kerney, who was an All-American Defensive End and All-Pro NFL player. In short, at Taft we have a place in our football program for anyone who is willing to work hard in the classroom and on the field. With more than a century of tradition, our coaching staff has maintained a commitment to excellence through hard work and discipline.
Taft football players use some of the top facilities in the country, ranging from a picturesque game field to one of the finest locker rooms in New England. Furthermore, Taft football players have access to a spacious weight room and an advanced video editing system, making it easy to prepare films to send to college coaches.
Taft plays in the Class A New England prep school conference against some of the most challenging competition in the northeast. The Taft coaching staff prides itself on being the most prepared team in the league. Each week, the team is provided a comprehensive scouting report of their upcoming opponent. Taft's up-tempo, spread no huddle offense, and 3-4 base defense prepare our athletes to succeed at the college level.
Through an emphasis on dedication and high character, Taft football players are expected to conduct themselves with pride, honor, respect, and great sportsmanship.
If you would like more information on the Taft Football Program, please call or email Coach Tyler Whitley.
Taft Football Alumni Playing in College
Taft 2024 | Taft 2023 | Taft 2022 |
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Seyi Akinbola - Cornell University |
Charlie Symonds - Stanford University
Nick Brown - Augustana College
Jaylen Carter - Columbia University
Addison Hoffman - Lafayette College
BJ Mayes - University of Maine
Michael Reddick - Brown University
Ruston Bennett - Hobart College
Princeton Cahee - Bucknell University
Eric Facey - Bates College
Gardner Heitzmann - Georgetown University
Cooper Reed - Southern Methodist University
Dara Adeyemi - Bucknell University
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Dominic Rulli - Penn State University
James Maloney - Army West Point
Nico Schwikal - Dartmouth College
Billy Daal - Yale University
Joseph Nash - Yale University
Max McCormick - Georgetown University
Steve Mayer - Georgetown University
Jack Englert - Fordham University
Fej Esievo - Dickinson College
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Taft 2021 | Taft 2020 | Taft 2019 |
Skyler Bell - University of Wisconsin Jacob Rooks - The Naval Academy Heath Bostick - University of Rochester Ethan Niang - Duke University Mark Didio - University of Connecticut Jared Dunn - Merrimack College Mason Frank - University of Rochester Joe Townsend - Holy Cross College |
Diante Vines - Iowa University Michael Spencer - Vanderbilt University Stanley Dennis - Rutgers University Mashod Harrison - Brown University Michael Yamin - Middlebury College Jack Bryant - Washington & Lee College Osirus Rhodes - Stony Brook University Chez Jennings - West Virginia University Nick Camp - Macalester College |
Nolan Grooms - Yale University Liam Akpata - Oberlin College Isaiah Hernandez - Bowdoin College David Brown - Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute Anim Dankwah - Howard University Ryan Last - University of Delaware Seamus O’Hora - Union College |
Taft 2018 | Taft 2017 | Taft 2016 |
Joe Hardison - Duke University Eric Rooks - University of Hawaii Matthias Staalsoe - University of Maine Alex Jones - Bucknell University Travis Wang - University of Pennsylvania Zane Segalas - Tufts University Matt Schwartz - Union College Johannes Ali - Dickinson College Brandon Sires - Oberlin College Jordan Agudosi - Merrimack College |
Elliott Brown - University of Virginia Gerrik Vollmer - University of Virginia Caleb Martin - Dartmouth College Ricardo Llanio - Fordham University Marcus Alleyne - Fordham University Alex Akpata - Franklin & Marshall College Moriz Schildorfer - Grinnell College Dean Pope - Trinity College Eric Holzman - Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute |
Jon Jacobs - University of Arizona Pat Ford - Kent State University Alex Hughes - Brown University Chris Bedigian - Colby College Alex Salytchev - University of Western Ontario Aidan Majury - University of Western Ontario Sam Okpan - St. Lawrence University |
Taft 2015 | Taft 2014 | Taft 2013 |
Quentin Harris - Duke University Nadir Pearson - Brown University Rivers Cahee - Dartmouth University DJ Woullard - Cornell University Jeremy Zeitler - Lafayette College Bobby Nevin - Wesleyan University Stephen Mesh - Carnegie Mellon University Ricky Alvarez - Muhlenberg College |
Pedro Colon - Muhlenberg College Carty Campbell - Trinity College Bradni Black - College of the Holy Cross Dejion Evans - University of Massachusetts Mick Pernell - St. Anselm College Alex Huard - University of Montreal |
Adam Parker - University of Rhode Island David Berment - Sacred Heart University O'Shea Bell - Stonehill College Tim Drakeley - Bowdoin College Nick LaSpada - Bates College David Wolff - University of Rochester Bulolo Jonga - Pomona College Casey Kuhns - Georgetown University Will Pope - Worcester Polytechnic Institute Kevin Carey - Hamilton College |
Taft 2012 | ||
Anthony Gaffney - Princeton University John Zakrzewski - College of the Holy Cross Demetrius Russell - Colgate University Jordan Stone - Wesleyan University Jackson McGonagle - Amherst College |
Schedule
Schedule
Opponent | Date | Time | Location | Advantage | Type | Details | Result | Score | Status |
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vs.
Loomis Chaffee School
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Home | View Recap | Win | 27-7 | |||
vs.
Trinity-Pawling School
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Trinity-Pawling School | Away | View Recap | Loss | 7-12 | ||
vs.
Phillips Exeter Academy
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Phillips Exeter Academy | Away | View Recap | Loss | 13-49 | ||
vs.
Choate Rosemary Hall
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Home | Details about Football - Varsity | Loss | 3-52 | |||
vs.
Avon Old Farms School
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Home | Details about Football - Varsity | Loss | 7-28 | |||
vs.
Kent School
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Kent School | Away | Details about Football - Varsity | Win | 20-7 | ||
vs.
Cheshire Academy
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Cheshire Academy | Away | Details about Football - Varsity | ||||
vs.
Hotchkiss School
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Home | Details about Football - Varsity | Win | 21-19 |
Roster
Roster
# | Name | Position | Class | Hometown |
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1 | JoJo Aidoo | 2025 | Baltimore, MD | |
3 | Matthew Olsen | 2025 | Potomac, MD | |
4 | E.J. Rochester | 2025 | Southbury, CT | |
5 | Evan Anderson | 2025 | Southington, CT | |
6 | Austin Tucker | 2025 | Spring Valley, NY | |
7 | Gilbert Kimrin | 2026 | Malmö | |
8 | Zach Proctor | 2025 | Bellevue, WA | |
9 | Ben Bazarian | 2025 | Ridgefield, CT | |
10 | George Sullivan | 2025 | Princeton, NJ | |
11 | Ozzy Diallo | 2025 | Yonkers, NY | |
12 | Charlie Garnett | 2026 | Rye, NY | |
13 | Marco Watson | 2027 | San Antonio, TX | |
14 | Alyan Hussein | 2026 | Toronto, ON | |
15 | Calvin Kulik | 2025 | Williamsville, NY | |
16 | Damon Hibbert | 2027 | Bridgeport, CT | |
17 | Samaad Brown | 2025 | Mount Vernon, NY | |
18 | Mike Votto | 2027 | Wallingford, CT | |
19 | David Kalombo | 2027 | Boston, MA | |
20 | Jaiden Allen | 2027 | ||
21 | Brady Winter | 2025 | New York, NY | |
22 | JP Antonino | 2027 | Niantic, CT | |
23 | Christopher Pangaro | 2027 | Cheshire, CT | |
24 | Liam Marku | 2027 | Bronx, NY | |
25 | Thomas Regan | 2028 | New Canaan, CT | |
26 | Sami Sheshi | 2026 | Bantam, CT | |
32 | Thomas Shin | 2027 | Seoul | |
33 | Keane Smith | 2028 | Haverford, PA | |
34 | Jaden Ortega | 2028 | Bronx, NY | |
36 | Eric Sim | 2027 | Seoul | |
41 | Steve Soares | 2028 | Oxford, CT | |
50 | Will McNulty | 2027 | New York, NY | |
52 | Jude Okeleke | 2026 | Surulere | |
53 | Griffin Kelly | 2028 | Darien, CT | |
55 | Jack Wagner | 2025 | Boston, MA | |
60 | Harry Woodhouse | 2028 | Locust Valley, NY | |
65 | Myles Petitjean | 2027 | New Canaan, CT | |
67 | Chip Furman | 2025 | New Canaan, CT | |
72 | Will Palmer | 2026 | Cheshire, CT | |
75 | Arvid Sillberg | 2025 | Gothenburg | |
76 | James Penkett | 2025 | Oakville, ON | |
77 | Foster Friess | 2028 | Jackson, WY | |
80 | Logan Reed | 2026 | Santa Barbara, CA | |
81 | Hud Hodges | 2028 | Dallas, TX | |
85 | Andrew Pepper | 2025 | Burlingame, CA | |
87 | Rhys Brooks | 2027 | Rye, NY | |
Mayode Adewumi | 2028 | Brooklyn, NY | ||
Nathan Eke | 2027 | Haverhill, MA | ||
Ethan Harry | 2028 | Brooklyn, NY | ||
Bolen MacKellar | 2025 | Nichols Hills, OK | ||
Will Morris | 2028 | Old Brookville, NY | ||
Jonah Oquendo | 2026 | Manchester, CT | ||
Owen Palmer | 2026 | Woodbury, CT | ||
Joanne Zhao | 2026 | Beijing |
Coaches
Coaches
About Head Coach Tyler Whitley '04
After graduating from Taft, where he was an accomplished student, athlete, and community member (three-sport varsity captain in football, basketball, and track and the winner of the Lawrence Hunter Stone Award at graduation), Tyler went on to Wesleyan University, where he was a four-year letter winner at safety on the football team. While there, he earned a spot on the New England Small College Athletic Conference All-Academic Team his senior year and was a Cardinal Club Scholar-Athlete award winner for having the highest GPA on the team. He studied in Rome for a semester; and upon earning a bachelor’s degree in government with a certificate in international relations, Tyler moved to the Salisbury School, where he worked as a tutor in the school’s learning center, served as a dormitory parent, assisted the varsity basketball team, and coached varsity football. After two years at Salisbury, he went on to study business at Sacred Heart University and worked as a graduate assistant coach for the school’s Division I football team. As an assistant, Tyler led the running backs, managed the scout defense and special teams, and recruited student-athletes from around the country. Tyler took over the head football coach position at Taft in 2012. In 2016, he earned a Master in Business Administration from Sacred Heart University. Tyler works in admissions and coaches varsity football and boys’ varsity basketball. Tyler, his wife, Randi Lawlor Whitley ’04, and their daughters, Emma and Fae, live near campus.
Click the photos below for additional coach bios and contact information
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Head Coach