MANCHESTER, N.H. – Saint Anselm College football Head Coach
Joe Adam announced on Tuesday the hiring of
Gage Hayes as the program's next Offensive Coordinator.
Hayes brings a wealth of experience to the program, having served for numerous programs across all three NCAA divisions. He comes to the Hilltop after serving as the Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach, and Recruiting Coordinator at his alma mater, Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Florida, since February of 2022. The Gyrenes compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
Hayes will look to improve the Saint Anselm offense that ranked fifth in the Northeast-10 Conference (NE10) in scoring and total yards last season. Starting quarterback
Drew Forkner (Plano, Texas) and NE10 All-Rookie Team running back
Jake Croce (Point Pleasant, N.J.) are set to return for the Hawks in 2025 for their junior and sophomore seasons, respectively. Additionally, two members of the team's offensive line who earned NE10 All-Conference recognition last season are set to return.
"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Hayes to the Saint Anselm football family as our new Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach," said Adam. "His proven track record of developing offenses aligns perfectly with our team's strategic goals. Moreover, his commitment to faith and mentorship resonates deeply with our college's Catholic and Benedictine values. We are confident that Coach Hayes will be a transformative presence both on and off the field."
While at Ave Maria, Hayes was the team's primary offensive play caller and also created and installed multiple offensive schemes. He worked exclusively with the quarterbacks in their growth and development as well. Under Hayes' tutelage, running back Bryan Stiemke was selected as an All-American in 2023 and, in 2022, quarterback Andrew Lege was named the Sun Conference's Freshman of the Year. During the 2022 season, the Gyrenes had a top 20 offense nationally, ranking 12th in the NAIA in yards per game, 18th in passing yards per game, and 18th in points per game.
"I am so excited and humbled to be joining Coach Adam and the rest of the staff here at Saint Anselm," said Hayes. "One thing that really stood out to me during the interview process was the program's 'blue-collar mentality' and the application of that mindset to the pursuit of excellence each and every day. I look forward to serving our players both on and off the field, as well as serving the rest of the Saint Anselm community."
Prior to his time at Ave Maria, Hayes served as the Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach, and Director of Player Development at Erskine College in Due West, South Carolina for four years. The Flying Feet are a member of NCAA Division II and compete in the Gulf South Conference as affiliate members. Hayes was the primary play caller at Erksine and in the fall of 2021, he saw two quarterbacks rank in the top 25 nationally in completion percentage. He also recruited 70 student-athletes to Erksine in 2021, which was almost half the roster.
Before Erksine, Hayes had a brief stint as Quarterbacks Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at the University of New England (UNE) in Biddeford, Maine for one season in the fall of 2018. While with the Nor'easters, an NCAA Division III member who compete in the Conference of New England, Hayes oversaw all aspects of quarterback development, including in-game adjustments specifically dealing with the passing game. At UNE, Hayes led or assisted in all phases of recruiting, including area designation, campus and high school visits, scheduling, and software organization.
In 2016, Hayes was the Wide Receivers Coach at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island. During his one year with the Bulldogs, an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) member, Hayes was responsible for all aspects of wide receiver development. Under his guidance, Bryant's offense broke the school's single season records for catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He also spearheaded the expansion and development of the program's analytical approach relating to opponent tendencies and offensive efficiency.
Hayes began his coaching career as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Southeastern University, an NAIA program. He spent two years coaching the team's defensive backs in 2014 and 2015.
As a student-athlete, Hayes played in 26 games over three seasons (2011-13) as a defensive back at Ave Maria. He totaled 160 tackles, 120 of which were solo, and grabbed nine interceptions. Hayes also returned 24 kick-offs for 628 yards. He remains, to this day, Ave Maria's career leader in interceptions and pass breakups, and ranks second in school history in kick return yards.
The Lakeland, Florida native graduated from Ave Maria in January of 2014 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. He also earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Sports Management from Southeastern in December of 2015.
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