Sometimes, a job represents a homecoming and a new chapter in life all at once.
Decades after his late mother, Kay, was donning a Holy Cross sweatshirt for an in-home visit from then-Crusaders head coach Peter Vaas, Dan Curran is home at Holy Cross after starring collegiately for New Hampshire and then playing professional football for a decade.
Curran, intent on continuing the elevation of the Holy Cross program from predecessor Bob Chesney, is cementing his roots in the Crusaders program.
Literally.
He’s building a new family home on a four-acre lot “nine minutes from campus.”
“I think a lot of times a new coach comes in as kind of an outsider trying to figure out the program, the community,” Curran, noting his first-ever collegiate football scholarship offer was from Holy Cross and sharing the tale of his mother’s three-course meal for Vaas, tells FootballScoop. “I understand the history and tradition; I know proud alums, and I know in past years having a chance to compete against these guys, I felt like I was coming home and part of it already.
“To actually be here and be head coach, it’s a surreal moment for me and my family.”
With three older brothers and an older sister all remaining the general area, Curran figures a family cheering section is virtually a given as his tenure opens Aug. 31 at Rhode Island before his home debut against New Hampshire a week later.
Originally choosing New Hampshire largely because of the bond and opportunity to grow as a football player under former head coach Sean McDonnell and then-offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, now running the offense at Ohio State following his college and NFL runs as a head coach, Curran still hears Kelly’s words in arriving at Holy Cross for his destination.
“Everybody in our industry has tough decisions, but I remember Chip Kelly used to tell me and others, if you think a long and hard time about something, you probably shouldn’t take it,” says Curran, in a new spot after coaching 14 seasons at Merrimack, the last 11 as head coach and seeing his mentor, Kelly, coaching offense for Curran's former college quarterback, Ryan Day. “He wasn’t chasing the next gig. I was fortunate to play pro football for almost a decade, but I wasn’t Tom Brady. I would get cut, work at getting back, spent enough time playing to get some checks, but once I got into coaching, I had a chance for G.A. positions, quality control, in-house NFL opportunities, scouting.
“But I said I was not going to chase. I wanted my family to know where we lived, and I wanted to help build from the ground up.”
Among Curran’s foundational components at Merrimack are the program’s first-ever win against an FCS program, as well as back-to-back second-place conference finishes in 2022-23.
Those markers, in a program devoid of bountiful funding, still comprise the coach Curran is today. He’s fully staffed but willing to dive into special teams instruction, guide a team drill or do whatever it takes.
He’s also quick to praise his Holy Cross staff, both on and off the field. Andrew Dresner is his offensive coordinator, Bryan Robbat oversees special teams and Brian Vaganek is defensive coordinator, a new title after seven years on staff at Holy Cross.
Curran considers Chris Grautski “the best strength coach in the country; probably my biggest recruit since I got here,” and spends several minutes detailing the value of sports medicine head Alicia Caswell.
Energetic as ever, the 48-year-old Curran also is eager to enhance Holy Cross with leadership he’s been consistently engaging since the interview process and resources to match Curran’s can-do approach.
“The big thing is, and I thought this from the outside looking in, but I felt there was a big-time commitment by the administration, the college and the community, and honestly those expectations have been exceeded since I got here,” Curran says. “Not just facilities but the overall commitment. And we have it from the top-down from President (Vincent) Rougeau to our athletics director, Kit Hughes and Nick Smith, our deputy A.D.”
Despite losing 35 players from Holy Cross teams that won 29 games the previous three seasons, Curran sees a refreshing hunger in the returning players and a growing cohesion among the roster.
“Some of those guys we lost were generational Holy Cross talents, all-conference players and they had three NFL guys,” Curran says. “I would say because of that, this is a very motivated group. They got upset by a good Lafayette team last year and graduated all those guys and did not make the (FCS) Playoffs.
“This is a motivated group with a big chip on their shoulder. They’re not household names yet but, after spring and developing this summer, people are going to know who they are here in a couple months.
“I feel good about where we’re at as far as continuity and how tight the team is.”
Where Curran’s at is back home, even if it’s his first year.