St. Thomas Aquinas Football Coach Fired in Shocking Move
Woodbridge, NJ – In an unexpected turn of events, Tarig Holman, the head football coach at St. Thomas Aquinas, has been fired along with his entire coaching staff. Holman, who had successfully led the program over the last three seasons, was blindsided by the decision during a meeting with athletic director Jerry Smith on Friday afternoon.
Holman was carrying on with his off-season tasks, which included ordering new uniforms, updating helmets, and adding an assistant coach as he prepared for the upcoming fall season. Before Friday’s meeting, there were no hints that anything was amiss. Holman shared that he was given no specific reason for his dismissal other than that “they didn’t like the culture.”
In his first public remarks following the firing, Holman expressed his disappointment at the lack of communication. “I think the worst thing in the entire process is just not knowing what is going on,” he said. Holman highlighted the strong relationships he built with his players and staff and emphasized that everyone deserved an explanation. “The kids deserve it. The community deserves it,” he stated, clearly frustrated by the suddenness of the news.
Under Holman’s leadership, the Trojans had a record of 27-6 over the past three seasons, along with a number of honors including final state rankings in consecutive years. They finished No. 4 in the MyCentralJersey Big Central Conference Top 15 for 2024 after going 8-3, and received national attention with players getting recruited by major colleges.
Holman, who played college football at the University of Iowa and had a short stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, began his coaching career after injuries cut his playing days short. He served as head coach at various high schools before finding his role at St. Thomas Aquinas in April 2022.
Despite the shocking news, Holman remains optimistic about the future. “A setback is only a setup for a comeback,” he remarked, expressing belief that his passion for coaching and helping young athletes will lead to new opportunities. He is currently trying to navigate this unexpected change while considering what comes next.
