Robert Orell ’17 begins his fourth season as an assistant football coach at Nichols College and second as offensive line coach in 2020. He is also the social media and Hudl coordinator for the program, as well as the assistant academic coordinator and gameday and practice coordinator.
The 2019 campaign saw the Bison reach the six-win mark for the second time in four seasons and come within one win of their first bowl game appearance since 2000. The season was highlighted by a 25-15 win on Homecoming Weekend over Salve Regina – the Bison’s first over the Seahawks since 2009. The win left them at 3-1 for the first time since 2007. Five student-athletes received Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Football All-Conference honors while seven were named to the Worcester Area All-Star squad. Additionally, 11 student-athletes grabbed academic all-conference honors.
Orell spent the 2018 campaign as running backs coach after coaching the linebackers in 2017. The Bison rushed for 1,735 yards in 2018 – good for third in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). Jacob Duffrene garnered CCC First Team honors after rushing for 794 yards and nine touchdowns. His 7.7 yards/carry average was second in the conference while his nine touchdowns ranked third. Duffrene posted four 100-yard rushing games.
Nichols opened the 2017 campaign 2-0 for the first time since 2000 and the team finished the season with a pair of All-Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) performers on defense: Brett McEvoy (First Team) and Jaylen Encarnacion (Second Team). McEvoy – who was also named to the Worcester Area Football Association All-Star Team – graduated as the program’s all-time leader in tackles.
Orell – who also currently serves as the offensive line coach and assistant run game coordinator for the Massachusetts Pirates of the National Arena League (NAL) – was a three-year member of the football team at Nichols at center on the offensive line, earning New England Football Conference (NEFC) All-Academic Team honors in 2015. Orell received his bachelor’s degree in English from Nichols before snaring his Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership two years later.
Following his playing career at Nichols, Orell was the starting center for the Myrtle Beach Masters (2017) starting left tackle for the New England Bobcats (2018).
