John Gagliardi Retires as St. John’s Football Coach [AUDIO]

St. John's football coach John Gagliardi has retired as head coach after 60 seasons and 489 victories at age 86.  Gagliardi is the all-time winningest coach in college football history.  The Johnnies were 5-5 overall and 3-5 in the MIAC in 2012.

Gagliardi says in a release “Seventy years (60 at SJU) is a long time to be doing the same job,” Gagliardi said. “Luckily, I've always been blessed with great players, friends, family and support to make it this far. Nobody ever said that getting older was easy. I just can't do the job at the level I used to anymore.”

Gagliardi coached four national championship teams (1963, 1965, 1976 and 2003), and made the 2000 national title game.

St. John's will be looking for a new head football coach for the first time in 60 years.  Some possibilities to replace Gagliardi include Eden Prairie head football coach Mike Grant, St. John's Assistant Coaches Jim Gagliardi, Jerry Haugen and Gary Fasching.

St. John's Athletic Director Tom Stock says they have begun a national search and hope to have a new head coach in place by Christmas.  Stock says it's important for recruiting and the future of the program to move quickly to hire a replacement.  Stock talked with Jay Caldwell on AM 1240-WJON Monday Morning.