Forty years after his first stint at Bates, former Division I-AA head coach Ed Argast returned to the Bates football team's coaching staff in 2020 as the offensive line coach. After the 2020-21 academic year, Coach Argast was named interim head coach of the Bobcats for the 2021 season.
Prior to coming to Bates, Coach Argast became the third full-time staff member with the newly formed University of New England football program in June 2017, joining on as the offensive coordinator.
Before that, Argast spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Bryant University [NCAA I-FCS]. While there, he worked specifically as the recruiting coordinator, and on the field with the offensive line, fullbacks, and place kickers. For a period of three months at the conclusion of the 2016 season, he served as the Interim Head Coach.
During his previous stops, Argast was able to get experiences that spanned all positions and facets of football operations. His coaching career began at Bates where he was an assistant for the 1979 and 1980 seasons. Argast spent the 1981 campaign as an assistant at Princeton University [NCAA I-FCS], before moving on to an assistant's role at U.S. Merchant Marine Academy [NCAA III] from 1982-87. The Mariners were the Liberty Conference champions in his last two years at Kings Point.
Argast then transitioned to his alma mater, Colgate University [NCAA I-FCS], to serve as an assistant for 12 seasons (1988-99). The Raiders won Patriot League titles in both 1997 and 1999.
He became a head coach at Canisius College [NCAA I-AA, at the time] from 2000-02, prior to an assistant position at Wagner College [NCAA I-FCS] in 2003. The next two seasons as an assistant (2004-05) were highlighted by Northeast Conference championships at Central Connecticut State University [NCAA I-FCS]. Argast continued on to Fordham University [NCAA I-FCS] for the 2006-08 seasons, when he helped the Rams capture the Patriot League crown in 2007. Before landing at Bryant, he spent 2009-13 as an assistant at Columbia University [NCAA I-FCS].
Argast graduated from Colgate in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in political science, along with three varsity letters in football. He was a two-year starter at offensive tackle with the Raiders.
He later attained a master's degree in social foundations of education from Rutgers University in 1985.
The Irvington, N.J. native and his wife, Jane, now reside in Portland. They have five grown children -- Deirdre, Daniel, Charles, Patrick, and Jack. They are proud grandparents of Ronald Edward Argast. Charles was a two-year starter on the offensive line with Bryant, achieving second team all-conference status for the Bulldogs in the season prior to his father's arrival as part of the coaching staff.
