Bio

Ben Ganus returned to his alma mater for a second stint as an assistant football coach in 2015.

He is in his sixth season as the Hawks’ offensive line coach. He was named the Run Game Coordinator in 2017 and later promoted to Offensive Coordinator. Ganus coached running backs and H-backs during his first two seasons as a Huntingdon assistant in 2012 and 2013.

Ganus’ offensive line helped lead the way for Huntingdon to win four USA South Athletic Conference championships in five seasons from 2015-2019 and the first two NCAA Division III playoff wins in program history (2015 and 2019). His offensive lines have anchored the top two scoring seasons (498 points in 2016 and 482 points in 2015) and rushing seasons (2,960 yards in 2016 and 2,936 yards in 2015) in program history.

Since 2015, the offensive line has paved the way for three of the top-five, and seven of the top-11, single-game rushing performances in program history and has generated four of the program’s top six seasons for total offense. Behind his offensive lines, Huntingdon running backs have rushed for 100 yards or more 32 times in that span. The Hawks have recorded five of their top-six individual season rushing performances since 2015, including producing three of Huntingdon’s four 1,000-yard rushers.

In 2019, the unit helped the Hawks capture the USA South championship and advance to the second round of the Division III playoffs. Huntingdon led the conference in total offense (4,850 yards), total offense per game (404.2 yards per game), passing yards (2,453 yards), rushing yards (2,397), touchdowns (55), points (393) and first downs (241). The unit also helped the Hawks rush for 408 yards against Greensboro, the second best rushing performance in Huntingdon history. Three of the Hawks’ front five earned first- or second-team All-Conference honors.

In 2018, the offensive line helped the offense set the program’s season record for rushing yards per attempt (6.07 yards per carry) and lead the USA South in total offense (4,227 yards), total offense per game (469.7 yards per game), touchdowns (43), points (323) and first downs (218). The unit was recognized with two offensive linemen earning first- or second-team All-Conference honors.

The 2017 Hawks captured a third straight USA South championship, led the conference in total offense (5,080 yards), total offense per game (461.8 yards per game), rushing yards (2,387), touchdowns (50), points (388) and first downs (256) and set the Hawks’ single-game record for first downs (37) against Methodist. The season saw two offensive linemen earn first-team All-Conference recognition.

In 2016, as they won a second straight conference title, the offensive line helped the Hawks rank third in Division III in total offense per game (543.9 yards), eighth in points per game (45.3) and tied for 11th in sacks allowed (nine in 11 games) while setting Huntingdon records for rushing yards (2,960), rushing touchdowns (35), passing touchdowns (33), total offense (5,983 yards) and points scored (498) in a season. The Hawks turned in two of the top-five total offensive efforts in program history with 758 yards against Belhaven and 700 yards against Averett. Huntingdon led the USA South in total offense, total offense per game, rushing yards, total touchdowns (69), points and first downs. Two of the Hawks’ front five earned first-team All-Conference honors.

The 2015 team won Huntingdon’s first USA South championship and first Division III playoff game. The offensive line paved the way for a ground game that set the program record for rushing attempts in a season (564), rushed for a then-program-record 2,936 yards and tied what was then the program record with 33 rushing touchdowns. Three of the Hawks’ offensive linemen were named first-team All-Conference and a fourth offensive lineman earned second-team All-Conference honors.

During his first two seasons as a Huntingdon assistant in 2012 and 2013, Ganus’ running backs amassed 3,233 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. The running backs and H-backs were on the receiving end of 80 passes for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The running backs and H-backs played a crucial role in helping the Hawks set a then-Division III record of 585.8 yards per game in 2013.

Ganus mentored second-team All-Region running back Trevor Manuel in 2012, second-team All-Region guard Chael Pridgen in 2015, third-team All-Region guard Chris Hering in 2017 and 2018 and third-team All-Region tackle Darrell Hixon in 2019. Pridgen became the first Hawk to earn All-Region honors three times.

Ganus has helped produce 15 All-Conference selections, 31 Academic All-Conference selections and seven NFF Hampshire Honor Society members.

In between his stints with the Hawks, Ganus spent the 2014 season as the running backs coach at Methodist University. His running backs rushed for 1,887 yards and 23 touchdowns and averaged 5.5 yards per carry to help the Monarchs lead the USA South with 484.2 yards of offense per game.

Before joining the Huntingdon staff in 2012, Ganus spent two seasons coaching running backs and fullbacks at Waldorf College. While at Waldorf, Ganus coached two all-conference running backs.

A native of Gulf Breeze, Fla., Ganus was a two-year starter at fullback for Huntingdon and was a member of the Hawks’ first playoff team in 2009. Ganus earned his bachelor’s degree in human performance at Huntingdon and his MBA in sports administration from Columbia Southern University.