Milford football coach Tom Grippa retires after 10 seasons

The Milford High School athletic department confirmed on Friday afternoon that head football coach Tom Grippa is stepping down from the role. The 70-year-old official ends a decade-long tenure at the school that produced 57 wins and seven playoff berths. This announcement follows a 2026 season in which the Eagles finished with a 1-9 record, including a 1-8 mark in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference.

Grippa arrived in Milford with a long history in the sport, having spent 49 years coaching at various levels. Before taking the Milford job, he served as a head coach at Elder, Fairfield, and La Salle. He also worked as an assistant coach at Mount St. Joseph University. His career head coaching record stands at 233-150.

His impact on the Milford program began immediately in his first year. The 2017 team finished 8-3, securing a share of the conference title and a playoff spot for the first time since 1986. The following season saw a 9-3 record and a dramatic comeback victory over Fairfield. The program maintained its playoff presence through 2022. The 2023 season marked the peak of his tenure, with a perfect 10-0 regular season and an outright conference championship.

That 2023 run ended in the second round of the playoffs with a loss to Mason. Grippa’s leadership resulted in 11 players earning All-Ohio honors and 80 receiving All-Conference nods. Nearly 50 of his players advanced to college football. He was named the 2023 Eastern Cincinnati Conference Coach of the Year and received the Cincinnati Bengals Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award.

Milford athletic director Mark Trout noted that the community appreciates the positive changes Grippa made on and off the field. Trout stated that Grippa elevated the program into a regular contender in a top conference and renewed its prominence in Southwest Ohio. Grippa described his fondest memories as the relationships built with his assistants and players. He expressed gratitude to his colleagues and said the experience was a wonderful ride.

The school district said it will begin the search for a new head coach immediately. Grippa’s final record at Milford is 57-51. He leaves the position as the winningest coach in the school’s history.