LEXINGTON, Va. – After three seasons at the helm of the program, Danny Rocco announced his resignation as football coach of the VMI Keydets on Tuesday. He expressed his appreciation to VMI Superintendent Lt. Gen. David J. Furness '87 and Athletic Director Jamaal Walton '07 for their support during his tenure.

"It has been an honor and privilege to serve all of you as your head football coach," Rocco said. "I want to thank Jamaal Walton for his ongoing support. He has been a tireless worker looking for ways to improve both the cadet-athlete experience as well as creative ways to move the program forward. I will be forever grateful for Jamaal's support, encouragement and optimism. Jamaal Walton certainly lives out the Core Values that we have lived by over the past three years. I want to recognize and thank Lt. Gen. Furness for his immediate impact and support. I am confident that both Jamaal and Lt. Gen. Furness will be successful in finding a path towards success for VMI football."

Rocco's first year was a rousing success, coaching VMI to a 5-6 record overall with a 4-4 record in conference play, marking just the fourth time in 20 years that VMI Football had won five total games and posted four conference wins in a single year. The Keydets capped off Rocco's first year in resounding fashion, defeating No. 14 Western Carolina, giving VMI its first top 25 win since October of 2021. Due to the success, Rocco was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson FCS National Coach of the Year Award for the seventh time in his career.

"I want to thank Coach Rocco for his service to the Institute these past three seasons," Lt. Gen. Furness said. "The wins and losses do not reflect how Coach Rocco developed his cadet-athletes as not just football players, but also as leaders of character. I wish him and the Rocco family the best in their future endeavors."

"I want to thank Coach Rocco for leading VMI football for the past three seasons," said Walton. "Coach Rocco represented VMI to the highest standards of professionalism and character. I wish Coach Rocco, and the Rocco family the best moving forward. A national search to find a new head football coach will begin immediately."

While the past two seasons did not yield the wins Coach Rocco and his staff worked for, the Keydets continued to represent the Institute well, with 13 all-conference honorees, including a pair of first teamers this season in Nathan Payne and Ben Shrewsbury. Additionally, Kouri Crump received his prestigious Defender of the Nation Award at the Bronko Nagurski Banquet last week in Charlotte.  

"I want to thank our coaches for all of their hard work and sacrifices," said Rocco. "They spend the majority of their time and energy focusing on the players and our team. Their hard work and sacrifices are both recognized and greatly appreciated."

"The Institute's announcement yesterday to opt in to the House Settlement marks a new era for VMI Athletics," said Lt. Gen. Furness. "We will begin in earnest the search for the Institute's next head football coach who will usher in that new era building upon the foundation Coach Rocco has started."