Bellarmine Prep Hires Former NFL Coach Tom Williams

Williams brings extensive coaching experience at high school, college, and pro levels to struggling California football program.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 10:07pm

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Bellarmine College Prep in California has hired former NFL coach Tom Williams as their new head football coach, replacing David Diaz-Infante. Williams has coached at the high school, college, and professional levels, including stints as a defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, and even a head coaching role at Yale University.

Why it matters

Bellarmine Prep's football program has struggled in recent years, winning only 4 of their last 26 games. The hiring of an experienced coach like Williams signals the school's commitment to turning the program around and restoring its winning tradition.

The details

Tom Williams, a former linebacker at Stanford University, has an extensive coaching resume. After graduating, he remained at Stanford as a graduate assistant and later served as defensive coordinator for the Fujitsu Frontiers in Japan's X-League. Williams has also coached at the University of Hawaii, University of Washington, San Jose State, and the University of Texas at El Paso. In the NFL, he worked as a defensive coach and assistant special teams coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Williams was also the head coach of the Yale Bulldogs for three seasons, compiling a 16-14 record.

  • Bellarmine Prep announced Williams' hiring on January 28, 2026.
  • Williams will take over a Bellarmine Prep team that went 2-8 in the 2025 season.

The players

Tom Williams

A former linebacker at Stanford University, Williams has extensive coaching experience at the high school, college, and professional levels, including stints as a defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, and head coach at Yale University.

David Diaz-Infante

The former NFL player who was previously the head coach of the Bellarmine Prep football team.

Bellarmine College Prep

A California high school football team that has struggled in recent years, winning only 4 of their last 26 games.

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What they’re saying

“We're excited to welcome Tom Williams to Bellarmine as the new Head of Program for Football! He's coached high school, college, NFL, and international teams… and he's excited to dive into the next chapter of Bellarmine football. See you on the 50 yard line, Coach Williams!”

— Bellarmine Football

What’s next

Williams will look to turn around Bellarmine Prep's struggling football program and restore the team's winning tradition.

The takeaway

The hiring of an experienced coach like Tom Williams signals Bellarmine Prep's commitment to reviving their football program and building a winning culture. Williams' diverse coaching background at the high school, college, and professional levels could be the key to helping the team overcome their recent struggles.