Bentley Names Saj Thakkar Next Head Football Coach

WALTHAM, MA — A nationwide search for a new head football coach determined that the best candidate for Bentley was already on the staff.

Bentley officials have removed the interim tag on Saj Thakkar, making him the newest head coach for the Falcons.

Thakkar, a Wakefield native, becomes the seventh head coach in the history of the program. He was hired in April as the program's offensive coordinator but was elevated to interim head coach after Bill Kavanaugh stepped down in late March.

Thakkar spent five years on the Harvard University football staff under head coach Tim Murphy prior to Bentley.

"I couldn’t be more excited to be the next head football coach at Bentley," Thakkar said.

"Bentley is truly a special place with special people. My family and I look forward to continuing to build relationships at Bentley and around Waltham."

Bentley has had a strong run of success since midway through the 2019 season, posting a 21-5 record since that time. The Falcons won the 2019 Northeast-10 championship and also made the 2021 NCAA Division II playoffs.

Thakkar’s experience includes five seasons as the running backs coach at Harvard and three years at SUNY Maritime as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, according to athletic officials.

He was a participant of the NFL Bill Walsh Fellowship in Atlanta in 2022, where he worked with Atlanta Falcons assistant T.J. Yates.

Thakkar also coached the running backs and special teams at his alma mater, Fitchburg State University, where he earned both his MBA and Bachelor of Science degree and was a three-time academic all-conference selection as a wide receiver and quarterback.