Tom Williams, who played for Bill Walsh and Denny Green at Stanford, takes over a storied program that has just four wins over past three seasons.
Bellarmine’s Christian Serna celebrates winning against Ann Sobrato at Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. The Bells have named Tom Williams, who received all-Pac-10 recognition as a linebacker at Stanford more than three decades ago, as the successor to David Diaz-Infante, the school announced on Wednesday afternoon Williams, 56, has an extensive background coaching at the high school, college, NFL and international levels, including time with Hawaii, Washington, San Jose State and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He also served as Yale’s head coach from 2009-2011. He resigned late in 2011 amid controversy after admitting he made a false claim that he had applied for a Rhodes scholarship and was a finalist while at Stanford. Bellarmine athletic director Kevin Saldivar told the Bay Area News Group that Williams’ resignation at Yale came up during the hiring process, which featured four rounds of interviews. After speaking with Williams about the incident and conducting background checks and interviews with references, the school felt comfortable moving forward. “One of my favorite lines I use with the student-athletes here is, ‘If we were all perfect, the world would be boring, right?’” Saldivar said. “Part of athletics and anyone being a human is going through some obstacles in their life and learning from it and moving forward and making amends for the stuff they’ve done. “He’s done that for sure. The weeks upon weeks and the amount of people that were involved here and making sure this decision was the correct one for Bellarmine and Bellarmine football, we had no reason to believe that Tom isn’t kind of a person of integrity that aligns with our Jesuit values and philosophy.” Williams is charged with bringing Bellarmine out of the program’s recent doldrums, which include an 0-10 record in 2024 and a West Catholic Athletic League losing streak that dates back to 2023.“I’m honored to have the opportunity to coach hardworking young men at a time when they’re eager to learn, grow, and be challenged,” Williams said in the release. “My football philosophy centers on communication, discipline, accountability and strong team culture, and I’m deeply grateful for Bellarmine’s vote of confidence and belief in my approach. I’m excited to get to work and help move Bellarmine football forward in a way that honors the school’s tradition and values.”East Bay high school plans to dismiss all of its sports teams’ coachesPalo Alto hires new football coach, who inherits team that went 0-10 last year Before recently falling on hard times, Bellarmine was a preeminent program in the Central Coast Section, winning eight section championships. Williams was a four-year letter winner and starter at Stanford under coaches Dennis Green and Bill Walsh. He also served as a team captain during his senior year. “Coach Williams brings a deep understanding of the WCAL landscape, a proven track record across multiple levels of the game, and a clear vision for aligning our football program from top to bottom – including coaches and athletes alike,” Saldivar said in the release. He’s well-positioned to strengthen the program’s culture and competitiveness, and we’re excited about where Bellarmine football can go under his leadership.”Harriette Cole: A chance phone call revealed my daughter had lied to meDear Abby: I'm going broke paying for what my partner's grandchildren consumeCalifornia ranks among worst states to retire in. Here's whyHarriette Cole: Am I justified in escalating this frustrating dispute with my neighbor?
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