The Post-Journal

Caulcrick Resigns As SW Football Coach, Accepts Position with NFL/Xenith

The Southwestern football team is 4-0 this season.

It is ranked No. 3 in this week’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C poll.

It has outscored its opponents by a whopping 173-16.

And it will be looking for a new head coach when the campaign ends.

Jehuu Caulcrick, who took over the program before the 2015 season, has resigned, and has accepted a position with the National Football League/Xenith in Detroit to research and develop the safety of player equipment.

He will be replaced on an interim basis by Jake Burkholder, with a full search to be conducted after the 2019 campaign is completed.

Caulcrick made the announcement to his team on Saturday morning, less than 12 hours after the Trojans blanked Fredonia, 42-0, in a Class C South game at the Orange Bowl in Fredonia.

Caulcrick’s final day as head coach at Southwestern will be next Friday when the Trojans entertain Lackawanna in their homecoming game.

“It’s definitely tough. It’s emotional,” Caulcrick said Saturday morning. “The timing definitely (stinks). We have something special going here and we’re going to continue to have something going. We have a great staff who is going to pick up the slack. It’s rough right now, but we’ll get through this.”

Pending the outcome of next week’s game, Caulcrick leaves the Trojans after compiling a 31-11 record, including three straight trips to the Section VI Class C championship game. Although, Caulcrick was never able to get Southwestern past Cleveland Hill in those title contests, he still left his imprint on the program, compiling 28-6 record in his last three-plus campaigns.

We appreciate the commitment Coach Caulcrick has given to our students, school and community,” said SWCS district Superintendent Maureen Donahue in a press release from the school. “We have full confidence that Coach Burkholder will continue a strong program.”

Added high school principal Scott Cooper: “We will miss Jehuu. He’s been a leader for our student athletes. He continued to build a rich tradition in our football program with great connections with our players.”

The former all-state running back at Clymer Clymer Central School (Class of 2003), Caulcrick went on to a fine career at Michigan State University where he graduated with a sociology degree. Signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Jets in 2008, Caulcrick’s NFL career also included stints with Tampa Bay, San Francisco and Buffalo.

“Coach Caulcrick did a phenomenal job with our student athletes and we wish him the best,” said Kevin Salisbury, district athletic director.

Caulcrick was named Southwestern’s head coach in April 2015, succeeding Jay Sirianni, who posted 101-26 record in 12 seasons, which included two state championships.

A SuperPrep All-American as a senior at Clymer, Caulcrick is Western New York’s all-time rushing leader with 6,559 yards and holds the WNY mark for career rushing touchdowns (100). A former Post-Journal Player of the Year, he led the Pirates to four consecutive Section 6 Class D championships and four straight appearances in the state final four.

A four-year letterman at Michigan State, Caulcrick rushed for 2,395 yards, which is No. 11 on the school’s all-time list. His 39 career rushing touchdowns are No. 2 all-time and his 21 TDs in a season are a Spartans’ record.

Signed by the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2008, Caulcrick also was a member of the Tampa Bay, San Francisco and Buffalo practice squads. He was elevated to the Bills’ regular roster on Nov. 19, 2010 and ran for a first down in his only NFL carry at Cincinnati. He retired from the NFL in 2011 and was inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in February 2015.

After his retirement, he served as an assistant coach at Westfield/Brocton in 2012, a season in which the Wolverines shut out Southwestern, 27-0, snapping the Trojans’ 29-game home winning streak.


The additional financial assistance of the community is critical to the success of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame.
We gratefully acknowledge these individuals and organizations for their generous support.