Long Island Lutheran names Tiquan Garner as football coach
Tiquan Garner is the new head football coach at Long Island Lutheran going into the 2025 season. Credit: LI Lutheran Athletics
Tiquan Garner's coaching journey has come full circle.
After six years as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator for the Long Island Lutheran football team, Garner has been named the head coach for the Crusaders. He takes over for Chris Reno, who is moving into an administrative role with the football program so he can spend more time with family. Reno coached for 27 years, 18 of which were spent as the head coach. Reno's overall record at LuHi was 91-70.
"I believe [Garner] can take this program to the next level," Reno said. "When I took over the program, I wanted to make it a place everyone wanted to be a part of. Now what coach Garner has to do is make it a regional program or even perhaps a national program."
Garner is familiar with the LuHi culture. A former running back for the Crusaders who graduated in 2013, Garner was a four-year varsity starter, two-year captain and holds the school record for single-season rushing yards (2,714). . He played collegiately at Wagner as a defensive back.
Garner's offense averaged 32 points last season. But as the head coach, he has his eyes set on bringing the program to new heights.
"I've been telling people it’s time for LuHi to step into the light," Garner said. "I want people to know that LuHi is one of the top programs in the state, if not the Northeast region."
Garner said that the support around him helped him know that he was ready to be a head coach.
Tiquan Garner as an assistant football coach at Long Island Lutheran during the 2024 season. Credit: LI Lutheran Athletics
"In my head, a lot of questions started brewing, like 'Am I ready? Am I going to do this the right way?' " Garner said. "People who knew me as a coach supported and got me in gear and ready to go."
Garner's philosophy is not just to win games, but to instill discipline and accountability into his players.
"I want to prepare them for what they will see in college," he said. "Football ends for everybody, and that's the sad reality of it. We want to prepare them as young men and face any obstacle they face in this world."
Garner said his biggest goal is to get every senior a scholarship to play in college.
"I want nothing more than to get every kid that wants to play for me that opportunity," he said. "I believe if you work hard, you will be rewarded."
