It all started with a shocking twist on a Friday afternoon.
Tarig Holman, head football coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, was going about his usual day teaching English at Woodbridge High School when Athletic Director Jerry Smith appeared unexpectedly.
The meeting was brief, but the shocking news hit hard as Holman and his entire coaching staff were being let go, effective immediately.
Just like that, three successful seasons, a 27-6 record, and years of dedication to his players were dismissed without a clear explanation or warning.
Holman was blindsided, and he wasn’t the only one.
The same day, Austin Whitehurst, the school’s first-year boys basketball coach, was fired.
Whitehurst had barely gotten his season started—his team stood at 5-3—but the decision also came out of nowhere for him.
He’d been suspended for the first eight games of the season due to a recruiting violation, but he’d still been heavily involved in practices and shaping the team.
Now, just as he was set to return fully, his time at St. Thomas was cut short.
What makes this situation so puzzling is the complete lack of answers.
Neither Holman nor Whitehurst was given a reason for their firing.
Holman says the only vague explanation he received was that “they didn’t like the culture.”
What does that even mean for a football program that was thriving?
Holman led the Trojans to back-to-back state rankings and an 8-3 record this past season. He was also known for prioritizing his players’ academic and personal growth.
He proudly shared that 22 of his players made the honor roll, and colleges like Penn State, Boston College, and Syracuse were scouting them.
Whitehurst’s basketball program was starting to gain momentum, too.
Led by seniors Aiden Ur and Charlie Joyce, along with standout freshman Triston Harvey, the team was on the rise.
Whitehurst had plans to take the program further, but those plans were cut short without explanation.
And the timing made it all the more baffling.
Holman and his staff were gearing up for another big football season, ordering new uniforms and updating helmets.
Everything seemed normal until the sudden Friday meeting.
Holman suspects the decision came from higher-ups—possibly the principal, Harry Ziegler, or the school president, Kevin Sacco—because he doesn’t believe Smith would’ve made this call on his own.
After hearing the news, Holman tried to act quickly, rushing to the school to personally inform his players and their families.
He wanted to make sure they heard it directly from him rather than through rumors or social media.
He called parents, gathered as many players as possible, and broke the news.
It was devastating for everyone, especially since the team hadn’t even held its end-of-season banquet yet.
And it’s not like Whitehurst’s situation was much better.
Despite his suspension, he’d been actively running practices and preparing the team.
His assistants, Victor Verdecia and Mike Rosario, had stepped in during the suspension and led the team to a 5-3 record, including a big win over rival St. Joseph (Metuchen) and a double-overtime loss to Colonia, a top-ranked team.
Whitehurst had encouraged his assistants to stay on after his firing to provide stability for the players, but the sudden change still left the program in limbo.
Holman, 48, has been around the block in New Jersey high school football.
He’s known for turning struggling programs into contenders, like when he led Trenton High School to its first playoff berth in 15 years.
Before that, he played football at the University of Iowa and even had a brief stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before an injury ended his playing career.
He’s not new to challenges, but this one hit differently.
Holman and the rest of the community are left to speculate without a clear reason for his firing.
And the ripple effect of these firings has been massive.
Players, parents, and even alumni are rallying around Holman and Whitehurst, flooding them with messages of support.
Meanwhile, the administration remains tight-lipped, leaving a trail of frustration and unanswered questions.
For now, the football team’s future is uncertain, even though it’s stacked with talent like running back Chukwuma Odoh and freshman quarterback Zymere Weaver.
Under interim coach Verdecia, the basketball team will try to keep moving forward, but losing Whitehurst has created a gap that won’t be easy to fill.