T.J. Linta has big plans at small Hamden Hall 

By David Borges, Register Staff
dborges@nhregister.com / Twitter: @DaveBorges

New Haven-- Hamden Hall quarterback T.J. Linta, center, with his receivers, Michael Whalen (7), Michael Breuler (17), Nick Linta (10) and Dylan Millhouse (87) . Peter Casolino/New Haven Register 8/28/12

Joe Linta is a football guy. The Connecticut-based sports agent represents numerous NFL players, including Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, as well as coaches like Romeo Crennel, Chris Palmer and Bill O’Brien.

He played nose guard at Yale and later coached there, both under the legendary Carm Cozza, his mentor. Now he’s beginning his second season at the helm of the Hamden Hall football team.

He’s also a dad, and it just so happens that his two sons — Nick, a senior, and T.J., a junior — are two of the best players on this year’s Hornets squad.

Nick is a sure-handed receiver and excellent route-runner who’s been getting looks from Division III programs — even if his own dad mocks his lack of speed.

Joe has a harder time, however, finding fault in T.J., who has emerged as one of the state’s top quarterbacks despite playing at a small private school with a total enrollment of about 250.

“The kid can play,” Linta said, matter-of-factly. “If you can throw a 15-yard out on a rope, it doesn’t matter where you play.”

Plenty of college coaches seem to agree. Based on a 10-minute highlight film that Linta sent out to about eight Division I schools, as well as his performance at a couple of camps this past summer, T.J. is starting to generate some serious interest. Virginia, Duke, Syracuse, Rutgers and several Ivy League programs (Yale, Cornell, Dartmouth, Princeton), like the 6-foot-4, 238-pound quarterback’s
talents.

NFL agent Joe Linta has been hired to be the new head football coach at Hamden Hall, the school's headmaster, Bob Izzo, confirmed Monday.

"We hired Joe just the other day," Izzo said.

Linta, a Branford resident, is the founder of JL Sports, a company that represents over 40 NFL players, most notably Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. Linta is a graduate of Yale, where he played defensive tackle. He was an assistant coach with the Bulldogs from 1985 to 1991 under then head coach Carm Cozza. Previously, Linta was an assistant at the University of New Haven.

"The reason you do this, the opportunity to spend time at a place like this is very flattering," Linta said. "Football wise, we want to make it a place for the college recruiters to stop because a) we have kids who want to go to college and b) they want to play football at the next level."

In the fall, Hamden Hall returns running back Curtis Antrum, who Linta calls "one of the best running backs in the state".

"It's exicting to build a program," Linta said. "We're going to do a lot of the NFL offense and pressure defense. We're going to build the offense around Curtis but we're going to throw the ball too. The facility is second to none. I was blown away by how nice the place is. The kids have to see it to appreciate it."

Linta replaces Rob Carbone, who stepped down after four seasons with the program.

"Ron and I talked about it before the season and he told me (2010) was going to be his last year," Izzo said.

Izzo said they interviewed several applicants but thought Linta was the most qualified candidate.

"We think he's going to do a tremendous job," Izzo said. "I'm comfortable with his background. He's a natural with the kids. He's smart, hard-working and driven."