Northern's New Football Coach: Rod Carey

Thus, we begin the Rod Carey-era at NIU.  This past Sunday, he was named to replace the one who "doerened" it off south.  He had been the offensive coordinator at Northern, so is familiar with all the plays and players.  This marks his debut as a head coach.

And what a first game to be head coach, an appearance in the BCS Orange Bowl, something I'm sure he never in his wildest dreams imagined would happen.  I sure never did.  There is no way the Big Boys would ever allow a mid-major like NIU to play at that level, but, hey, we did what we had to do and earned it (sorry Kirkster).

Carey played his college ball at the University of Indiana where he started at center for three years for Coach Bill Mallory, who had coached Northern during our first era of success at the Division 1A level.  Back in 1983, NIU won the MAC and went on to win the California Bowl.

One of the coaches on that team was Joe Novak, who later came to Northern and stayed as head coach until his retirement instead of "doerening" it like the last two.  It is to Novak that I give the most credit for Northern going to the Orange Bowl.  Imagine that, a MAC coach achieving success and not vaulting to the Big Boys.

Before coming to Northern, he coached the offensive line at the University of North Dakota for three years and before that held the same position at Illinois State.  From 1997 to 1999, he was at the University of Minnesota, where one of our"doerens is now. and from 2000-2006 was on the staff at University of Wisconsin-Stout.

One thing for sure, he inherits a very good team.

Here's Hoping for His Success at NIU.  --RoadDog