NORMAL, Ill. - Former Purdue defensive coordinator Brock Spack was named the 20th head football coach in Illinois State history when he was introduced to media and supporters Wednesday afternoon by ISU Director of Athletics Dr. Sheahon Zenger. Spack replaces Denver Johnson, who resigned after the 2008 season finale.
"Brock Spack brings an intensity to Redbird football that matches the commitment that Illinois State University has made to achieving excellence, both on-and-off the field of play," said Zenger. "When we began this search process, we established a list of seven criteria that we were looking for in a head coach, and Coach Spack exceeded each of those expectations. I expect his blue-collar, no-nonsense approach to football to set the tone for our program for years to come.
"Coach Spack is well known throughout the nation for being a relentless recruiter and a tough-minded coach who establishes great relationships with his players. He is one of the most respected football coaches in the Big Ten, not only for his defensive expertise and recruiting ability, but also for his loyalty to the institutions for which he has worked. Coach Spack is unique, in that he's a defensive coach that wants to run a wide-open offense, which is exactly what we were looking to bring to Illinois State."
Spack is looking forward to heading the Illinois State football program.
"I'm very excited to be named the head football coach at Illinois State," said Spack. "The University and the Redbird football program are a great fit for me and my family. I grew up in Illinois and played high school football in Rockford, so to come back home and be named the head football coach at Illinois State is a great thrill for me.
"I'm excited to be back coaching in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. I was with Eastern Illinois (1987-90 as an assistant coach) when it was part of the then-Gateway Football Conference, and it was a very tough league then. I know the league has gotten even better with the addition of North Dakota State and South Dakota State this past season. Coaching in the Valley Football Conference is going to be a great challenge, and I'm excited for the opportunity to coach Illinois State in this tough league."
Spack has numerous ties to the Central Illinois area, as he played high school football at Rockford East High School in Rockford, Ill., from 1976-79. Both his high school head coach and defensive coordinator played football at Illinois State and were early mentors for Spack to begin his football coaching career.
"Craig Stalcup (Spack's high school football coach and a former Illinois State football player) was a huge reason why I got into coaching," said Spack. "We had a lot of Illinois State guys on our football staff in high school, so it's a great thrill for me, nearly 30 years after I graduated high school, to now be the head football coach of the school where some of my high school coaches played at."
Spack was the defensive coordinator for the Boilermakers for the last 12 seasons (1997-2008) under former head coach Joe Tiller, who retired after the 2008 season. He worked with the Purdue linebackers from 1997 to 2005, and again in 2008, when he was named as the one of the nation's top linebacker coaches by Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com in June 2008.
The Boilermakers were 87-62 overall (53-43 Big Ten Conference) during Spack's 12-year tenure as an assistant coach under Tiller at Purdue. Spack coached in 10 bowl games as an assistant at Purdue, including the 2001 Rose Bowl, which came on the heels of an 8-4 season overall in 1999 and a first-place tie (6-2 record) in the Big Ten Conference. He also played in the 1980 Liberty Bowl with Purdue and was a graduate assistant coach during the Boilermaker's 1984 Peach Bowl game.
From 2000 to 2004, the Purdue defense became one of the stingiest units in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers were tops in total defense in 2002 (317.2 yards per game) - the first time they had been No. 1 since 1967 - after ranking third in 2000 and 2001. They were third in 2003, as well, and ranked 13th nationally.
Under Spack, Purdue scored 22 defensive touchdowns (10 via fumble, 11 on interceptions and one combination). The Boilermakers accumulated 322 takeaways in 12 seasons, for an average of 26.8 takeaways per season and a plus-31 turnover margin. In 2001, Purdue tied for second nationally with 36 takeaways and 18 fumble recoveries.
Seven members of Purdue's 2003 defense were selected in the 2004 NFL Draft: Gilbert Gardner (LB), Landon Johnson (LB), Niko Koutouvides (LB), Shaun Phillips (LB), Jacques Reeves (CB), Stuart Schweigert (DB) and Craig Terrill (DT). All told, 27 Purdue defensive players went on to the NFL during Spack's tenure.
As defensive coordinator at Wyoming in 1995 and 1996, Spack recharged the defense, which improved from fifth to second in total defense in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The Cowboys topped the WAC in sacks during his two years, including a school-record 46 in 1996.
Spack was Purdue's inside linebackers coach from 1991 to 1994 and was a graduate assistant coach for the Boilermakers in 1984 and 1985. He served under former Purdue head coach Joe Tiller, who was defensive coordinator from 1983 to 1986. Spack coached All-Big Ten linebacker Jim Schwantz, a 1996 NFL Pro Bowl selection and a key member of the Dallas Cowboys' Super Bowl XXX Championship team.
From 1987 to 1990, Spack was an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois (linebackers/defensive line/recruiting coordinator) and in 1986, was at Wabash College (defensive line/strength coach).
Spack graduated from Purdue in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in social studies. He earned a master's degree in physical education from Eastern Illinois in 1990. Spack played linebacker for the Boilermakers from 1980-83, earning first-team All-Big Ten and honorable mention All-America honors as a sophomore. He was a three-year starter and currently ranks fifth on the Boilermakers' career tackles list with 384.
A native of Rockford, Ill., Spack (born Jan. 5, 1962) and his wife, Aimee, have two children, Alicia and Brent. Alicia is a senior softball player at Purdue.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT Brock Spack
Joe Tiller, former head football coach at Purdue University "Brock is certainly ready to be a head coach. He's a no-nonsense, high-intensity guy who has a great passion for the sport of football. He also has great compassion for people. The defenses that he has coached were really the stability point for Purdue throughout his time as one of my assistants, even though we were known more as an offensive team. Illinois State is getting a very good coach in Brock Spack."
Kirk Ferentz, head football coach at the University of Iowa "I've admired Brock's work for many years now. He was a very good football player for Purdue. More recently, I've had great admiration for what he has done with the Purdue defensive unit. The success that Purdue has had under Brock and (former head coach) Joe Tiller is well documented. I think of Purdue's recent success as being similar to what the San Francisco 49ers did under Joe Walsh. The 49ers had the `West Coast Offense.' But the common denominator, the thing that got them to the Super Bowl, was the fact that they played great defense, as well. I see Purdue as being very similar to the 49ers in that way.
"Under Joe Tiller, Purdue had a tremendous offense, but it also had a great defense, and that was guided by Brock Spack. Purdue has had an awful lot of great football teams, and Brock has been a part of many of those great teams. I think he's an outstanding coach, and he'll do an outstanding job at Illinois State."
Lloyd Carr, former head football coach at the University of Michigan "I first met Brock when I was an assistant at Illinois in 1978. I tried to recruit Brock to come play at Illinois, and of course, he went to Purdue. During his career at Purdue, Brock was an outstanding player and leader. He was always one of those guys who I would have loved to have hired (as a coach) myself because I think he's got everything it takes to be an extremely successful head coach. The reason I believe that is because he was such a great assistant coach. He has a great background, having worked for Joe Tiller at Purdue. Purdue had some great defenses while Brock was the defensive coordinator. The Boilermakers could not only hurt you on offense, but also on defense.
"Brock has a great background in college football. He is a bright guy and works very hard. You talk to the guys that he's coached and they would tell you that they respect him, like him and enjoyed playing for him. His background as an outstanding linebacker and coach in the Big Ten has prepared him to be Illinois State's head football coach."
Barry Alvarez, athletics director at the University of Wisconsin and former head football coach at the University of Wisconsin "Brock Spack is a great hire for Illinois State and its football program. I've known Brock since he was a senior in high school. I was coaching at the University of Iowa and tried to recruit Brock. I didn't get him, as he went to Purdue, but I've followed him throughout both his college playing career and now his coaching career. I was always very impressed with his coaching career. When (Wisconsin head football coach) Bret Bielema was hired here, we talked to Brock and tried to get him to come to Wisconsin as the defensive coordinator. Brock is a highly respected coach in the Big Ten Conference, a terrific defensive coordinator and relates well to both student-athletes and fellow coaches."
Jim Tressel, head football coach at Ohio State University "Brock is one of the finest defensive minds in the nation. He will give Illinois State his all."
Tom Dienhart, Rivals.com/Yahoo Sports Senior National College Football Writer "Brock is a fantastic combination of passion and football acumen and someone that is ready to be a head coach. He's a tough, hard-nosed, bluecollar coach with Midwestern values who knows what it takes to build a winning program. I fully expect him to make Illinois State into a prominent FCS program."
Rosevelt Colvin, New England Patriots linebacker and former Purdue University linebacker "I played a couple of years under Coach Spack, and what I saw from him was a passion for football, a passion for winning and defi nitely an ability to motivate his players to be their best, both on-and-off the fi eld. I'm sure he will bring a fi ery spirit to the Illinois State football program. Coach Spack holds himself in the highest regard, and I'm sure he will be a great asset to Illinois State football."
Stuart Schweigert, Detroit Lions defensive back and former Purdue University defensive back "Coach Spack and I have a special relationship. He was my recruiting coordinator out of high school. Coach Spack did a great job of being very honest and up front with me about my playing opportunities at Purdue. Coach Spack is a blue-collar type of guy. When guys are on the fi eld or in the meeting room, Coach Spack expects them to work hard and to go out on the fi eld and get the job done. He's one of the fi rst guys on the sideline to congratulate you when you make a great play. He knows his football, has been around the game a long time and is a great coach. He's there to teach guys how to be great students and athletes, and to help them achieve their goals."
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