Peterson to Coach ISU Linebackers

NORMAL, Ill. - Jay Peterson, a former assistant coach at NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools Eastern Michigan and Northwestern, has been named the linebackers coach for the Illinois State football team, head coach Brock Spack announced Wednesday. Peterson will also hold the dual role of assistant head coach for the Redbirds.

Peterson spent five years at Eastern Michigan, where he served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2004-08, while also holding the title of assistant head coach during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The Hopedale, Ohio, native has 24 years of coaching experience, both on the collegiate and high school levels.

"I have always respected Jay's approach to the game of football and the results he gets on the field from his players," said Spack. "I've known Jay from his days at Northwestern (1999-2003), and I have followed his career since then. Every time I watched Jay and his players on tape, the one thing that always stood out to me was the intensity, passion and toughness that he coached with, and that his players demonstrated on the field.

"He's a great recruiter, and he developed some really good recruiting classes while at Eastern Michigan (2004-08). Jay is a class act and someone that we are very excited to bring to our staff, as we feel he will be a great coach at Illinois State."

Peterson, who utilized a 4-3 defense modeled after Spack's defensive schemes while the Illinois State head coach was the defensive coordinator at Purdue, has always admired the coaching style that Spack brings to a team.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity to coach at Illinois State and to work with Brock Spack and his entire staff," said Peterson. "I've had the chance to work with Coack Spack through the years in the recruiting circles, particularly during my time at Northwestern. I always admired the way Coach Spack's defenses played at Purdue. I'm a big believer in the 4-3 defensive scheme, which I know Coach Spack also believes in. Brock Spack is an excellent coach, and I feel very fortunate to be on his staff at Illinois State."

In five years under his tutelage, the Eastern Michigan defense improved dramatically, from a high of 469.6 yards allowed per game in 2004 to a drop of almost 100 yards in 2006, at 388.3 yards per game.

Under Peterson's guidance, EMU linebacker Daniel Holtzclaw was tabbed to the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list and the 2008 Rotary Lombardi Award preliminary watch list. Holtzclaw was also named a freshman All-American in 2005 and a first-team All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) selection in 2007.

Prior to joining the Eastern Michigan staff, Peterson spent five years at Big Ten Conference member Northwestern, the same conference where Illinois State head coach Brock Spack spent 12 seasons as the defensive coordinator for Purdue. While at Northwestern, Peterson served as the defensive line coach from 2002-03, after previously working with the Wildcat linebackers and special teams.

In 2001, Northwestern's linebackers were rated among the best in the nation, with two players, Kevin Bentley and Billy Silva, both making the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list. He also coached Napoleon Harris, who was a first-round pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2002.

Prior to his Northwestern stint, Peterson was an assistant coach in charge of linebackers and helped with the special teams at Miami University (Ohio) from 1991-98. During his career at Miami, Peterson coached several All-MAC linebackers, including two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Year JoJuan Armour. Armour was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press. Another Peterson pupil, Dustin Cohen, was named third-team All-America by The Football News, along with Armour.

Peterson has also spent time coaching in the professional ranks, as he spent three summers in the NFL Minority Coaching Internship program, serving various roles with the Indianapolis Colts (1995), Detroit Lions (1997) and Chicago Bears (2001). He was also an assistant football coach at three high schools in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area: Cadiz (1985-87), Anderson (1988-89) and Withrow (1990) high schools.

Peterson was a standout running back at Miami, where he earned four varsity letters from 1980-83. His career total of 2,874 rushing yards ranks fifth on Miami's all-time career rushing list. He was a co-captain as a senior and was a first-team All-MAC selection in 1982, a second-team pick in 1983 and an honorable mention choice in 1981.

Peterson graduated from Miami in 1985 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education.

Peterson and his wife, Freda, have a 14-year-old daughter, Jada.

PETERSON COACHING LEDGER

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