Tom Matukewicz
New Northern Illinois head football coach Dave Doeren announced Wednesday that Tom Matukewicz, who is serving as NIU’s interim head coach for the 2010 uDrove Humanitarian Bowl, will remain with the Huskies as linebackers coach, the position he has held at the school for the past three seasons. Matukewicz gave the team the news following Wednesday’s practice in Boise.
“Tom is a natural leader, a worker, and a proud Huskie,” said Doeren from Madison, Wisc., where he is continuing as Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator and preparing the Badgers’ for the Rose Bowl versus TCU. “I know he is excited and driven to continue to work for NIU. I know he has the players’ respect and is an excellent recruiter and evaluator of talent. I am looking forward to working with Coach Tuke.
“He is `all in’ when it comes to this football family. I am so grateful he is staying and I look forward to having his wife, Lenna, and daughter, Georgia, here too.”
“My last 11 seasons with Coach Kill have been amazing,” Matukewicz said. “Being a head coach has always been my goal and I feel like I have learned Coach Kill’s system for developing winning programs over our 11 seasons together. It will be a great growing experience to learn Coach Doeren’s system now. Every coach needs a broad scope to draw from. Every coach needs to do what is best for his family. Lenna and I are so glad Coach Doeren has invited us to join his team. He is a proven difference maker and I know we are both going to work our hardest to continue the upward momentum of the Huskies.”
Prior to Wednesday’s practice in Boise Huskie football players and coaches enjoyed some winter fun on the slopes of nearby Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area. Wednesday morning’s snow tubing adventure is just one of the activities the NIU football team is enjoying during its 2010 uDrove Humanitarian Bowl expererience.
Northern Illinois (10-3) takes on Fresno State (8-4) in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho on Saturday, Dec. 18 at 4:30 p.m. (CT)/3:30 p.m. (MT) on ESPN. The game will be heard in the Chicago area on WSCR AM 670 the Score as well as on NIU flagship station WLBK AM 1360 in DeKalb.
For more news, video, photo galleries and updates on Northern Illinois’ activities during their bowl week in Boise, click on “Bowl Central” at www.NIUHuskies.com.
