Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Football hires Randy Hedberg as quarterbacks coach
02/01/2008 | 12:00:00 | Football
Feb. 1, 2008
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University head coach Dale Lennon announced today that Randy Hedberg will coach the Saluki quarterbacks.
Hedberg, who hails from Parshall, N.D., spent the last nine seasons as head coach at St. Cloud State University, where he put together a 47-51 record. He has 18 years experience as a collegiate head coach, compiling an overall record of 92-74-2 over that span.
"Randy is an extremely talented football coach who has a vast array of experiences in his football background," said Lennon. "His experiences will be very beneficial to the SIU program."
Prior to taking over the helm at St. Cloud State, Hedberg spent three years as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks/receivers coach at the University of North Dakota (1996-99).
He is the third former head coach to reunite with Lennon at SIU, joining "Bubba" Schweigert and Tom Dosch. Schweigert and Dosch helped coach the Fighting Sioux to the NCAA Division II National Championship before moving on to head coaching positions at Minnesota-Duluth and Jamestown College, respectively.
Hedberg began his college coaching career as an assistant (1979-81) and head coach (1982-90) at Minot State. He also worked as an assistant head coach and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Central Missouri State (1990-96).
As an athlete, Hedberg was a four-year letterwinner in football, basketball and baseball at Minot State.
He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1977. Hedberg started in five regular season games as a rookie quarterback and is one of only 12 QBs in NFL history to start their rookie season. He was with Tampa Bay through 1978, Oakland in 1979 and Green Bay in 1980.
Hedberg received a bachelor's degree in physical education from Minot State in 1977, and master's degree in health, physical education and recreation from North Dakota in 1987.
He was named by Sports Illustrated as one of the top 50 North Dakota sports figures of the 20th century.
Lennon has two more coaching positions to fill -- running backs, tight ends -- before his staff is complete.
Current Saluki Football Coaching Staff
Dale Lennon, Head Coach
Kyle "Bubba" Schweigert, Defensive Coordinator
Phil Longo, Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
Eric Schmidt, Outside Linebackers/Defensive Line
Randy Hedberg, Quarterbacks
Travis Stepps, Cornerbacks
Tom Dosch, Linebackers
Scott Fuchs, Offensive Line
Jared Nessland, Strength and Conditioning
Austin Flyger, Graduate Assistant
