FB: American Rivers Conference

[royalachilles]

Newcomer to the IIAC but I am curious if Simpson and Central know who they will open the 06 non conference against?  I know usually Central has had Bethel in the first two weeks the last couple of years but I wonder if anyone can confirm?

[Charlie Kohawk]

I just heard Tyler Staker has been selected to play in the Aztec Bowl. Way to go Stake! Well deserved.

[sportsknight]

This ought to get the conversations going here again...

Wartburg has scheduled a news conference for tomorrow morning to introduce a new, full-time Athletic Director.  As many around the Wartburg program know, head football coach Rick Willis has been serving as the interim AD since Jan. 1.  There is a lot of speculation around campus right now, but many people in the know are predicting that Willis will take the AD job and there will be a new Wartburg head football coach come September.  Obviously, we won't know anything for sure until tomorrow morning, and I'll post what I find out at the news conference.

[sportsknight]

Just got done with the news conference and Willis has been named the full-time Director of Athletics at Wartburg.  The search for a new head football coach begins today, and Willis said he would be "surprised and disappointed" if there was not a new coach in place by Christmas.  He did mention that one of the current assistant coaches would be a candidate for the job, and the smart money says that is offensive coordinator Eric Koehler.

[Alfredeneumann]

Willis steps down from Wartburg football to become full-time AD

Speculation was correct.

Dec. 6, 2005

WAVERLY, Iowa-Wartburg College announced today that head football coach Rick Willis will step down from his coaching duties to become the college's full-time director of athletics. The search for a new football coach will begin immediately.

Willis was named interim director of athletics last January but retained his coaching duties after former director of athletics Gary Grace became Wartburg's vice president for administration. Grace joined the Wartburg staff in 1995 as the college's first full-time director of athletics.

"We are pleased Rick has accepted this challenge," said Wartburg President Dr. Jack R. Ohle. "Wartburg's quality athletic programs deserve an director of athletics who can devote full energies to maintaining and advancing our unprecedented success in athletics over the past 10 years."

Since 1996, the Knights have won 64 Iowa Conference team championships. On the national level, Wartburg has won five team national titles since 1996 and placed in the top 15 of the United States Sports Academy's Division III Directors' Cup standings for five straight years.

"This was a difficult decision for me," said Willis. "The strong relationships I have formed with the coaching staff and the players and the success we have enjoyed make it difficult for me to step down. At the same time, I enjoy the administrative challenges associated with the director of athletics position. I look forward to the contributions I can make toward providing a meaningful experience for all of the student-athletes in Wartburg's 19 men's and women's sports."

Willis' nine-year tenure has been instrumental in making Wartburg the fifth winningest football program in the nation over the past 13 years. His teams produced an overall record of 79-17 and a remarkable 63-9 run against Iowa Conference competition. Under Willis, the Knights won four conference championships and earned four NCAA playoff berths. For six consecutive years, the program has produced at least one academic All-American and six Aztec Bowl selections.

"We are embarking on a huge project with the new wellness center," said Gary Grace, who with Ohle has been instrumental in forging a cooperative agreement between the college and the City of Waverly for the facility. "It will involve the relocation of offices and programs as the old facilities are razed and construction begins on the new center. Rick will play a pivotal role in this transition, and I look forward to working with him."

-30-
This release is also available at www.go-knights.net and www.wartburg.edu/news.

[The Show]

I wonder what effect this will have on recruiting?

[coocooforcoekohawk]

I wonder what effect this will have on recruiting?

What about retaining the existing players.  Any other Andy Tekippes want to come over to the good guys.

[dutchfan1]

I doubt it will have a huge affect on recruiting for Wartburg. Willis is a fantastic coach, but he has built a program that speaks for itself.

Any speculation on who might be hired as head coach?

[coocooforcoekohawk]

KCRG is running a story on the Wartburg coach tonight during sports.

[coco]

How about Warthog!!!

[DutchFan2004]

Don't be to sure about recruiting not being affected.  I think that it will be only up to the point when a new coach is named.  If that new coach is, or appears to be as knowledgable as Coach Willis, then the recruits will commit.  I think Wartburg is a great institution and the kids should be committing to it not the football program.  I think with AD Willis at the helm the tradition he built in his football program will continue and do well under the next coach.  I will say this though changing coaches now does and will affect recruiting because it affected my son when he was being recruited by the Dutch when Coach Kac resigned.  When Coach Mac came he was really personalable and honest that my son felt as or more comfortable with him than he did with coach Kac.  So having said that Good luck to AD Willis on finding a replacement and good luck to Wartburg as a whole in filling this position.  Its great to have such strong programs to go up against and compete with.  Good for the IIAC and good for Saturdays and the game. 

[dutchfan1]

How about Warthog!!!

Great idea, Coco -- I think Warthog, Lance Harbor and Walston Hoover should all interview for the job. WH already has coaching experience.

[SJU92#57]

How much input do you guy's think Willis will have on selecting a new coach???Would think he would have the most, since he is going to oversee the ad dept. and has built a good program.....wouldn't want someone coming in and completely changing things, I mean look at the great job Mike Tice has done up here in MN.

[warthog]

dutchfan1  & coco:

Thanks for the support.  I have already applied.  My e-mail of congratulations to Coach Willis included my initial resume.  I told him I had been telling him how to coach from the high rows of the stadium for years. It is time I moved to the sidelines.  I await the response.  I assume I will get the last interview so they can hold the press conference, naming me head coach, as soon as the interview ends.

I am concerned that artist drawings of the new wellness center/field house show my tailgating spot to now be a regular parking lot.  No more grassy knoll.  That is the first issue I address as head Knight.

Offense gets headlines.  Defense gets championships.  Look for the new head man to be a defensive guru.  That might not bode well for assistants wanting to take over, but it is a factor that may come into play.  

In the unlikely chance that someone other than me gets hired for the job,  I vote for Cheese.  Alumni would love him at golf outings.

[SJU92#57]

Hey Warthog, if you need a letter of recommedation, I'm sure I can make up a great one for ya... . Just trying to keep up the MIAC/IIAC relations.