Eastern Michigan Athletics
Photo by: Southern Illinois University Athletics
Kalen DeBoer Named EMU Football Assistant Coach
1/13/2014 12:28:00 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
DeBoer will be the offensive coordinator
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Kalen DeBoer, the offensive coordinator for the Southern Illinois University football team for the past four seasons, has been named an assistant football coach at Eastern Michigan University, Head Coach Chris Creighton announced today, Jan. 13. He will serve as the team's offensive coordinator.
Prior to his stint at SIU, DeBoer (pronounced duh-BOR) served as the head coach at the University of Sioux Falls, where he led one of the most dominant programs in the nation. A three-time NAIA National Coach of the Year, DeBoer compiled an astonishing 67-3 (.957) record and guided USF to three national championships.
"Kalen is a proven winner," said Creighton. "He is a three-time national champion and three-time National Coach of the Year; however, it is the way that his former players, coaches and those who know him talk about him as a person that makes Kalen a perfect fit for Eastern Michigan Football. He is in this profession for all of the right reasons. His positive impact on those he has coached and worked with goes deeper than championships. We are excited about him leading our offense."
In 2013, the Saluki offense led the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 231.8 passing yards per game, the fourth highest total in school history. SIU's 25 passing touchdowns on the season tied for the third highest total in school history. The offense was led by senior quarterback Kory Faulkner, who ranked 32nd in the nation in passing yards per game. SIU also led the MVFC in first downs (20.5/game) and third down conversions (49.2%).
SIU totaled over 400 yards of offense in six of its first seven games before Faulkner suffered an injury with a second-half lead against No. 1 North Dakota State. His backup, redshirt freshman Ryan West, stepped in to throw two touchdown passes in his first start and help SIU to victories in three of the last four games. Under DeBoer's tutelage, tight end MyCole Pruitt was named to the 2013 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS All-America team while John Lantz developed into an All-MVFC receiver.
DeBoer's offense set a Saluki Stadium record with 565 yards of total offense in its game against Southeast Missouri State in 2012. That eclipsed the previous record, which was set by DeBoer's offense in 2010 when the Salukis put up 508 yards of total offense against Indiana State in the final game of the season.
During the 2011 campaign, the Salukis ranked third in the nation with an average of 183.1 rushing yards a contest while finishing third in the MVFC with 377.8 yards per game of total offense. Jewel Hampton rushed for 1,121 yards -- the second tailback at SIU to surpass the 1,000-yard plateau in DeBoer's offense. Bryan Boemer also developed into the Rimington Award winner, which is presented to the nation's premier center.
In 2010, his first season with SIU, the offense recorded five games with more than 400 yards of total offense and had 34 plays that went for 20 yards or longer (eight rush, 26 pass) on the year. That year the Saluki offense averaged 30.1 points and 378.2 yards of total offense per game behind a balanced attack. SIU ran for 189.5 yards per game and threw for 188.7.
DeBoer arrived in Carbondale, Ill. following the 2009 season after compiling a 67-3 (.957) record during five seasons at Sioux Falls. DeBoer won four Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships, 50-straight home games and 29-straight games overall in his last two seasons. He also boasted a 17-2 record in the playoffs.
That winning streak was the longest in the nation at any level in college football at the time. His teams won back-to-back NAIA National Championships in 2008 and 2009, and adding in his 2006 national championship, DeBoer had as many national championships as games lost during his five-year tenure as USF's head coach.
Under his direction, the Cougars averaged 51.7 points per game in 2009 and scored no less than 25 points in all 15 games. USF scored 40 or more points in 13-of-15 games and also put up 76 and 80 points in wins. Using a balanced attack, USF averaged 487.5 yards of total offense (256.1 rushing and 231.4 passing) in his final season as head coach.
During the 2009 season, USF racked up 775 points for the most points ever scored in a single year at the NAIA level. The total also ranks third-most in college football history at any level. In addition, that squad ranked second in the NAIA at 487 yards per game as it upset FCS foe North Dakota, 28-13.
DeBoer coached three NAIA National Players of the Year in quarterbacks Lorenzo Brown (2009) and Chad Cavender (2007) and running back Nick Kortan (2002).
As a head coach, DeBoer coached 18 first team All-Americans and 41 first team all-conference honorees at USF. He also helped develop seven student-athletes into All-Americans while acting as the offensive coordinator.
A graduate of USF, DeBoer played for the Cougars from 1993-96, where he was an All-American wide receiver. He set school records for receptions (234), receiving yards (3,400) and touchdown catches (33).
Following his playing days, he became a student assistant for Sioux Falls under coach Bob Young in 1997. From 2000-04, he served as USF's offensive coordinator and succeeded Young as head coach in 2005. At the age of 32, he led Sioux Falls to the 2006 national championship.
He and his wife, Nicole, have two daughters, Alexis and Avery.
The Kalen DeBoer File
Name: Kalen DeBoer
High School: Milbank H.S. - Milbank, S.D.
College: University of Sioux Falls - Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education - 1998
Family: Wife-Nicole; Children-Alexis and Avery
Coaching Experience
Year School Position
2010-13 Southern Illinois University Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator/WR
2005-09 University of Sioux Falls Head Coach
2000-04 University of Sioux Falls Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator
1998-99 Washington (S.D.) High School Assistant Coach
1997 University of Sioux Falls Student Assistant Coach/Wide Receivers
1993-96 University of Sioux Falls Student-Athlete/Wide Receiver
CAREER HEAD COACHING RECORD 67–3 (.957 winning percentage)
Coaching Honors
Four Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships (2006–09)
Three-time AFCA NAIA Coach of the Year (2006, 2008, 2009)
Three NAIA National Championships (2006, 2008, 2009)
Prior to his stint at SIU, DeBoer (pronounced duh-BOR) served as the head coach at the University of Sioux Falls, where he led one of the most dominant programs in the nation. A three-time NAIA National Coach of the Year, DeBoer compiled an astonishing 67-3 (.957) record and guided USF to three national championships.
"Kalen is a proven winner," said Creighton. "He is a three-time national champion and three-time National Coach of the Year; however, it is the way that his former players, coaches and those who know him talk about him as a person that makes Kalen a perfect fit for Eastern Michigan Football. He is in this profession for all of the right reasons. His positive impact on those he has coached and worked with goes deeper than championships. We are excited about him leading our offense."
In 2013, the Saluki offense led the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 231.8 passing yards per game, the fourth highest total in school history. SIU's 25 passing touchdowns on the season tied for the third highest total in school history. The offense was led by senior quarterback Kory Faulkner, who ranked 32nd in the nation in passing yards per game. SIU also led the MVFC in first downs (20.5/game) and third down conversions (49.2%).
SIU totaled over 400 yards of offense in six of its first seven games before Faulkner suffered an injury with a second-half lead against No. 1 North Dakota State. His backup, redshirt freshman Ryan West, stepped in to throw two touchdown passes in his first start and help SIU to victories in three of the last four games. Under DeBoer's tutelage, tight end MyCole Pruitt was named to the 2013 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS All-America team while John Lantz developed into an All-MVFC receiver.
DeBoer's offense set a Saluki Stadium record with 565 yards of total offense in its game against Southeast Missouri State in 2012. That eclipsed the previous record, which was set by DeBoer's offense in 2010 when the Salukis put up 508 yards of total offense against Indiana State in the final game of the season.
During the 2011 campaign, the Salukis ranked third in the nation with an average of 183.1 rushing yards a contest while finishing third in the MVFC with 377.8 yards per game of total offense. Jewel Hampton rushed for 1,121 yards -- the second tailback at SIU to surpass the 1,000-yard plateau in DeBoer's offense. Bryan Boemer also developed into the Rimington Award winner, which is presented to the nation's premier center.
In 2010, his first season with SIU, the offense recorded five games with more than 400 yards of total offense and had 34 plays that went for 20 yards or longer (eight rush, 26 pass) on the year. That year the Saluki offense averaged 30.1 points and 378.2 yards of total offense per game behind a balanced attack. SIU ran for 189.5 yards per game and threw for 188.7.
DeBoer arrived in Carbondale, Ill. following the 2009 season after compiling a 67-3 (.957) record during five seasons at Sioux Falls. DeBoer won four Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships, 50-straight home games and 29-straight games overall in his last two seasons. He also boasted a 17-2 record in the playoffs.
That winning streak was the longest in the nation at any level in college football at the time. His teams won back-to-back NAIA National Championships in 2008 and 2009, and adding in his 2006 national championship, DeBoer had as many national championships as games lost during his five-year tenure as USF's head coach.
Under his direction, the Cougars averaged 51.7 points per game in 2009 and scored no less than 25 points in all 15 games. USF scored 40 or more points in 13-of-15 games and also put up 76 and 80 points in wins. Using a balanced attack, USF averaged 487.5 yards of total offense (256.1 rushing and 231.4 passing) in his final season as head coach.
During the 2009 season, USF racked up 775 points for the most points ever scored in a single year at the NAIA level. The total also ranks third-most in college football history at any level. In addition, that squad ranked second in the NAIA at 487 yards per game as it upset FCS foe North Dakota, 28-13.
DeBoer coached three NAIA National Players of the Year in quarterbacks Lorenzo Brown (2009) and Chad Cavender (2007) and running back Nick Kortan (2002).
As a head coach, DeBoer coached 18 first team All-Americans and 41 first team all-conference honorees at USF. He also helped develop seven student-athletes into All-Americans while acting as the offensive coordinator.
A graduate of USF, DeBoer played for the Cougars from 1993-96, where he was an All-American wide receiver. He set school records for receptions (234), receiving yards (3,400) and touchdown catches (33).
Following his playing days, he became a student assistant for Sioux Falls under coach Bob Young in 1997. From 2000-04, he served as USF's offensive coordinator and succeeded Young as head coach in 2005. At the age of 32, he led Sioux Falls to the 2006 national championship.
He and his wife, Nicole, have two daughters, Alexis and Avery.
The Kalen DeBoer File
Name: Kalen DeBoer
High School: Milbank H.S. - Milbank, S.D.
College: University of Sioux Falls - Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education - 1998
Family: Wife-Nicole; Children-Alexis and Avery
Coaching Experience
Year School Position
2010-13 Southern Illinois University Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator/WR
2005-09 University of Sioux Falls Head Coach
2000-04 University of Sioux Falls Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator
1998-99 Washington (S.D.) High School Assistant Coach
1997 University of Sioux Falls Student Assistant Coach/Wide Receivers
1993-96 University of Sioux Falls Student-Athlete/Wide Receiver
CAREER HEAD COACHING RECORD 67–3 (.957 winning percentage)
Coaching Honors
Four Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships (2006–09)
Three-time AFCA NAIA Coach of the Year (2006, 2008, 2009)
Three NAIA National Championships (2006, 2008, 2009)
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