Sport(s) Football Name Jeff Hecklinski 1998 Albany Firebirds | Conference Big Ten Conference | |
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Title Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach Team Illinois Fighting Illini football | ||
Jeff hecklinski returns to illini football
Jeff Hecklinski (born February 18, 1974) is an American football coach and former player. He was the top-rated quarterback in the Midwest in 1993. He enrolled at the University of Illinois in 1993, but transferred to Western Illinois University (WIU) in 1995. He became the second-leading passer in WIU history with nearly 6,000 career passing yards. He played for the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League in 1998. He has been a college football coach since 1998, including a stint as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator for the Arizona Wildcats. He has been an assistant on Brady Hoke's coaching staffs at Ball State, San Diego St., and Michigan. He was the assistant head coach at San Diego State and the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Michigan. He is currently the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator for CSU–Pueblo ThunderWolves.
Contents
- Jeff hecklinski returns to illini football
- Eagle eye sports jeff hecklinski of university of michigan talks recruiting smsb camp 2014
- Player
- Coaching career
- References
Eagle eye sports jeff hecklinski of university of michigan talks recruiting smsb camp 2014
Player
Hecklinski played high school football in Palatine, Illinois, and was rated as the top quarterback prospect in the Midwest. SuperPrep magazine rated him as one of the top three prospects in the country.
He enrolled at the University of Illinois in 1993. After a redshirt season in 1993, Hecklinski lost a three-way battle for the starting quarterback position in 1994. In 1995, he transferred to Western Illinois University (WIU). He became the second quarterback in WIU history to pass for 5,000 yards and finished his career with nearly 6,000 passing yards. He also played in the Arena Football League in 1998 for the Albany Firebirds.
Coaching career
Hecklinski has been a college football coach since 1998, including a stint as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator for the Arizona Wildcats. In 2004, he joined Brady Hoke's coaching staff as the wide receivers coach at Ball State. When Hoke took the head coaching job at San Diego State in 2009, Hecklinski joined him as the Aztecs' assistant head coach, running backs coach, and recruiting coordinator. When Hoke took the head coaching position at the University of Michigan in 2011, Hecklinski again followed and became Michigan's wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. In January 2012, he was the subject of press coverage after Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio cut off Hecklinski's presentation at the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Winners' Circle Clinic.
