Indiana University Signs Kevin Wilson To Seven-Year Contract As New Head Football Coach

From Indiana University’s athletic department:

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass today introduced Kevin Wilson as the new head football coach at Indiana University. Last night, Glass and Wilson agreed to terms on a seven-year deal that will pay Wilson $1.2 million per year.

“I am thrilled that Kevin Wilson will lead our football program,” Glass said. “He is committed to compliance, academics, character and winning. He has helped lead successful programs at Miami (Ohio), Northwestern and Oklahoma. I believe his leadership, vision, confidence, teaching, commitment, discipline and toughness herald a terrific new era for Indiana football.”

“I’m extremely pleased that Kevin Wilson, who has been one of the nation’s top assistant coaches for several years, has agreed to come to IU to lead our football program,” Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie said. “He has proven to be a great innovator, motivator and teacher, while coaching some of the most prolific offenses in NCAA history and numerous All-American athletes. He clearly has the talent and experience we were hoping to obtain as we embark on what we fully anticipate to be an exciting new era of IU football. I look forward to welcoming him to IU.”

Wilson just completed his ninth successful regular season at Oklahoma University, helping Coach Bob Stoops lead the Sooners to victory over Nebraska in the Big 12 title game. Oklahoma played in a major bowl game in each of the nine seasons during Wilson’s tenure.

He led three of the most productive offenses in college football history in 2003, 2007 and 2008. The 2008 offense set NCAA records by scoring 60 or more points in five straight games and 716 for the season.

Some of Wilson’s prominent pupils include St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, Cincinnati Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham, Indianapolis Colts tight end Brody Eldridge, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Davin Jospeh and Washington Redskins offensive lineman Jammal Brown.

In charge of the offensive line at Oklahoma for four years and tight ends and fullbacks for the last five, Wilson served as position coach for three All-Americans, an Outland Trophy Winner (Brown), a Mackey Award Finalist (Gresham) and a two-time Rimington Trophy Finalist (Vince Carter). In 2007, three of Wilson’s tight ends, Gresham, Eldridge and Joe Jon Finley, earned All-Big 12 honors.

In 2010, two of his offensive lineman became first round picks in the NFL Draft (Davin Joseph and Brown), as did tight end Gresham. In his nine years at Oklahoma, 22 players on the offensive side of the ball went on to get drafted into the NFL, including seven first-round selections, with three going among the first 10 picks and two in the top five.

Wilson won the Frank Broyles Award for the nation’s top assistant coach in 2008, the second time he had been named a finalist for the prestigious award. In 2007, the National Football Foundation of Oklahoma gave Wilson the Merv Johnson Award for coaching with integrity.

Prior to Oklahoma, Wilson was the offensive coordinator for Randy Walker at Northwestern for three years (1999-01), also serving as assistant head coach in his last year there. Northwestern won the Big Ten Conference title in Wilson and Walker’s second year.

Prior to Northwestern, Wilson also coached with Walker as an assistant coach at Miami of Ohio for nine years (1990-98). For seven of his years at Miami, Wilson was offensive coordinator alongside former Indiana Coach Terry Hoeppner, who served as defensive coordinator.

Interestingly and importantly, Randy Walker had been coached by former Indiana Head Coach Bill Mallory when Mallory was at Miami. In turn, Wilson was coached by Walker at the University of North Carolina, where Wilson walked on as an offensive lineman and earned a scholarship while playing on several outstanding teams. Wilson earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UNC.

A native of Maiden, N.C., Wilson was a three-sport star at Maiden High School and Valedictorian of his senior class.

“I am excited by the opportunity to be the head football coach at Indiana University,” Wilson said. “I am confident we can win here and win in the right way.”

Glass noted the tremendous support provided by Indiana University President Michael McRobbie throughout the search. “We would not be here today with this outstanding new coach if President McRobbie’s commitment to excellence did not extend to the athletic department and its football program,” said Glass. “We were in daily contact, often multiple times a day, to ensure that we got the right coach for Indiana University.”

Kevin has been married to his wife Angie for 15 years and they have five beautiful children: daughters Elaina (14), Makenzie (12), and Marlee (10) and sons Trey (11) and Toby (7).

Glass also released today two documents he utilized in the search: “Being The Next Head Coach at Indiana University Is a Uniquely Tremendous Opportunity” and “Prospective Head Football Coach Profile.” In developing the latter he reviewed and considered input from the Faculty Athletics Committee, current and former players, Varsity Club leadership, and many others.

From Crean’s Twitter account:

Just came back from the press conference to announce Kevin Wilson as our football coach. You can see his passion and experience on display

From Crimson Quarry:

Very intense, solid persona, and I think he comes across well. He’s not the polished public speaker that Hep was, but when he transitioned from his initial speech at the podium to answering questions while sitting at the table, he seemed much more comfortable.

Indiana University shelled out top dollar to lure Kevin Wilson from Norman, OK to Bloomington, IN. I.U. Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass and Kevin Wilson agreed to terms on a seven-year deal that will pay Wilson $1.2 million per year today.

At a press conference at 4pm this afternoon, Glass introduced Wilson as the new head football coach.

“I am thrilled that Kevin Wilson will lead our football program,” Glass said. “He is committed to compliance, academics, character and winning. He has helped lead successful programs at Miami (Ohio), Northwestern and Oklahoma. I believe his leadership, vision, confidence, teaching, commitment, discipline and toughness herald a terrific new era for Indiana football.”

Indiana University shelled out top dollar to lure Kevin Wilson from Norman, OK to Bloomington, IN. I.U. Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass Fred Glass and Kevin Wilson agreed to terms on a seven-year deal that will pay Wilson $1.2 million per year today.

At a press conference at 4pm this afternoon, Glass introduced Wilson as the new head football coach.

“I am thrilled that Kevin Wilson will lead our football program,” Glass said. “He is committed to compliance, academics, character and winning. He has helped lead successful programs at Miami (Ohio), Northwestern and Oklahoma. I believe his leadership, vision, confidence, teaching, commitment, discipline and toughness herald a terrific new era for Indiana football.”

The Indianapolis Star is reporting that Indiana University will announce today at a 4pm press conference that Oklahoma Sooners offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson will be hired to replace Bill Lynch as the head football coach.

Wilson was brought to Indianapolis yesterday and interviewed for six hours. The university is not confirming the Star’s report, but the fact that Wilson is in town, and a press conference is scheduled, strongly suggests Wilson is the new man in charge of I.U. football.

The Indianapolis Star is reporting that Indiana University will announce Oklahoma Offensive Coordinator Kevin Wilson as their new head coach. From the Star:

University of Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson will be named the new IU football coach today at a 4 p.m. press conference in Bloomington, according to a person close to the Indiana football program.

The news Monday night came just an hour after Wilson had met with reporters at an airport in Norman, Okla., confirming that he had been interviewed but saying that no job had been offered.

It’s still unclear when Wilson will officially take over coaching responsibilities, as Oklahoma is set to face Connecticut in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on January 1.

Hugh Kellenberger of The Hoosier Scope has posted that Indiana University has charted a plane to Norman, Okla., to pick up current Sooners offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson and fly him back to Bloomington. Wilson is considered a a strong candidate to replace Bill Lynch at I.U.’s head football coach.

Hellenberger:

Every indication is that Kevin Wilson was on that plane. This could be the final part of the interview process, as he tours Indiana’s facilities and perhaps meets with others around campus.

At his press conference today, Fred Glass stated that part of the process for finding a replacement for Bill Lynch will involve him reaching out to Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian, Colts general manager Chris Polian, and former Colts coach Tony Dungy for advice on a successor for recently fired I.U. coach Bill Lynch.

At a press conference early this morning, Indiana athletic director Fred Glass announced that head football coach Bill Lynch has been fired. Glass informed the media that the Indiana football program would be going ‘in a new direction.’

Glass praised Lynch for his ‘class,’ but stated that retaining Lynch, or extending his current contract, was not ‘the right thing to do’ for Indiana University. Glass stated that Lynch’s body of work did not merit an extension, and keeping him around as head coach was not viable as well. Glass stated:

In my judgment, the university is best served by making a coaching change. The bottom line is three Big Ten wins in three years isn’t the basis for an extension.

Glass will personally search for a replacement coach. There will be no search committee.

You can watch Glass’s press conference at Hoosiers State Of Mind.

Travis Miller, blogger at Hammer & Rails, had this to say about Bill Lynch's firing:

In 2007 Bill Lynch took Indiana to its first bowl game in 13 years. That was enough to take the interim tag off of his position after the tragic death of Terry Hoeppner. Since taking permanently in 2008 he was only 3-21 against Big Ten competition, and that was not enough to save his job.

Despite beating arch-rival Purdue in West Lafayette for the first time since 1996, Bill Lynch was let go today as head coach of the Indiana football program. His 7-6 record in 2007 was his best record in Bloomington. Since then the Hoosiers finished 3-9, 4-8, and 5-7. While that was steady improvement, it was Lynch’s Big Ten abysmal Big Ten record that spelled his end. Only one of his three victories, a surprise win over Northwestern in 2008, came against a bowl-bound conference opponent.

The Lynch era was known for several close calls, however. The Hoosiers could not hold fourth quarter leads in multiple games over the past three seasons, with yesterday’s overtime win over Purdue one of the very few games in which the Hoosiers out-performed their opposition down the stretch.

Crimson Quarry has already commented on the firing:

Well, I’m glad I hadn’t begun writing that long pro/con post that I planned to write. Lynch is a good guy, and every IU fan that I know hoped that he would find a way to get it done. Unfortunately, after the 7-6/3-5 2007 season as interim coach allowed him to win the full-time job, Lynch has gone 3-21 in the Big Ten. His overall IU record was 19-30, with a 6-26 record in Big Ten play. He was hired for the purpose of continuing the perceived progress of the Terry Hoeppner staff, which was hired before the 2005 season. Continuity was achieved: of the ten coaches on Hoeppner’s original staff, six were still on IU’s staff in 2010. Unfortunately, that continuity did not result in any winning seasons after 2007.

Interesting (to me, at least) trivia: the last five coaches that IU has fired are Bill Lynch, Gerry Dinardo, Cam Cameron, Bill Mallory, and Lee Corso. Four of those coaches (all except Dinardo) won their final games against Purdue.