Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Names Bob Heffner New Assistant Football Coach
2/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 5, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern head football coach Pat Fitzgerald announced today (Thursday, Feb. 5) that Bob Heffner, most recently the associate head coach and offensive coordinator at Lafayette College, is the Wildcats' new superbacks (tight ends/fullback) coach. Fitzgerald also announced that Adam Cushing, who is beginning his sixth season as an assistant at Northwestern, is assuming the offensive line coaching duties and remain the Wildcats' recruiting coordinator.
Heffner, who officially begins his duties at Northwestern on Monday, Feb. 16, fills the void left when former offensive line coach and run game coordinator Bret Ingalls resigned in early January to become the running backs coach for the NFL's New Orleans Saints.
"I'm absolutely thrilled that Bob, his wife Nancy and their three daughters, Katie, Molly and Shelby, have decided to join our Northwestern football family," said Fitzgerald. "I had the opportunity to work with Bob when I was a graduate assistant at Maryland and am excited to bring his nearly 30 years of coaching experience to Evanston. He is a great teacher who has worked with some tremendous coaches and programs during his career.
"Bob also brings a wealth of Northeast recruiting ties to our program and he will lead our recruiting efforts in that part of the country. He is just a great addition to our staff.
"I also wanted to recognize Adam, who has worked closely the past five years with James (Patton) and Bret (Ingalls), our last two offensive line coaches. He has a bright mind and is a relentless recruiter, and it's great that we can reward Adam with this promotion."
Heffner has spent the last eight seasons at Lafayette, serving as the Leopards' offensive line coach from 2001 through 2007, before assuming Lafayette's offensive coordinator position in 2008. In 2002, Heffner, was named the program's associate head coach. During those eight seasons, he mentored offensive lines that served as fronts for some of the Patriot League's most prolific offenses. In the past five years, Leopard linemen have been honored 13 times for all-league play.
During the 2008 season when he oversaw the Leopards' offense, Lafayette finished 7-4 overall, ranked second in Patriot League rushing and led the nation with fewest turnovers. In 2006, when Lafayette won its third straight Patriot League title and advanced to the Division I-AA playoffs, Heffner's offensive line blocked for tailback Jonathan Hurt, the conference's Offensive Player of the Year. Six times in his last eight seasons with Lafayette, the Leopards have ranked either first or second in Patriot League rushing or passing.
Heffner also had two earlier successful stints at Lafayette, which were sandwiched around four years in the professional ranks. In 1988 and '89, the Coshocton, Ohio, native coached the offensive line and helped the 1988 Leopards to the Patriot League title. He then worked with CFL's British Columbia Lions (1990-92) as their co-offensive coordinator, which featured Doug Flutie, the CFL's MVP in 1991 and Jim Mills, the two-time Most Valuable Offensive Lineman in 1990 and '91. Then Heffner spent one season with the Arena Football League's Tampa Bay Storm as their offensive coordinator and director of player personnel in 1993 before returning to Lafayette for his second coaching stint with the Leopards in the fall of '93. He was the Leopards' offensive coordinator/offensive line coach for three seasons, which included a Patriot League title in 1994,
In 1996, Heffner was hired by then-Northern Illinois coach Joe Novak and coached the Huskies' offensive line. In early 1997, when former NU assistant coach Ron Vanderlinden was tabbed the head coach at Maryland, Heffner joined the Terrapins' staff, coaching the Terps' tight ends and tackles for two seasons before being promoted to offensive coordinator for the 1999 season.
In Heffner's first season directing Maryland's offensive unit, the Terrapins posted the 10th-highest scoring average in school history and its best in seven previous seasons. Maryland ranked first in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and 12th nationally in rushing yards per game (234.1), and tailback LaMont Jordan earned second-team All-America honors after finishing fifth in the country in rushing.
"I'm very excited to join the Northwestern football family," said Heffner. "Having worked at Lafayette for so many years, I enjoy coaching and teaching that caliber of student-athlete, and I know I will get that opportunity at Northwestern. In addition, I have a great relationship with Pat, having worked with him at Maryland. I really respect the job he has done and am eager to join his staff. I have been fortunate to coach the offensive line and tight ends at many places and look forward to joining Coach McCall and the offensive staff and helping in any way I can.
"I also have ties to Illinois, having worked in the state on a couple occasions at Illinois State and Northern Illinois, and know Chicago very well. We have some family in the area so this is really a win-win situation for us."
He graduated from Temple University in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in secondary education, and then served as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater for the '79 season. That season, the Owls played in the Garden State Bowl against California. Heffner then began his full-time collegiate coaching career at Illinois State as the interior defensive line coach in 1981 before taking over as offensive line coach during a seven-year stay with the Redbirds.
As a student-athlete at Temple, Heffner played three years as an offensive guard and was a member of Owl teams that made Mirage Bowl appearances in 1977 and 1978.
Heffner, and his wife, Nancy, a native of Warren Glen, N.J., have three daughters, Katie, Molly and Shelby.
