TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State Director of Athletics Tony Duckworth and University President Dr. Steve Turner announced the hiring of J.J. Eckert as NSU's 20th head football coach on Wednesday.  Eckert has deep roots in Northeastern Oklahoma, as a Tahlequah native, and as a four-year letter winner at Northeastern State (1994-97).

"I am pleased with the outcome of the national search for NSU's head football coach.  The screening committee invested many hours in reviewing a very large pool of applicants and recommended an outstanding coach in J.J. Eckert.  J.J.'s 15 years of head coaching experience at Garden City Community College and Kilgore College will enable him to jump-start a new culture of competitiveness at NSU," Turner said.  "His passion for the game and love of NSU were evident in the interviews, and I have total confidence in his ability to inspire, motivate, and teach student-athletes." 

"I encourage our students, fans and alums to step up and support Coach Eckert and the team to help ensure the future success of NSU's football program."

A formal press conference to introduce Eckert is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 14 inside the Doc Wadley Stadium football locker room.  Community members and alumni are invited to attend.  Please enter through the double glass doors on the west side of the stadium, behind the home ticket booth. 
 
Eckert has served as head coach at Kilgore College since the spring of 2007 and is coming off a 10-2 season and a national ranking at number-4 (No. 4) in the final NJCAA poll.   Eckert guided the Rangers last season to a Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) Championship, and a win in the Heart of Texas Bowl.  He was also recognized as 2018 SWJCFC Coach of the Year following a 62-19 win, over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.
 
"Truly honored to become the 20th Head Coach at Northeastern State University.  Thank you to President Turner, Mr. Duckworth and the screening committee for having the confidence in me to lead such a storied football program," Eckert said.  "I am looking forward to the opportunity of returning home to Tahlequah and working hard to assemble a great coaching staff to go recruit the best student-athletes that will represent NSU, the city of Tahlequah, and Northeast Oklahoma in a first class manner."
 
Eckert went 72-53 with the Rangers, winning SWJCFC Regular Season Championships three times (2007, 2012, and 2018).   Kilgore took the NJCAA Region 14 crown twice in 2015 and 2018 under Eckert, and participated in five postseason bowl games.
 
Eckert served as the program's offensive coordinator, while coaching quarterbacks and receivers at Kilgore.  As head coach at Kilgore, 17 former student-athletes of Eckert's were named NJCAA All-Americans, and he had seven Academic All-Americans.
 
Eckert's first head coaching stop was a Garden City Community College (Garden City, Kan.) where he coached the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
 
While at Garden City, Eckert went 13-8, and participated in the Dixie Rotary Bowl.   In two seasons, he had 15 Academic All-Americans, and six NJCAA All-Americans.
 
Eckert spent four seasons (2001-04) as offensive coordinator at Kilgore College working with quarterbacks, receivers, and special teams.  In his first stint with the Rangers, they went 40-14, and finished the 2001 season at NJCAA Runner-Up.  Kilgore won the 2001 and 2004 SWJCFC Regular Season Championships and took NJCAA Region 14 titles those same years.
 
Eckert's first coaching stop was at his alma mater, where he was NSU's quarterback and receivers coach during the 1998 and 1999 seasons.  Northeastern State went 18-6 while on staff, claimed the 1999 Lone Star Conference title, and reached the NCAA Semifinals.
 
Prior to coaching, Eckert won two Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference (OIC) titles as quarterback at Northeastern State.  He was a member of the 1994 NAIA National Championship team, and part of the 1995 NAIA Runner-Up team.

"I would like to thank the screening committee and my advisory group for the diligent work and insight during the search," said Duckworth.
 
"From the beginning of the search, the ideal candidate would possess the following: a proven winner as a head coach, passionate about coaching during practice and games, relentless recruiter with ties to Oklahoma and the region, committed to connecting with student-athletes in the football program, understands and appreciates NSU and a coach who will excite and engage our former players, alumni and community.  In addition to meeting our criteria, the intangibles J.J. Eckert brings to our program made him our ideal coach."    
 
At Tahlequah High School, Eckert was a two-year football starter, and named All-State in football and golf.  In 1993, he was named Tahlequah Athlete of the Year, and was a Daily Oklahoman First Team All-State selection at linebacker. 
 
Eckert graduated from Northeastern State in 1997 with a Bachelor of Education in Health and Physical Education.  In 1998, he earned a Master's of Science in College Teaching at NSU.
 
Eckert is a member of the 2015 NSU Hall of Fame Class that honored the 1994 NAIA National Championship football team.
 
Eckert is married to wife, Amanda, and they have three children.