Former NIU football coach Joe Novak dies: ‘Your legacy will never be forgotten’
He guided NIU to a 10-2 Dream Season and a Silicon Valley Classic win before retiring in 2007, according to the university.
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6 Articles
Legendary Former Head Coach, MAC Hall of Famer, Dies at 81; P.J. Fleck Offers Prayers
Northern Illinois football is in deep mourning following the loss of a legend. The former NIU head coach Joe Novak, who transformed the program from a losing trajectory to national prominence, passed away this week at the age of 81. The Huskies’ interim head coach, Rob Harley, paid a heartfelt homage to the legendary coach Novak. “Coach Joe Novak didn’t just build a winning football program at NIU; he built men of character, set a new standard o…
Former NIU head football coach Joe Novak dead at 81
From winning MAC Coach of the Year in 2002, to getting inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013, former head coach Joe Novak left a mark on Huskie football that won’t be forgotten. As he came into a program that had been underperforming, going 3-8 in 1995 prior to the beginning of the Novak era, Novak knew he had work to do. After a rough 8-36 four-year start to his career, Novak’s back was against the wall. Looking to find a lifeli…
Longtime IU football defensive coordinator Joe Novak passed away
The man who orchestrated some of the best defenses in IU football history passed away this week. Longtime college football coach Joe Novak was 81. He was the defensive coordinator at IU for 12 seasons (1984-1995) under head coach Bill Mallory. At Indiana, he was a part of seven winning regular seasons and six post-season bowl appearances in 12 years. His 1993 Indiana defense produced three shutouts during an 8-4 campaign while finishing seventh…
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