(Adam Studzinski/WJBC)
By ISU Sports Information
NORMAL – Illinois State football head coach Brock Spack has built a consistent, winning program in his six seasons at ISU and has committed to continuing that success, as Illinois State Director of Athletics Larry Lyons announced a contract extension Wednesday that will keep Spack at the helm of the program through at least the 2021 season. Spack's salary will increase to $300,000, beginning with the 2015 season.
"Brock is such a great fit for our department, our campus and our community," Lyons stated. "He is a tremendous program manager and a gifted football coach. This contract reflects a competitive salary within the context of FCS football and the Missouri Valley Football Conference. It provides strong evidence of our mutual commitment to the long-term stability and success of the Illinois State football program."
Spack has compiled a 46-26 (.693) record in six seasons at Illinois State and has led the Redbirds to winning campaigns in five of those six years. The 2014 Missouri Valley Football Conference Coach of the Year and two-time Eddie Robinson Award Finalist has guided the Redbirds to a pair of playoff appearances in the last three seasons and led ISU to its first-ever appearance in the FCS Championship game in 2014-15.
"I'm very excited to get this extension signed and continue to put our focus on recruiting the next class of Redbirds," Spack said. "I appreciate the commitment shown to me, my family and staff, from Illinois State University, and hopefully we can continue to raise the profile of the Illinois State football program to unprecedented heights."
The 2014-15 season was a historic one, as the Redbirds set a school record for wins in a season with a final record of 13-2. Along the way, ISU set single-season records in 16 different categories and earned the program's first conference championship since the 1999 season. The Redbirds defeated seven nationally-ranked opponents on their way to the FCS Championship game, including No. 1-ranked and top-seeded New Hampshire in the semifinals. That victory propelled ISU into the program's first-ever FCS National Championship game in Frisco, Texas, against MVFC rival and three-time defending national champion North Dakota State in the first-ever FCS Championship game pitting two teams from the same conference.
During Spack's tenure, the Redbirds have been a force to deal with at home and have compiled a 30-6 record at Hancock Stadium, including a perfect 13-0 record in the past two seasons since the renovation to the facility. A total of 65 players have earned All-MVFC recognitions under Spack's tutelage, including a school-record 17 players on the 2014 list, and 17 of his players have been named to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team in that time.
Spack's student-athletes have also performed in the classroom, with record-setting team grade-point averages (GPAs) set over the past three semesters. The Redbirds also set an in-season GPA record of 2.87 in the Fall of 2014, while they were making their historic run in the playoffs.
