Gateway Coaching History

There have been 30 head coaches in the history of the Gateway. Included in this prestigious list are such names as Terry Allen, Randy Ball, Bob Spoo, Jim Tressel and Earl Bruce. The group has even had a set of brothers in Jon (YSU) and Jim (ILS) Heacock. Two coaches, Randy Ball {WIU & SMS} and Terry Allen {UNI & SMS}, have held the top position for two different conference clubs .

• Darell Mudra - Northern Iowa (1985-87).
• Earl Bruce - Northern Iowa (1988).
• Terry Allen - Northern Iowa (1989-96)&.
• Mike Dunbar - Northern Iowa (1997-00).
• Mark Farley - Northern Iowa (2001-present).
• Rich Johanningmeier - S.W. Missouri St. (1985).
• Jesse Branch - S.W. Missouri St. (1986-94).
• Del Miller - S.W. Missouri St. (1995-1998).
• Randy Ball - S.W. Missouri St. (1999-2006)#.
• Terry Allen - Missouri State (2006-present)&.
• Dennis Raetz - Indiana St. (1986-97).
• Tim McGuire - Indiana St. (1998-2004).
• Lou West - Indiana St. I (2005 - present).
• Al Molde - Eastern Illinois (1985-86).
• Bob Spoo - Eastern Illinois (1987-95).
• Jim Tressel - Youngstown State University (1997-00).
• Jon Heacock - Youngstown St. (2001-present).
• Bob Otolski - Illinois St. (1985-87).
• Jim Heacock - Illinois St. (1988-95).
• Todd Berry - Illinois St. (1996-99).
• Denver Johnson - Illinois St. (2000-present).
• Bruce Craddock - Western Illinois (1985-89).
• Randy Ball - Western Illinois (1990-98)#.
• Don Patterson - Western Illinois (1999-present).
• Ray Dorr - Southern Illinois (1985-87).
• Rick Rhoades - Southern Illinois (1988).
• Bob Smith - Southern Illinois (1988-92).
• Shawn Watson - Southern Illinois (1994-96).
• Jan Quarless - Southern Illinois (1997-00).
• Jerry Kill - Southern Illinois (2001-present).
• Jack Harbaugh - Western Kentucky (2001-02)
• David Elson - Western Kentucky (2003-2006)

*Note: These time periods only include coaches while in the Gateway, not overall.
# Randy Ball has been the head coach of 2 different Gateway Clubs.
& Terry Allen has been the coach of 2 different Gateway clubs.

 

Gateway Coaching Records (through 2006)

Name	School/Record	Years	Record
Randy Ball	WIU (90-98); MSU (99-05)	16	98-83-1
Terry Allen*	UNI (89-96); MSU (06-present)	9	77-35
Don Patterson*	WIU (1999-present)	8	55-37
Jesse Branch	MSU (1986-94)	9	55-44-1
Dennis Raetz	ISU (1986-97)	12	55-77
Bob Spoo	EIU (1987-95)	9	52-49-1
Mark Farley*	UNI (2001-present)	6	51-24
John Heacock*	YSU (2001-present)	6	43-27
Jerry Kill*	SIU (2001-present)	6	43-30
Denver Johnson*	ILS (2000-present)	7	41-39
Jim Tressel	YSU (1997-2000)	4	40-13
Jim Heacock	ILS (1988-95)	8	37-49-2
Bruce Craddock	WIU (1985-89)	5	32-23
David Elson	WKU (2003-06)	4	30-17
Mike Dunbar	UNI (1997-2000)	4	29-15
Darrell Mudra	UNI (1985-87)	3	28-9-1
Todd Berry	ILS (1996-99)	4	24-24
Tim McGuire	ISU (1998-2004)	7	24-55
Del Miller	MSU (1995-98)	4	21-23
Jack Harbaugh	WKU (2001-02)	2	20-7
Al Molde	EIU (1985-86)	2	17-7
Bob Smith	SIU (1988-92)	5	17-38
Bob Otolski	ILS (1985-87)	3	14-15-2
Ray Dorr	SIU (1985-87)	3	14-19
Jan Quarless	SIU (1997-00)	4	14-30
Shawn Watson	SIU (1994-96)	3	11-22
Rich Johanningmeier	MSU (1985)	1	6-4-1
Earle Bruce	UNI (1988)	1	5-6
Rick Rhoades	SIU (1988)	1	4-7
Lou West*	ISU (2005-present)	2	1-21
*Current Head-Coach	EIU=Eastern Illinois, ILS=Illinois St., ISU=Indiana St., SMS/MSU=SW Missouri St./Missouri St. SIU=Southern Illinois, WIU=Western Illinois, WKU=Western Kentucky, YSU=Youngstown St.

Gateway Coaching Honors

Gateway "Bruce Craddock" Coaches of the Year

National College Football Hall-of-Fame

Eddie Robinson Award

Chevrolet National Coach of the Year

Football Gazette National Coach of the Year

AFCA National Coach of the Year

AFCA Regional Coach of the Year

Gateway Coaching Notes