Saturday, March 25, 2006
The fifth head coach in schoolhistory is signed through 2009.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State head football coach Jon Heacock has signed a contract extension through the 2009 season.
"I look forward to having Jon lead our program to continued success over the coming years," athletic director Ron Strollo said. "Jon and his staff have worked diligently to maintain the tremendous amount of pride that the community, university administration, athletic department staff and student-athletes all have in this Mahoning Valley, and specifically the YSU football program.
"The classy manner in which he has represented the school on and off the field speaks volumes for his commitment to one of the most well-respected Division I-AA programs in the nation."
Base salary
Heacock, who is 32-24 in five years, will receive a base salary of $115,000 for each season. Incentives for winning the Gateway Conference, winning the national championship, appearing in I-AA playoff games and maintaining a solid academic progress rate are also part of the package.
"My family and I are very excited to continue our relationships with our extended family of assistant coaches, players, athletic staff and administration here at YSU," Heacock said. "I appreciate the confidence and support shown by our athletic director, Ron Strollo, and University president David Sweet with this extension.
"Youngstown State University and the Mahoning Valley are places near and dear to my heart because the people here are absolutely tremendous."
In 2005, Heacock led the Penguins to an 8-3 mark last season, their first-ever Gateway title and the program's first national ranking since October 2002. Youngstown State was ranked 13th in the final regular season polls.
Honors received
Heacock was named the Gateway's Bruce Craddock Coach of the Year, marking the first time since the Penguins joined the league in 1997 that a YSU head coach had earned the honor. Youngstown State had a school-record 12 all-conference selections, including five on the first team. They also had the conference's Newcomer of the Year and had a member named first-team Academic All-Conference.
Heacock was also named the American Football Coaches Association's Division I-AA Region Four Coach of the Year and was one of four finalists for AFCA Coach of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Division I-AA Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.
Heacock has had three winning seasons and has twice won eight games in a season. Before taking over as the head coach in January 2001, Heacock had been a member of the coaching staff for seven of the 10 previous years as an assistant, including six as the defensive coordinator.
Heacock, who originally joined the program before the 1990 campaign, was the defensive coordinator at YSU from 1992-1996 before going to Indiana. He returned to YSU for the 2000 season as the defensive coordinator and less than a year later became the fifth head coach in school history.