N.C. State football coach Dave Doeren has hired Eddie Faulkner, who spent last season at Wisconsin, to coach the Wolfpack tight ends and fullbacks and serve as special teams coordinator.
“Coach Faulkner was on my first staff at Northern Illinois and he’s coached special teams, running backs, tight ends and fullbacks,” Doeren said in a statement. “He’s a very detailed, ultra-organized, connected recruiter who also has great passion and pride for special teams performance.
“Eddie has coached on back-to-back conference championship staffs - 2011 in the MAC and 2012 in the Big Ten with Wisconsin - and has been on championship ball clubs as a player, assistant coach and coordinator. He also has experience as a tailback in the Big Ten on a Rose Bowl team. I look forward to working with him again.”
Faulkner coached tight ends this season for the Badgers, helping junior Jacob Pedersen win all-Big Ten honors and the league’s Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year award. Pedersen was the team’s second leading receiver and his 14 career TD receptions are tied for 11th all time at UW.
Faulkner, a Muncie, Ind., native, spent the 2011 season on Doeren’s staff at Northern Illinois as running backs coach and special teams coordinator. At NIU, Faulkner mentored All-MAC tailback Jasmin Hopkins, who rushed for 956 yards and 15 touchdowns on 187 carries (5.1 avg.).
While also overseeing NIU’s special teams, Faulkner’s punt coverage unit ranked second nationally, yielding one yard per return. Husky placekicker Mathew Sims was a first-team All-MAC performer while compiling a school-record 124 points (20-28 field goals, 64-66 PATs).
Faulkner spent eight seasons at Ball State (2003-10). Initially joining the BSU staff as a graduate assistant in 2003, he was elevated to running backs and special teams coach before serving as the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator his final two years. He served as Ball State’s interim head coach at the end of the 2010 season before his departure to NIU.
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at
Comments
111th in recruiting ranking?
Tue, 12/18/2012 - 10:42 — norgaard111th in recruiting ranking? Oh, yeah, because it's NIU and eeevvveeerrryyyooonnneee wants to go there. Sure. Pretty weak reference to use as a yardstick. I wasn't exactly in favor of a coaching change but it's done now and we move on. Coach Doeren is a good hire, period. His first two outside hire assistants look good, too. Not to worry, UNC fans. You'll get to play us many more times.
CNN NCSU '73
Finally
Mon, 12/17/2012 - 23:04 — gevaliaHopefully now state will have special teams that are at least competitive. For 5 years I have watched our special teams play at division III level, up to the point that I even suggested in the paper that they on-side-kick every kickoff, they would give up less yardage! Until this year when our kicker was able to kick the ball out of the endzone with some proficiency we gave up the runback over the 35 consistently. Maybe now some improvement!
Welcome coach!
Doeren's Credentials
Mon, 12/17/2012 - 15:18 — PassinThroughTo expand on earlier comments on Coach Doeren's character and what he "built" -nothing- at NIU to warrant hiring at NCSU: NIU's 2013 recruiting class is ranked...drum roll please...111th in the country. Enough said.
i can handle that.
Mon, 12/17/2012 - 17:25 — knownoncentsi can handle that. chances are they actually had to go to class.