Augustana College head football coach
Jim Heinitz today announced some additional changes to his coaching staff, and he also revealed the 2004 football schedule.
Brad Salem, recently promoted as a full-time assistant coach, has been named the Vikings' new offensive coordinator, while
Brad Pole has been promoted to the team's special teams coordinator and running backs coach. In addition,
Mike Aldrich, a former Augustana assistant and Sioux Falls Storm head coach, is rejoining the staff as assistant defensive coordinator and secondary coach.
The most recent coaching changes came after two longtime assistant coaches, Kent Kessinger and John Kelling, stepped down. Kessinger, the Vikings' offensive coordinator the past seven seasons and a nine-year Viking assistant, resigned to become the head coach at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kan. Kelling, meanwhile, accepted a position at the University of North Dakota after spending eight seasons at Augustana.
A final coaching change this offseason saw
Don Pierson, who's in his 19th season at Augustana, promoted to defensive coordinator after Mike Freidel accepted a similar position at the University of South Dakota.
"I am very excited about our coaching staff," said Heinitz, the winningest coach in school history. "We were able to replace some outstanding coaches with some equally outstanding coaches."
Salem coached at Augie on a part-time basis last season after three years as recruiting coordinator and passing coordinator at South Dakota. He has coached at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and at Everett High School in Lansing, Mich. He also served as a graduate assistant at Michigan State University from 1994-96, where he worked with the quarterbacks and wide receivers under George Perles and Nick Saban.
Pole recently completed his first season at Augustana. His coaching career began as secondary coach at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minn., while completing his master's degree at the University of Minnesota. Upon leaving the Twin Cities in 1982, Pole traveled to Sioux Falls and accepted a secondary coaching position at then Sioux Falls College. In 1983, he was named defensive coordinator and the 1985 Cougar secondary led the nation in passing defense. In 1986, Pole joined the Augustana football staff, but left to head up the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in South Dakota. After a year with FCA, he returned to coaching at Moorhead State University as defensive coordinator. In his first two seasons, the Dragons won the NSIC Championship and advanced to the NAIA playoffs.
Pole then moved on to Concordia-Moorhead in 1991 as offensive line coach and later offensive coordinator. In 1995, Concordia won the MIAC Football Championship and advanced to the NCAA National Playoffs. In 1996, Pole was named head football coach at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he served through 2001.
Aldrich returns to Augustana after spending the 2003 season as a defensive graduate assistant coach at the University of Louisville. Previously, he was the Vikings' secondary coach and assistant special teams coordinator during the 2001 and 2002 seasons. In addition, he was the head coach and defensive coordinator of the Sioux Falls Storm of the National Indoor Football League.
Aldrich has also coached at California Lutheran University. College of the Sequoias and his alma mater, St. Olaf College.
The new coaching staff will face a tough 2004 schedule. The Vikings will play five non-conference games. Augustana opens the season on August 28 against defending NSIC champion Concordia-St. Paul. Kickoff is at 7 p.m., the first of two home night games.
The following week, September 4, Augustana entertains Northern State, the No. 1 team in total offense in 2003. The Vikings then play Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota-Crookston on the road before opening North Central Conference action against defending NCC champion and Division II national runner-up North Dakota on September 25. That game is also a 7 p.m. start.
October 23 will be a unique date on the schedule as Augustana will play at Minnesota-Duluth. The Bulldogs are joining the North Central Conference in 2004. Another unique date will be the season finale, November 6, when the Vikings travel to Brookings, S.D., to take on South Dakota State University in a non-conference. The Jackrabbits are making the jump from Division II to I-AA in 2004.
"This is a very strong schedule," Heinitz said. "We face the defending Northern Sun champions in the season opener and then the No. 1 total offense last season, so in the first two weeks we'll face two of the top teams in Division II. I am excited that we finish the year against South Dakota State. This is a rivalry that we've enjoyed over the years and we hope it continues."
2004 Augustana College Football Schedule Aug. 28 - Concordia-St. Paul, 7 p.m.
Sept. 4 - Northern State, Noon Sept. 11 - at Southwest Minnesota State, 7 p.m.
Sept. 18 - at Minnesota-Crookston, 1 p.m.
Sept. 25 - North Dakota,* 7 p.m. Oct. 2 - at South Dakota,* 2 p.m.
Oct. 9 - St. Cloud State,* 1 p.m. (Viking Days)
Oct. 16 - Nebraska-Omaha,* 1 p.m. (Take a Kid to the Game#) Oct. 23 - at Minnesota-Duluth,* 1 p.m.
Oct. 30 - at Minnesota State,* 1 p.m.
Nov. 6 - at South Dakota State, 1 p.m.
* - denotes North Central Conference games
# - purchase an adult ticket and receive a child's ticket
FREEHome games in boldHome games played at Howard Wood Field
Start times subject to change
