It’s Time to Give Brock Spack His Flowers
- Nathan Swaffar
- 2 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Swaffar: It’s time to give Brock Spack his flowers; he’s earned them
Before July of last year, I’d never met Brock Spack in person.
Coaches, players and media members converged on Sioux Falls for MVFC media days, a celebration of FCS football. I sat through 10 press conferences that day, talking with coaches entering their first year, those trying to find their footing at their respective programs, a new commissioner and players who were new to the Valley.
The theme of the day was change, ushering in what may be a new era for the conference and FCS football.
“It makes you feel really old,” Spack remarked when asked about it all.
In a conference that has seen legendary coaches come and go: the Chris Kliemans, the John Stiegelmeiers, the Matt Entzs, the Mark Farleys, the Bob Nielsons and many others, steadfast Spack remains. The longest tenured head coach in the conference and the last of the old guard of the MVFC, still going strong at 63, with the program that first gave him the chance to be a head coach.
Of everybody I talked to that day, nobody stood out like Spack. His honesty, quick-witted humor and genuine love for the game are lacking among many head coaches in an era of college athletics that is built on uncertainty.
When you look at recent ugly head coaching change sagas, such as Lane Kiffin, Sherrone Moore, Billy Napier, etc. it makes you appreciate someone like Spack who has stayed loyal to a program and cares more about making players rather than making headlines.
Spack is truly a living legend in college football, and it’s time we recognize how impressive his resume really is.
Even before coaching, Spack had a prolific collegiate playing career as a linebacker at Purdue. He was a three-year starter from 1980-83, earning first-team All-Big Ten and honorable mention All-America honors as a sophomore. He also currently ranks fifth on the Boilermakers’ career tackles list with 384.
His impact on the Illinois State program is hard to put into words. Before Spack took the reins in 2009, the Redbird program had a collective record of 437-503-68 (.433 winning percentage) with three playoff appearances, one MVFC championship in 1999 and hadn’t made it farther than the quarterfinals all but once; a semifinal loss to Georgia Southern in 1999.
Since then, Spack has transformed the Redbirds into a consistent winner. He’s amassed a collective 123-78 record (.612 winning percentage), led ISU to seven postseason appearances, including five in the last 10 seasons, two title appearances in 2014 and next week, while watching four of his players hear their names drafted into the NFL. It also goes without really needing to say that he is also the all-time winningest head coach in program history, now 37 wins clear of Edwin Struck.
Even if that’s not enough to convince you, just look at what his players say.
Quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse and linebacker Tye Niekamp have thrived under Spack during their four seasons. From being a shoulder to lean on to letting the players dictate team leadership, the immense respect for Spack is unmistakable.
“He truly cares about each and every player here,” Rittenhouse said. “He’s very personable. I love just hanging out, talking whatever, whether it's football or something else. He's just a super personable guy. Great leader, great motivator and just controls everything really well. But he really gives us the opportunity to kind of lead and have more of a player-led team, which I find really, really awesome.”
“He's a no-nonsense type of guy; he's going to get straight to it, and I love that about him,” Niekamp said. “You can talk to him, he's a great guy, he's a great leader, but he allows the players to be players at the end of the day. He's not going to get in the way of that. He just does a great job being a head coach and managing everybody.”
Spack will have his second chance to capture a title next week. If he were to do so, it would not only add to his legacy but also cement his place amongst some of the most influential FCS coaches ever. Even if the Redbirds do fall short, Spack’s impact on ISU, the FCS and college football can’t be understated.
So yes, Spack has certainly earned his flowers.
