You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
HEAD<br />
COACH<br />
KEITH<br />
OTTERBEIN<br />
Recruit. Player. Starter. Leading tackler.<br />
Award winner. Alumn. Assistant coach. Rival<br />
coach. Mentor. Head coach. For more than half<br />
of his adult life, Keith Otterbein has filled virtually<br />
every imaginable role for the Hillsdale<br />
College football program.<br />
Now entering his ninth season as the leader<br />
of the Charger program, Otterbein has the<br />
rare combination of peace-of-mind for where<br />
he’s taken the team since he took over, and the<br />
burning desire to keep the Chargers among the<br />
elite programs in the GLIAC. The 2009 season<br />
saw exactly that, as Hillsdale turned in its best<br />
season in more than 20 years.<br />
“It’s been very gratifying to see the success<br />
our program has had over the past three years,”<br />
Otterbein said, referring to the team’s 25-10<br />
record from 2007-2009. “But I also know we<br />
have the talent to return to the postseason, and<br />
that remains the goal of everyone associated<br />
with this team.”<br />
Including a very successful nine-year run<br />
with Ferris State, Otterbein has established<br />
himself as one of the GLIAC’s most successful<br />
football coaches. On Sept. 5, 2009, he won his<br />
100th career game, a distinction only one other<br />
current GLIAC head coach has. He also guided<br />
the team to a 10-3 record in 2009 and its firstever<br />
NCAA Division II playoff appearance,<br />
which included a 27-24 win over Minnesota<br />
State-Mankato in the first round.<br />
Following last season, Otterbein captured<br />
GLIAC Coach of the Year and Super Region 3<br />
Coach of the Year honors. He was also recognized<br />
with those awards in 1992 and 1994 at<br />
Ferris State, firmly entrenching his place as a<br />
dean of football coaches in the GLIAC.<br />
That talent is reflected in the success of recent<br />
graduates, like Mark Nicolet, who won<br />
national (American) football championships<br />
in Sweden and Spain, and Tom Korte, who<br />
was a free-agent signee of the Pittsburgh Steelers<br />
before the 2009 season. Jared Veldheer was<br />
named First-Team All-American following the<br />
2009 season, and was selected by the Oakland<br />
Raiders in the third round of the <strong>2010</strong> NFL<br />
<strong>2010</strong> Charger Football<br />
Chargers head coach Keith Otterbein was named the GLIAC Coach of the Year and the Super Region 3<br />
Coach of the Year in 2009, after leading Hillsdale to a 10-3 record and a Division II playoff spot.<br />
Draft.<br />
“I am fortunate to work with a staff that has<br />
a great work ethic, sets a great example for our<br />
players, and can recruit to this school,” Otterbein<br />
said. “The work those guys put in the<br />
offseason has been reflected in our won-loss<br />
record over the past three years.”<br />
Otterbein’s relationship with Hillsdale began<br />
when he was recruited out of Southfield-Lathrup<br />
High School by beloved former coach and<br />
athletic director Jack McAvoy. Otterbein played<br />
for the Chargers from 1975-78 and went on to<br />
become the first player in school history to be<br />
named the team’s best linebacker three years<br />
in a row. He also earned the National Football<br />
Foundation Scholar-Athlete award while playing<br />
for Hillsdale.<br />
He didn’t wait long after graduating to get<br />
into the coaching profession. He put in time<br />
as a position coach under Dick Lowry at Hillsdale,<br />
and College Football Hall of Famer Herb<br />
Deromedi at Central Michigan University.<br />
After an apprenticeship under two highly<br />
acclaimed coaches, Otterbein made his mark<br />
by becoming the youngest head college football<br />
coach in the nation when he was hired<br />
by Ferris State University before the 1986 season.<br />
Taking the job at the age of 28, Otterbein<br />
quickly turned the Bulldogs into a national<br />
power, winning 30 of his last 36 games coached<br />
at the school and guiding the team to three Division<br />
II playoff appearances.<br />
Otterbein then got a taste of coaching at the<br />
Division I level, leading the running backs at<br />
Ball State University from 1995-2001. A return<br />
to Hillsdale awaited in December 2001, when<br />
Otterbein was named the program’s sixth head<br />
coach since 1954.<br />
Since returning to his alma mater, Otterbein<br />
has spent considerable time upgrading the program’s<br />
facilities. A complete locker room renovation<br />
was finished in time for the 2007 season,<br />
wrapping up a four-year campaign. Lettering<br />
was added to the face of the press box, and<br />
signage highlighting Hillsdale’s bowl-game appearances<br />
now adorn the stadium, thanks primarily<br />
to Otterbein’s efforts.<br />
“It’s special for me to come back to the college<br />
I attended, and to be in the position I’m in,” Otterbein<br />
said. “I believe in the mission of Hillsdale<br />
and the education kids will receive when<br />
they come to our school. I also think they’re<br />
going to be part of a pretty good football team<br />
and form great memories while they’re here.”<br />
4
Change language