Joe Novak, program-changing NIU coach and proud member of MIami’s Cradle of Coaches, has passed away.
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RIP
In 2006 during my student years, when NIU came to Yager, Joe complained our students were too mean to their team and said Miami was bush league for having the visitor bench in front of the student side. He complained to the MAC and Miami switched to have Miami in front of the visitor stands for some years as a result.
Sure he was a good human being but he was a baby.
True dat. I knew Joe when we were students and beyond, I found his complaints petty but out of character.
I thought it was Kent and related to Josh Cribbs that were the complainers
Nope, it was Joe. I remember because I was shocked that the Joe I knew would do that.
We definitely got into the heads of a few players back in those days. I can recall some nasty chants and heckles. I remember the kick returner on Syracuse got especially hot when we were ribbing him, and one of the coaches had to come up and pull him away. Good times.
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I’d hate to let this side topic derail remembering a guy who embodied the Cradle concept. Joe Novak might be the best college football coach I ever saw who had a career losing record. That sounds weird, but Northern Illinois was a hopeless, decrepit program when he arrived in DeKalb. By year six, they beat Alabama. And he built it back the right way so that several subsequent coaches were able to use NIU as a springboard to bigger jobs. Folks at NIU will remember him fondly, and so should MACTION fans.
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I absolutely remember Joe as a good guy. It was IMO out of character for him to bitch. The students and I guess especially the band must have really got under his skin. Good for them.
One year when I was in the band (03-08), one of the players tried to come over the fence and into the stands because he had enough of the heckling…
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