Feb. 23, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern University football coach Randy Walker announced today that he has hired Bret Ingalls as his offensive line coach and Matt MacPherson as his running backs coach.
In addition, Walker has promoted wide receivers coach Garrick McGee to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, replacing Mike Dunbar, who accepted the same position at California last month. Also, assistant Kevin Johns will now coach wide receivers after spending the past two years coaching running backs.
"After two years of working with Garrick, I truly believe he has a great future and can be a special coach," said Walker. "He has an impressive background, as a coach and a player, and he will be committed to excellence with our offense and quarterbacks. I'm excited about this move for Garrick and our football team."
Since joining the Northwestern staff just prior to the 2003 Motor City Bowl, the Wildcats have touted one of the nation's most prolific offenses, ranking 29th nationally in total offense in 2004 and fourth nationally in 2005. Northwestern's 2005 offense became just the second unit in Big Ten Conference history to top the 500-yard mark in total offense (Penn State's 1994 team was the other school to accomplish the feat.)
In 2005, the Wildcats also set a school record by averaging 306.8 passing yards per game. McGee's top three receivers in 2005 -- Mark Philmore, Shaun Herbert and Jonathan Fields -- all ranked among the Big Ten's best in receptions and receiving yards. Philmore and Herbert earned All-Big Ten accolades.
McGee, who coached previously at UNLV, Toledo, Northern Iowa and Jacksonville (NFL), was a quarterback at Oklahoma for two years before graduating in 1996.
Ingalls, who has been coaching at the college level since 1982, spent the past football season at Miami (Ohio), coaching the RedHawks' tight ends and tackles. He replaces James Patton, who was named the offensive line coach at Oklahoma last month.
"Bret comes to us as a highly regarded coach," said Walker. "Garrick has worked with him, as well as Mike Dunbar. He also received some high praise from Sean Payton (New Orleans Saints head coach), who was a part of my staff at Miami, and that meant a lot to me. Everyone is in agreement Bret will be a great fit for our staff. He has the background to do some great things with our offensive line and the offense as a whole."
Prior to coaching one year at Indiana State (2004), Ingalls was the offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Idaho, where he also coached the quarterbacks and running backs for two seasons each. From 2000-02, the Vandals consistently ranked among Division I-AA's top 15 passing offenses and top 30 total offenses. Ingalls coached at Northern Iowa from 1997-99, spending two seasons as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Gateway Conference power, and was at Louisville from 1995-96 in the same roles. Ingalls was a part of Mike Dunbar's coaching staff at Northern Iowa.
From 1989-93, Ingalls spent time as offensive coordinator (1992-93), offensive line coach (1990-92) and running backs coach (1989, 1993) at San Diego State, where he coached All-American Marshall Faulk, who twice led the nation in rushing, and twice placed the Aztecs among the nation's top 15 in total offense.
Ingalls' coaching career began at Idaho, where he graduated in 1984. After serving as a student-assistant defensive backs coach from 1982-83, he was assistant offensive line coach from 1984-85 and running backs coach from 1986-88. Idaho won four Big Sky Conference Championships (1982, '85, '87 and '88) during his tenure.
A native of Snohomish, Wash., Ingalls played collegiately as a starting running back at Wichita State (1979-81). He graduated from Idaho in 1984 with a degree in business (management emphasis). Ingalls and his wife, Diana, have two sons, Samuel and Jack, and a daughter, Breana.
MacPherson, who spent the past two years coaching safeties at Eastern Michigan University, returns to Northwestern after serving as a defensive graduate assistant for the Wildcats from 2000-02. MacPherson assumed the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach position at Kenyon College in 2003 before former NU assistant Jeff Genyk invited him to join his staff at Eastern Michigan.
"Matt, of course, worked three years for us as a graduate assistant and I am well aware of his background and talents," said Walker. "I always try and keep an eye on young, talented coaches, and it was an easy decision to hire Matt. He'll hit the ground running with his previous experience at Northwestern and with me. We're all excited to have Matt back as a part of our staff."
A native of Dayton, Ohio, MacPherson attended DePauw University, where he played football for four seasons and was named a two-time first-team all-conference linebacker. He also was named a third-team Football Gazette All-American in 1998. He was DePauw's Defensive Player of the Year in 1998, and went on to be selected to the school's All-Century Team.
Following his graduation in 1999, MacPherson remained at DePauw as a graduate assistant/recruiting coordinator and worked as the running backs coach and the junior varsity offensive coordinator. He earned a bachelor's degree in health and physical performance.
MacPherson and his wife, Pamela, have a son, Thomas Matthew.