Jan. 16, 2008
Northwestern will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Friday to introduce both new coordinators. Watch it LIVE on NUSports.com.
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern head football coach Pat Fitzgerald announced today (Wednesday, Jan. 16) that Mike Hankwitz, most recently the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin, is the Wildcats' new defensive coordinator.
Hankwitz began coaching in the college ranks in 1970 as a graduate assistant at Michigan, his alma mater, and has worked every year since then at an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) institution. He has served as a defensive coordinator at six different schools (Western Michigan, Colorado [two times], Kansas, Texas A&M, Arizona and Wisconsin) since 1982.
"Mike is one of the most experienced defensive minds in college football, and having him, his wife Cathy and son Jacob join our program is just tremendous for Northwestern," said Fitzgerald. "He has achieved a great deal of success with a number of major college programs, and been a part of a national championship team as well as several conference championship clubs. He has coached in nearly 450 games while winning over 300 of them -- just an outstanding record. I'm looking forward to having Mike lead our defense in the coming years."
Hankwitz spent the last two years as the Badgers' defensive coordinator, touting one of the nation's best defenses in 2006. Wisconsin was No. 1 in the country in pass efficiency defense (84.19 rating, third-lowest in Big Ten history), No. 2 in scoring defense (12.1 ppg) and No. 5 in total defense (253.1 ypg). The Badgers limited six of their opponents to 10 points or less and allowed just three foes to reach the 20-point mark. In two years with the Badgers, Hankwitz coached 13 players who received at least honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.
Prior to Wisconsin, Hankwitz spent two seasons as defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach at Colorado. He served as the program's interim head coach for the Buffaloes' 2005 Champs Sports Bowl game against Clemson. CU won the Big 12 North Division title in both 2004 and 2005. Hankwitz had moved to Colorado after serving as Arizona's defensive coordinator (and later interim head coach) in 2003.
Before his stint at Arizona, Hankwitz was the defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach (he also coached inside linebackers and punters) at Texas A&M (1997-2002) where he guided the Aggies' famed "Wrecking Crew" defense. During that span he had three top-10 ranked defenses, two top-20 defenses, won two South Division titles and one Big 12 championship. Among Hankwitz's standout players at Texas A&M was Dat Nguyen, who won the Lombardi and Bednarik Awards, as well as being named Chevrolet Defensive Player of the Year in 1998.
Hankwitz spent two seasons (1995-96) as defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach for head coach Glen Mason at Kansas. The 1995 Jayhawks recorded the school's first 10-win season since 1905, played in the Aloha Bowl and ranked 10th in the final national polls.
Hankwitz enjoyed a highly successful 10-year run in his first tenure with Colorado (1985-94). After coaching outside linebackers and punters his first three years with the Buffs, he was named the program's defensive coordinator in 1988. Colorado put together the nation's fifth-best record (58-11-4) from 1989-94, including a national title in 1990, three Big 8 titles, two appearances each in the Orange and Fiesta Bowls, and six national top-20 rankings (including three top-five finishes). The Buffs' 1989 and 1991 teams set the school record for fewest points allowed (150) in a season. Among Hankwitz's standout players at CU were Jim Thorpe Award winners Deon Figures (1992) and Chris Hudson (1994), and Butkus Award winner Alfred Williams (1990).
Hankwitz was defensive coordinator (with additional responsibilities for the secondary, punters and punt team) at Western Michigan from 1982-84. The 1982 WMU defense allowed only 72 points, the fewest in Division I-A or I-AA. He was the outside linebackers and punting coach at Purdue from 1977-81. Prior to his time at Purdue, Hankwitz was the outside linebackers and secondary coach (along with punt return/punt rush) at Arizona from 1973-76.
Hankwitz began his coaching career as a graduate assistant (1970-72) at Michigan under head coach Bo Schembechler. As a defensive G.A., Hankwitz helped the Wolverines to two Big Ten titles, a 30-3 record, three top-10 national rankings and a 1971 Rose Bowl appearance. As a player at Michigan, he earned three letters and started on the 1969 Big Ten championship squad that played in the Rose Bowl. He earned a bachelor's of science degree in education.
Teams for which Hankwitz has coached have had a winning record in 32 of his 38 years. Ten of those clubs won conference championships and 13 more were league runners-up. He has coached in 23 bowl games, including every major New Year's Day bowl game -- Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Outback Bowl and Capital One Bowl.
In his 23 years as a defensive coordinator, his defense has ranked in the nation's top 25 on 14 occasions. As coordinator, his teams have 33 wins over ranked programs, including eight wins over top-five clubs and two wins over No. 1-ranked teams.
Hankwitz also has coached 14 first-team All-Americans (including four straight punters at Colorado), five conference defensive players of the year, 46 first-team all-conference choices and 11 team MVP's. He has recruited eight players who went on to play in the NFL. As a coordinator, Hankwitz has won 185 games and seven championships, and overall has won 303 games (303-139-7, .683) as a college coach (including his three years as a G.A. at Michigan).
He was born in Ludington, Mich., and graduated from Mason County (Scottville, Mich.) Central High School, where he lettered in four sports: football, basketball, track and baseball. He and his wife, Cathy, have one son, Jacob (14).