Bob Cole
	Position: Assistant Coach/Quarterbacks Experience: 2nd Season at NIU Alma Mater, Year: Widener, 1982

Bob Cole, an experienced offensive coach who has served as offensive coordinator at six different universities, begins his second season with Northern Illinois in 2012. After working with the NIU wide receivers a year ago, Cole will work with the Huskie quarterbacks this season.

Cole is a 23-year collegiate coaching veteran. Prior to spending the 2009 campaign at Western Kentucky where he served as quarterbacks coach, Cole was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Wyoming in 2008. He went to Wyoming after three seasons (2005-07) in the same role at Florida A&M University, where Rattlers' quarterback Albert Chester led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in passing and total offense in 2006.

A native of Whitehall, Pa., Cole led a successful offense as offensive coordinator at Utah State from 2000-04. Under his direction, the 2002 Aggies ranked seventh in the nation in passing offense, while quarterback Jose Fuentes was ninth in the country in total offense and Kevin Curtis was sixth in receiving yards. The previous year, Cole's USU offense ranked 13th in the NCAA in passing behind Fuentes and Curtis, who led the nation in receptions (9.09/game) and was third in receiving yards. In his first season at Utah State, the Aggies were 21st in the nation in passing offense, while running back Emmett White Jr. led the nation in all-purpose yards.

As offensive coordinator at Montana in 1999, the Grizzlies reached the NCAA I-AA playoffs and Cole's offense ranked second among all NCAA Division I-AA teams in total offense (517.4 yards per game), scoring offense (46.4 points per game) and passing offense (370.0 yards per game). Quarterback Drew Miller led the nation in passing efficiency with a quarterback rating of 168.6, marking the second consecutive season that Cole coached the nation's passing efficiency leader. Miller also ranked second in the nation with an average of 346.1 passing yards per game.

Cole spent six seasons (1993-98) at Portland State as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. During his tenure, PSU ranked in the top 10 in the nation in total offense three times - in 1994, 1995 and 1998. Vikings' quarterback Jimmy Blanchard led the nation in passing efficiency in 1998.

Cole has been a college coach since 1988, when he began his career as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks' coach at Sonoma State University in California, where he coached for five years (1988-92). His 1992 Sonoma State offense set school record for points, passing yards per game and total passing yards, while the 1991 Seawolves set school record for victories (nine), total offense and touchdown passes.

A 1982 graduate of Widener University in Chester, Pa., Cole was a three-year starter (1979-81) at quarterback for the Pioneers and led Widener to the 1981 NCAA Division III National Championship. Widener went 35-2 and advanced to the Division III Playoffs in all three of his years as the starting signal-caller.

Cole and his wife Kathy have two children, daughter Zoe and son Bobby.

About Cole

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