This is the season for new coaching hires and moves for the next few months across the NAIA, D2, DIII, and FCS Iowa Colleges and Universities we cover at SGI. Two Head Coach changes have already been announced at Loras College (DIII) and Waldorf (NAIA) and some key co-ordinator moves are also happening.
So, the coaching changes have started and we expect more or course over the next few months (especially at the co-ordinator and position coach level).
So, let’s start with the biggest moves so far at the Head Coach Level.
Loras Announced a Wholesale Change for their Football Program
Director of Athletics Denise (Bodensteiner) Udelhofen announced “a strategic shift in the direction of its football program with the departures of head coach Steve Helminiak (Head Coach 2013 – 2025), offensive coordinator, Jake Olsen, and defensive coordinator, Greg Bower” in late November.
Right before Christmas, the DuHawks announced the hiring of Brandon Novak as the next head coach of the Loras College football team. Novak comes to Loras after serving as an assistant coach for the Saint John’s University Johnnies for 26 years. If you follow DIII Football, you know that St. John’s is one of the most successful and well-known DIII football programs in the US.
In August of 2001, Novak joined the football staff as an assistant coach, and is no stranger to success. He has coached in 245 wins, been a part of 13 conference championships (One DIII National Title), and coached 68 All-Americans and 24 Academic All-Americans in 26 years.
Not only has Novak seen success on the gridiron, but also on the wrestling mat, where he was a part of the coaching staff from 2002-2014, serving as the head coach for 10 seasons.
“I am humbled, thankful, and incredibly excited for the opportunity to lead the Loras College football program into its next chapter,” said Novak.
Novak was successful in both football and wrestling from 1997-2001 as a student-athlete for the Johnnies. The Becker, Minn. native was a three-time All-MIAC selection and a two-time All-American honoree in football. He was also named the conference’s football MVP following his senior season. Novak dominated on the wrestling mat as well, earning All-American honors three times, all while capping off his career as a National Champion at 197 pounds in 2001. In 2017, he was inducted into the Division III NWCA Hall of Fame.
SGI Commentary on the Loras Change
In our opinion, this ups the game in the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) and in the battle of Dubuque (versus their archrival University of Dubuque). Coach Helmick had been leading the DuHawks since 2013 (42-73 record) as one of the longest tenured coaches in the A-R-C, so that is big change in the programs direction.
Coach Novak’s resume coming down the Mississippi from one of the top 20 DIII programs of all time indicates that the DuHawks are going to put a focus on moving up in the A-R-C and field a strong team to battle on Saturdays in the Rock Bowl.
Waldorf hires a new Head Football Coach David Calloway
The Warriors from Forest City, IA made a leadership change and named David S. Calloway as Head Football Coach. Calloway has more than 25 years of football experience at the collegiate level.
Coach Calloway this year served as associate head coach and defensive coordinator at Missouri Valley College. He was at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach from 2023-2025. Coach Calloway led Central Methodist University football team as head coach from 2015-2023.
At Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Coach Calloway served as Head Football Coach from 2012-2014 Coach Calloway has also served as assistant coach and defensive coordinator at various other institutions, including Langston University and Hastings College.
SGI Commentary on the Waldorf Change
This is exciting news for the Warriors NAIA football program. To get a proven, experienced, and successful head coach at the D2 level who has a lot of experience building programs is impressive.
The program moved to the rugged Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) two seasons ago and it has been rough on the program as they are winless since joining the GPAC and they are 0-21 the past two years. (now with a 24-game losing streak over 2+ years). The program needed a proven Head Coach and program builder and getting a coach of David Calloway’s stature is huge, and signals that Waldorf wants to get competitive on the Gridiron.
We dove into these coach changes on an SGI Podcast and also some recent key co-ordinator changes this week.
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