Recruiting Areas: Ohio, Michigan
Illinois Recruiting Counties/Areas: Champaign, Vermilion, Edgar, Douglas, Coles, Cumberland, Clark, Crawford, Jasper, Effingham
Follow on Twitter @EIU_FB and @CoachDerickson
Eastern Illinois
* Hired as an assistant coach in February 2022 on head coach Chris Wilkerson's staff
* Serves as associate head coach, entering fourth season on staff for 2025
* Coached wide receivers and special teams units in first two seasons
* Promoted to Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks coach in January 2024
* Coached two first team All-Conference selections in 2024 (RB MJ Flowers / WR Cooper Willman)
* Coached quarterback Pierce Holley, only fourth quarterback in school history to throw for 3,000 or more yards in a season
* Wide receiver Cooper Willman set school record for receiving yards in a game with 291 vs Gardner-Webb (3rd most in OVC history)
* Coached offensive unit that ranked 13th in the FCS in passing offense
* Coached two Big South-OVC Football All-Conference wide receivers (1st team Eli Mirza / 2nd team Justin Thomas)
* Coached on offensive staff that ranked 25th in the FCS in passing offense in 2023
* Had four different receivers record a 100-yard receiving game during 2023 season
* Worked on coaching staff that helped produce a turnaround from 2 wins in 2022 to 8 wins in 2023 and No. 24 national ranking
* Kicker Stone Galloway connected on 56-yard field goal vs McNeese (2nd longest in school history)
* Special teams unit was one of top in FCS and OVC with five All-OVC selections
* Coached first team All-OVC players (Stone Galloway and Trey Wilhoit)
* Coached second team All-OVC players (Jack Valente, Mark Aitken, Cooper Willman)
* Coached third team All-American Trey Wilhoit, also named to FCS Punter of the Year Watchlist
* Kicker Stone Galloway ranked second in FCS in field goal percentage
* Punter Trey Wilhoit ranked fifth in FCS in punting average
* Special teams led OVC in blocked kicks, punt returns and kick return defense
* Coached wide receivers group that had four different players catch multiple touchdowns
* Wide receiver group featured six different players that started at least one game last season
Prior to Eastern Illinois
* Worked as an assistant coach at the University of Chicago in 2021
* Was the team's offensive coordinator, quarterbacks and wide receivers coach
* Team posted an 8-2 record ans set nine team records including ranking first in NCAA Division III in third down conversion
* Offensive group had six first team All-Conference players, one first team All-Region, one second team All-Region selections
* Helped develop All-American Nick D'Ambrose who led the nation in rushing yards and was second nationally in all-purpose yards
* Worked on the coaching staff at Western Michigan (2017-21)
* Served as the Director of Player Personnel and Special Teams quality control
* Helped recruit and sign four classes ranked in the top three in the Mid-American Conference
* Helped coach four All-Conference special teams performers
* Member of Western Michigan coaching staff for Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (2018) and First Responder Bowl (2019)
* Worked as an assistant coach at Allegheny College (2015-17)
* Was the team's offensive coordinator, quarterbacks and wide receivers coach
* Coached two All-Conference performers
* Worked as an assistant coach at Elmhurst College (2008-14)
* Was team's offensive coordinator in final two seasons with team ranking No. 1 in Division III in time of possession
* Coached 14 All-CCIW performers including one All-American
* Helped team reach 2012 NCAA playoffs, first time in school history, team finished ranked 8th in NCAA
Personal
* Played football at Butler University
* Was an All-Conference selection at wide receiver
* Was an Academic All-Conference selection
* Member of passing offense that ranked fifth in FCS
* Bachelor's degree from Butler University in 2003
* Master's degree from Ohio University in 2014
* Native of Barrington, Illinois