DeKALB — Jordan Lynch, former Huskie quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist, is returning to his alma mater.

Lynch will take over as the running backs coach, Head Coach Rod Carey announced today, according to a March 8 media release.

Lynch said he didn’t necessarily know he would be coaching running backs at this point in his career, but he said he knew he wanted to be a coach once his playing days were over.

“I knew when I was playing here at NIU that when my pro career was to end I knew I wanted to get into coaching,” Lynch said.

Before Lynch signed with NIU, he said he planned on going back to his Canadian Football League team, the Edmonton Eskimos, for a third season, but Lynch said at his age, he couldn’t pass up an offer like this.

Lynch said he was not looking to become a coach, but after his season with the Eskimo’s ended, he was helping out NIU players and sat down with Carey and they worked out a deal that would be beneficial to both parties.

Lynch said he does not believe it will be difficult to acclimate to being a running backs coach because of his experience with the Chicago Bears, and as a running quarterback when he played at NIU.

“One of the things that can help these running backs is teaching them the playbook as a quarterback so they know everything that is going on,” Lynch said. “I feel like that can help them in the long run.”

Carey said he was very excited for Lynch to join the staff and thinks he is going to be a great football coach.

Lynch said he was excited to join the staff because of how well Carey treats the coaches and players.

“It feels good to be back,” Lynch said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”