Midwest-recruiting ties, an FCS National Championship and an appearance in the Rose Bowl are the reasons Jeff Compher wanted Dave Doeren as the NIU football team’s head coach.

Compher, NIU’s Director of Athletics, introduced Doeren as head coach days before the Huskies took down Fresno State in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl. The head coaching position was left vacant by Jerry Kill, who accepted an offer to become Minnesota’s head football coach.

Tom Matukewicz led the Huskies against Fresno State as interim head coach while Doeren finished his duties at the Rose Bowl as Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator.

Doeren, 39, spent the last five seasons with Wisconsin, guiding the Badgers to total defense rankings of 17th in the country in 2009 and 22nd in 2010.

Prior to his time in Madison, Doeren spent time at Kansas (2002-05), Montana (2000-01), Southern California (1998-99) and Drake (1995-97). Before coming on as the linebackers coach at Drake in 1995, Doeren played for the Bulldogs from 1990-93.

Doeren has gone to a bowl game as an assistant coach in seven of the last eight college football seasons. Before moving to the Division I level, Doeren helped lead Montana to an FCS National Championship in 2001 as the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator.

The first order of business for the first-year head coach has been getting ready for National Signing Day on Feb. 2. It is the first day high school players can sign a letter of intent with a school of their choice.

“We’re in the organizational mode getting ready to start recruiting,” Doeren said. “Last few days we’ve been pounding film getting everybody on the right guys and getting transcripts and phone calls.”

Doeren had 10 recruits visit last weekend and is in the process of evaluating more high school talent.

Going into his first year at NIU, Doeren isn’t intimidated by the prospect of being a head coach for the first time in his career.

“It wasn’t as much of a mindset switch as much as it was a little more responsibility,” Doeren said. “You know it’s like being a defensive coordinator on a bigger stage, but it’s been a lot of fun.”