NIU forward Juan Hoyos had been working soccer summer camps all day.

So when he got a text message from his coach Steve Simmons he expected a motivational talk was on the horizon.

“We thought he was going to tell us to stay in touch,” Hoyos said. “You know, a motivational speech.”

But last Wednesday’s mandatory team meeting was anything but motivational for the men’s soccer team. Within 30 seconds of greeting his team, Simmons let his players know he was no longer their coach. The former Huskie resigned as NIU head soccer coach to take the same position at Oregon State.

“It was rough,” captain Josh Karsten said. “He’s been my coach for three years; I thought he was going to be my coach for four years.”

Karsten and Hoyos said they both eventually understood why their coach left. Simmons and his wife grew up in Oregon and have 50 family members around OSU. Before coming to coach at NIU for six years Simmons spent two years as an assistant coach at OSU.

Understanding the decision hasn’t made things any easier for the men’s soccer team, however.

With preseason a little over a month away, the players feel Simmons’ decision couldn’t have come at a worst time.

Former NIU soccer player Steve Kolzow believes the curial aspect needed in the next head coach is someone who can continue to recruit talent. Kolzow said Simmons’ ability to bring in freshmen that challenged older players to improve or even started in front of them was the key to turning the Huskie program around.

Simmons inherited a weak program. In his first year NIU went 3-13-2; in the next five seasons the Huskies produced a 56-34-12 record, earned national rankings, won the MAC championship and won a game in the NCAA tournament.

The increased success has made the open coaching job attractive. Karsten said that resumes were flying in from around the country the day Simmons resigned his post.

Although NIU athletic director Jeff Compher has told Karsten that nothing is set in stone, the senior and his team would like to see NIU assistant coach Eric Luzzi promoted.

Karsten meet with Luzzi on Wednesday night after Simmons spoke to the team. He then talked to his teammates and decided to talk to Compher, giving the team’s input on who their next head coach should be.

“He’s put as much blood and sweat as any player into the program,” Karsten said. “He knows the program.”

While the players realize promoting Luzzi would be the easy choice, they said it’s the right choice. Both Karsten and Hoyos said Luzzi could maintain what Simmons built, but expand upon it with a different coaching philosophy.

“We’re going to be better with Luzzi; he’s going to push our skill level and improve our technique,” Hoyos said. “Luzzi has a different set of mind [than Simmons] on how to play. Being an assistant these years he had to follow coach Simmons’ point of view.”

Hoyos also said that Luzzi could continue to recruit young and talented players, the key suggestion for a new coach given by Kolzow. Hoyos himself was recruited by Luzzi.

Karsten also said Luzzi has the team’s trust. Promoting the current assistant would prevent everyone from “becoming a freshman again,” in the eyes of a new coach Karsten said, as Luzzi knows the players already and will keep “the ball rolling.”

No matter who becomes the new NIU head coach, Hoyos said he would stay for his junior season. He did say, however, that if NIU picked a new coach that did not fit the program that he, and other players, might have to take a cue from their former head coach.

“If Luzzi is not our coach, I probably stay, but if coach is not what I expect maybe I’ll have to make a move,” the junior said. “[The decision] could hurt the program. I think [Compher] will make the right decision.”