Success at a mid-major program comes at a cost. NIU head coach Joe Novak stayed in DeKalb after the 2003 season. Yet, some of his younger assistant coaches had the ability to move up the coaching ladder after the season. These coaches had the chance to either accept positions with more responsibilities or the same position at a larger program.

While some of the 2003 staff left DeKalb, others chose to remain. Most of these members of Novak’s coaching staff stayed with the Huskies until the 2007 season, when the former NIU head coach retired.

With a new head coach coming in, most of Novak’s former assistant coaches were forced to find new jobs for the 2008 football season. Here is a look at the coaches of the 2003 team to see where that season took them.

Matt Canada

2003: Northern Illinois/offensive coord. and quarterbacks

2004 to 2008: Indiana/passing game coord. and quarterbacks

Scott Shafer

2003: Northern Illinois/defensive coord. and secondary

2004: Illinois/secondary

2005 to 2006: Western Michigan/defensive coord. and defensive backs

2007: Stanford/assistant head coach and defensive coord.

2008: Michigan/defensive coord.

Bill Bleil

2003: Northern Illinois/tight ends

2004: Pittsburgh/offensive tackles and tight ends

2005 to 2006: Akron/running backs

2007 to 2008: Akron/offensive tackles and tight ends

Greg Bower

2003: Northern Illinois/defensive interior line

2004 to 2007: Northern Illinois/tight ends

2008: Wisconsin-River Falls/ defensive coord.

Denny Doornbos

2003: Northern Illinois/linebackers

2004 to 2007: Northern Illinois/defensive coord. and linebackers

2008: Unknown

George McDonald

2003: Northern Illinois/wide receivers

2004: Stanford/tight ends

2005 to 2006: Western Michigan/offensive coord.

2007 to 2008: Minnesota/wide receivers

Sam Pittman

2003: Northern Illinois/offensive line

2004 to 2006: Northern Illinois/assistant head coach and offensive line

2007 to 2008: North Carolina/offensive line

Mike Sabock

2003 to 2007: Northern Illinois/defensive ends and recruiting coord.

2008: Western Michigan/running backs and special teams

DeAndre Smith

2003 to 2004: Northern Illinois/running backs

2005 to 2006: Miami (Ohio)/running game coord. and running backs

2007: Miami (Ohio)/associate head coach and running backs

2008: New Mexico/running backs