DeKALB — The football team announced its final addition to Head Coach Thomas Hammock’s coaching staff on Friday, adding running back and full back’s coach Nic McKissic-Luke according to an NIU Athletics news release. 

McKissic-Luke, a 12-year coaching veteran, joins the Huskies program after four seasons coaching running back at Youngstown State University with the added role of special teams coordinator in 2019.

McKissic-Luke also coached at South Dakota State University and worked with two current members of the NIU coaching staff: offensive coordinator Eric Eidsness and new assistant coach Dan Jackson who joined NIU’s staff in March.

“I’m certainly excited about [McKissic-Luke] and his expertise at the running back position, as well as his special teams background,” Hammock said in an Friday NIU Athletics news release. “I think that continuity helps on our staff. It gives us a good foundation of guys that can hit the ground running. [Number one], he knows the offense and the things that can be improved upon from last season.”

McKissic-Luke replaces Atif Austin as running back’s coach with Austin no longer listed as a member of the coaching staff on the Athletics website. The departures led to several announced coaching position changes.

Jackson and Aaron Wilkins will be co-special teams coordinators with Jackson also coaching cornerbacks and Wilkins coaching tight ends. 

Tony Sorrentino will coach wide receivers, replacing Houston Jones who also is no longer listed as part of the coaching staff.