Luke Meadows, a veteran offensive line coach with experience at every level of college football, will join the Northern Illinois University football staff as offensive line coach, NIU head coach Thomas Hammock announced Friday.

Meadows has made eight stops on his collegiate coaching journey, most recently as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Troy University. During his career, players Meadows has coached have earned eight All-America, four CSC Academic All-America, 35 all-conference, 34 academic all-conference, and two all-newcomer awards. He has coached 24 offensive linemen that have been drafted or signed as free agents in the NFL.

“Luke was exactly what I was looking for in an offensive line coach,” said NIU head coach Thomas Hammock. “He’s a veteran offensive line coach, a great technical football coach and a creative game planner. He adds a lot of value to our staff with his experience and his knowledge of offensive line play in the run game. I believe he will really be an asset to our program.”

Meadows said he looks forward to contributing to the success and tradition of NIU Football and working with an experienced group of returning linemen in 2024.

“I’m excited to join the NIU Football Family,” Meadows said. “It’s a national brand, known throughout the country for the success the program has had throughout the years, and known for the way the program is run. The hard way is real and that’s the way that I was raised in football so it’s exciting to be able to experience it at the highest level.

“There is a lot of experience and leadership returning on the offensive line for 2024 and they are already very good at what they do. I look forward to building relationships with the players who have been here so long, they are exceptional human beings and great football players.”

Prior to his time at Troy, the Hot Springs, South Dakota native spent two seasons as offensive line coach at the University of Kansas where the Jayhawks recorded their highest offensive production numbers in 10 years in 2019.

Meadows gained familiarity with the Mid-American Conference coaching the offensive line of the resurgent Eastern Michigan football program in 2017 and 2018, which recorded its highest two-year win total since 1988-89 and played in the 2018 Camellia Bowl. The Eagles’ offensive line ranked second in the MAC and 28th nationally in the fewest sacks allowed in 2017.

He was offensive line coach and assistant head coach at Garden City (Kansas) Community College for a national championship season in 2016, engineering a turnaround as the Broncbusters went undefeated one year after posting a 3-8 record.  GCCC led the league in total offense and rushing offense, increasing the rushing yards per game by 237 percent.

In two seasons (2014-15) guiding the offensive line at Southern Miss, Meadows helped the Golden Eagles record one of the best offensive seasons in school history as USM led the nation in plays of 20-plus yards (109) and ranked second with 54 plays of 30-plus yards.  The Golden Eagles won nine games, a Conference USA West title, and played in the Heart of Dallas Bowl versus Washington.

Prior to his time at Southern Miss, Meadows spent two seasons (2012-13) at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, where he was elevated to offensive coordinator midway through the 2013 campaign, guiding an offense that broke the school’s single season rushing record en route to a 6-6 record.

A 1999 graduate of South Dakota State University, Meadows began his coaching career at his alma mater as a graduate assistant and running backs coach. After one season as offensive line coach at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, he returned to SDSU in 2002 and spent the next 10 seasons as offensive line coach with the Jackrabbits. In 2004, he was elevated to co-offensive coordinator and run game coordinator while also serving as recruiting coordinator.  He added associate head coach duties beginning in 2005 and was SDSU’s offensive coordinator from 2008-12.

During Meadows’ time on staff, the Jackrabbits established 11 team single-game and single-season offensive records and Jackrabbit players he coached set 30 new individual school records.  SDSU posted four of the top 10 single season rushing totals and scoring averages in school history and totaled five of the top 10 single-game rushing performances during his tenure. The 2008 squad set an SDSU single season record with 427 points in 12 games, scoring 40 or more points in a game six times.

In 2010, the Jackrabbits ranked second in the Football Championship Subdivision, yielding only six sacks the entire campaign. FCS All-American and three-time first team all-conference selection Mitch Erickson signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos and later spent time with the Seattle Seahawks.

The Huskies, who return 18 starters and will have a senior-laden roster, next turn their attention to 2024 NIU Football Spring Practices, which begin March 26 and continue through April 27 when NIU will hold the annual Spring Showcase at Huskie Stadium.

The Huskies’ complete 2024 schedule was released Tuesday, March 5 and includes six home games, five on Saturday, along with road games at Notre Dame (Sept. 7) and N.C. State (Sept. 28). Season ticket prices start at just $105 or get reserved West Side seats starting at $152. Discounts are available and parking in the NIU Convocation Center lots is included. Season ticket members also receive additional benefits like invitations to special events and access to away game tickets. Go to NIUHuskies.com/tickets or call 815-753-PACK to create your account, renew or purchase new season tickets!