THE COACH SPOO FILE
EDUCATION
Purdue University
.......M.S. in Educational Administration, 1989
Purdue University
..... ........ B.S. in Physical Education, 1955-60
Graduate of Chicago Saint Rita High School
PLAYING CAREER
Purdue University:
• Starting Quarterback (1957-58)
• 3-year letterman (1956-58)
• Co-Captain of Blue squad
in Blue-Gray All-Star Game (1958)
Chicago Hornets (Semi-Pro):
• Quarterback (1961)
• MVP in Tri-State League
COACHING CAREER
1987-Present.................. Eastern Illinois University
Head Coach
1985-86...................................... Purdue University
Offensive Coordinator & QB Coach
1978-84...................................... Purdue University
..................................... QB, WR & RB Coach
1973-77...........University of Wisconsin, QB Coach
1967-72............ Head Coach, Wilmette (IL) Loyola
Academy HS, ('69 city champs)
1963-66.................. Assistant Coach, Wilmette (IL)
Loyola Academy
1961-62................. Assistant Coach, Oak Park (IL)
Fenwick High School
1960.......................................... Physical Instructor
Chicago Park District
AWARDS
2009............................... OVC "Coach of the Year"
Finalist for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year
2005................................OVC “Coach of the Year”
2001................................OVC “Coach of the Year”
AFCA Region 3 "Coach of the Year"
2000...................... Runner-Up for Eddie Robinson
I-AA National "Coach of the Year"
1995.... Gateway Conference "Coach of the Year"
AFCA Region V I-AA "Coach of the Year"
Football Gazette National I-AA
"Coach of the Year"
1985............................................. Assistant Coach
Blue-Gray All-Star Game
1980.............. Elected to Chicago Catholic League
"Hall of Fame"
1977.............Elected to St. Rita HS "Hall of Fame"
1972.......................... Chicago "Coach of the Year"
Chicago Catholic League "Coach of the Year"
1970..................National HS Coaches Association
Football "Coach of the Year"
Chicago Catholic League "Coach of the Year"
1969............................. Illinois "Coach of the Year"
Chicago Catholic League "Coach of the Year"
Chicago Prep Sports Writers
Association "Coach of the Year"
Northwestern 'N' Men's Club Athletic
Achievement Award
WWW.EIUPANTHERS.COM
HEAD COACH BOB SPOO
Bob Spoo, the dean of coaches in the Ohio Valley Conference returns for his 25th and final
season on the Panthers sidelines looking to guide the Panthers to their 14th NCAA FCS playoff
appearance.
Spoo currently ranks fourth among Division I coaches with the longest tenure at one school
trailing Penn State’s Joe Paterno, Albany’s Bob Ford and Villanova’s Andy Talley on that list.
Spoo announced at a press conference in November that the 2011 season would be his
final year at EIU. The 2011 season will mark his 25th season at EIU and his 50th year coaching
football at the high school and collegiate levels.
In 2009 EIU climbed back to the top of the OVC standings as the Panthers capturing
their fifth conference crown since 2001. Spoo was
Longest Tenured Division I Head Coaches
named the OVC Coach of the Year and one of five
(at same school)
finalists for the Liberty Mutual National Coach of
the Year as EIU finished the year at 8-4 overall. 1 ...Joe Paterno (Penn State)............... since 1966
The Panthers advanced to the their seventh playoff 2....Bob Ford (Albany).......................... since 1973
appearance since 2000 ending the year ranked 3....Andy Talley (Villanova)................... since 1985
4....Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech)......... since 1987
15th in the FCS Coaches poll.
....Bob Spoo (Eastern Illinois).........since 1987
After missing the 2006 season for medical
reasons, Spoo returned to the team in a full-time capacity following the Panthers 2006 first
round playoff loss. In 2007 that recognized drive and “voice” returned in full force as Spoo
guided EIU to its third straight FCS playoff appearance and 12th overall.
EIU would finish the 2007 season with an 8-4 record, 7-1 in the OVC. The Panthers were
ranked No. 15 in the final FCS Coaches poll making their sixth playoff appearance in the last
eight seasons.
The winningest coach in Eastern Illinois history and the active leader in wins among OVC
coaches, Spoo maintains a career mark of 140-113-1. He has led the Panthers to 11 winning
seasons in the last 15 years.
FCS PLAYOFF APPEARANCES
Under his leadership the Panthers qualified
for an unprecedented three straight trips to the 1 ...... Roy Kidd (Eastern Kentucky)................. 17
NCAA I-AA playoffs between 2000-02 and again 2....... Jerry Moore (Appalachian State)..........15 *
from 2005-07. EIU has won (or shared) Ohio 3....... Tubby Raymond (Delaware)................... 11
Valley Conference championship in five of the past 4....... Jim Tressel (Youngstown State)............. 10
5....... Bob Spoo (Eastern Illinois)..................9 *
ten seasons. In his 24 years at EIU the Panthers ....... W.C. Gorden (Jackson State)................... 9
have made ten trips to the NCAA playoffs with 11 7....... Andy Talley (Villanova).......................... 8 *
finishes in the Top 25 poll. EIU’s deepest run in
* denotes active coach
the playoffs under Spoo came in 1989 when the
Panthers knocked off Idaho in the first round before losing the quarterfinals at Montana.
During his tenure at EIU, the Panthers have produced numerous All-Conference picks
including seven Offensive or Defensive OVC Players of the Year since the 2000 season. EIU
has also had a number of All-American players both on the field and in the classroom. Spoo
also coached 2002 Walter Payton Award winner Tony Romo, now a Pro Bowl quarterback with
the Dallas Cowboys.
Over his 24 years on the EIU sidelines, Spoo has been named the OVC Coach of the Year
three times (2001, 2005, 2009), Gateway Conference Coach of the Year once (1995) and the
Region Coach of the Year two times (1995 and 2001). In 2000 he was the runner-up for the
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. In 1995 he was named the Football Gazette I-AA
Coach of the Year.
Demanding excellence on the field and in the classroom, Spoo believes that the foundation
for constructing a championship program lies with a strong defense and sound kicking game,
revolving around a ball-control passing attack.
Spoo and his staff have been commended publicly by the Faculty Senate for their emphasis
on academics. The Daily Eastern News, the campus daily newspaper, named Spoo as their
“Person of the Year” in his second year in Charleston.
A three year Purdue letterman, Spoo replaced NFL Hall-of-Famer Len Dawson as the
starting quarterback in 1957 and guided the Boilermakers to a two-year record of 11-5. He cocaptained the 1958 Blue team in the Blue-Gray All-Star game.
Spoo later returned to his alma mater to coach quarterbacks in the 1980’s, building his
resume by coaching such nationally known passers as Mark Hermann, Scott Campbell and
Jim Everett. All three would go on to play in the National Football League. During his time at
Purdue (1978-1986) the team made four bowl appearances. Spoo also spent several years at
Wisconsin (1973-77) as the quarterbacks coach.
Prior to becoming a mainstay in the college coaching ranks, Spoo was one of the most
successful prep coaches in Illinois. He was the head coach at Loyola Academy in Wilmette from
1967-72 directing the school to a 51-9-2 record and the 1969 Chicago city championship. He
was the 1970 National High School Athletic Coaches Association “Football Coach of the Year”,
1969 Illinois Coach of the Year and 1972 Chicago Coach of the Year.
Spoo and his wife Susan have one daughter Kate.
2011 EASTERN ILLINOIS FOOTBALL
HEAD COACH BOB SPOO
EIU IN THE POLLS DURING SPOO'S TENURE
1989
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Georgia Southern
Furman
Stephen F. Austin
Holy Cross
Idaho
Montana
Appalachian State
Maine
Southwest Missouri
Middle Tennessee
William & Mary
Eastern Kentucky
Grambling
Youngstown State
EASTERN ILLINOIS
Villanova
Jackson State
Connecticut
Nevada-Reno
Northern Iowa
2000
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Georgia Southern
Montana
Delaware
Appalachian State
Western Kentucky
Richmond
Hofstra
Lehigh
Troy State
Furman
Youngstown State
Western Illinois
Grambling
Florida A&M
Portland State
McNeese State
EASTERN ILLINOIS
Weber State
Northern Iowa
Bethune-Cookman
006
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Appalachian State
Massachusetts
Montana
Youngstown State
North Dakota State
New Hampshire
Southern Illinois
Illinois State
James Madison
Montana State
Hampton
Furman
Tennessee Martin
Coastal Carolina
EASTERN ILLINOIS
Cal Poly
Northern Iowa
Princeton
Portland State
San Diego
1995
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Montana
Marshall
McNeese State
Stephen F. Austin
Appalachian State
Delaware
Troy State
Southern
Murray State
Hofstra
Georgia Southern
Eastern Kentucky
Northern Iowa
EASTERN ILLINOIS
James Madison
Jackson State
Florida A&M
Idaho
William & Mary
Richmond
2001
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Montana
Furman
Georgia Southern
Northern Iowa
Lehigh
Appalachian State
Hofstra
Sam Houston State
EASTERN ILLINOIS
Western Kentucky
Grambling
Maine
McNeese State
Northwestern State
Northern Arizona
Youngstown State
William & Mary
Eastern Kentucky
Villanova
Rhode Island
2007
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Appalachian State
Delaware
Southern Illinois
Northern Iowa
Richmond
Wofford
Massachusetts
Eastern Washington
North Dakota State
Montana
McNeese State
James Madison
Eastern Kentucky
New Hampshire
Delaware State
Youngstown State
Georgia Southern
EASTERN ILLINOIS
South Dakota State
Fordham
1996
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Marshall
Montana
Northern Iowa
Troy State
William & Mary
Murray State
E. Tennessee State
Northern Arizona
Furman
Delaware
Jackson State
Villanova
Western Illinois
Florida A&M
Nicholls State
EASTERN ILLINOIS
New Hampshire
Youngstown State
Dartmouth
Howard
2002
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Western Kentucky
McNeese State
Georgia Southern
Villanova
Western Illinois
Maine
Montana
Grambling State
Furman
Appalachian State
Northeastern
Fordham
EASTERN ILLINOIS
Wofford
Bethune-Cookman
Northwestern State
Pennsylvania
Idaho State
Montana State
Murray State
1997
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Youngstown State
McNeese State
Delaware
Eastern Washington
Villanova
Western Illinois
Western Kentucky
Georgia Southern
Hampton
Florida A&M
Southern
Montana
Jackson State
Hofstra
Eastern Kentucky
Cal Poly
Northwestern State
Stephen F. Austin
South Carolina State
Liberty
EASTERN ILLINOIS
2005
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Appalachian State
Northern Iowa
Furman
Texas State
New Hampshire
Cal Poly
Southern Illinois
Richmond
Georgia Southern
Hampton
Montana
Grambling
Eastern Washington
Youngstown State
EASTERN ILLINOIS
Nicholls State
Montana State
Brown
South Carolina State
Lafayette
2011 EASTERN ILLINOIS FOOTBALL... 2009
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Villanova
Montana
Appalachian State
William & Mary
Richmond
Southern Illinois
New Hampshire
South Carolina State
Elon
Stephen F. Austin
South Dakota State
McNeese State
Eastern Washington
Holy Cross
Priarie View A&M
Jacksonville State
Weber State
Northern Iowa
EASTERN ILLINOIS
Penn
Bob Spoo Year-By-Year Eastern Illinois Record
Year......... Overall...... Conf (Finish).............Post-Season
1987......... 5-6............. 3-3 (T3rd GFC)
1988......... 5-6............. 2-4 (T5th GFC)
1989......... 9-4............. 4-2 (2nd GFC)............NCAA Quarterfinals
1990......... 5-6............. 3-3 (T3rd GFC)
1991......... 4-7............. 2-4 (T5th GFC)
1992......... 5-6............. 2-4 (T3rd GFC)
1993......... 3-7-1.......... 2-3-1 (T4th GFC)
1994......... 6-5............. 4-2 (T2nd GFC)
1995......... 10-2........... 5-1 (T1st GFC)..........NCAA 1st Round
1996......... 8-4............. 6-2 (T2nd OVC).........NCAA 1st Round
1997......... 8-3............. 5-2 (T2nd OVC)
1998......... 6-5............. 4-3 (T4th OVC)
1999......... 2-10........... 2-5 (T6th OVC)
2000......... 8-4............. 6-1 (2nd OVC)...........NCAA 1st Round
2001......... 9-2............. 6-0 (1st OVC)............NCAA 1st Round
2002......... 8-4............. 5-1 (T1st OVC)..........NCAA 1st Round
2003......... 4-8............. 3-5 (T5th OVC)
2004......... 5-6............. 4-4 (4th OVC)
2005......... 9-3............. 8-0 (1st OVC)............NCAA 1st Round
2006......... Did not coach this season due to illness
2007......... 8-4............. 7-1 (2nd OVC)...........NCAA 1st Round
2008......... 5-7............. 3-5 (5th OVC)
2009......... 8-4............. 6-2 (1st OVC)............NCAA 1st Round
2010......... 2-9............. 2-6 (7th OVC)
Overall (142-122-1)... OVC (67-37)
...13-TIME NCAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF PARTICIPANT
BOB SPOO COACHING LEGACY
One of the most respected coaches in the game of football, Eastern
Illinois head coach Bob Spoo has a coaching tree that spreads across all
levels of football with some of the most recognizable teams in the sport.
With that said, Spoo remains the humble coach who has guided the
Panthers program for more than 20 years. Listed below are former EIU
coaches who have worked under Bob Spoo and their current profession
as of June, 2010.
FORMER ASSISTANTS TO COACH SPOO
COACH
YEARS AT EIU
CURRENT POSITION
Dino Babers.................... 1987-88....................................Asst. Coach - Baylor
Clancy Barone................ 1994-96.................... Asst. Coach - Denver Broncos
John Bowers................... 1995-96.................... Head Coach - Washington HS
Steve Brickey....................2005..............................Off. Coordinator, Samford
Jon Carr.......................... 2003-04.......................NFL Scout - Houston Texans
Kit Cartwright.................. 1987-88..............Off. Coordinator - Winnipeg (CFL)
Jeff Choate........................2005..........................Special Teams - Boise State
Kim Dameron....................2000.............................. Asst. Coach - Mississippi
Mike DeBord................... 1987-88...................... Asst. Coach - Chicago Bears
Steve Farmer.................. 2001-02........... Off. Coordinator - Louisiana-Monroe
Brian Flinn...................... 2002-04............................... Asst. Coach - Villanova
Mike Garrison................. 1989-95..... Off. Corrdinator - Dodge City CC - Kan.
Darrell Hazell.....................1988.................... Asst. Head Coach – Ohio State
Sheldon Herd................. 1987-88..........................................Private Business
Eric Holm...........................1989..........Athletic Director, Kansas City Area HS
Jeff Hoover..................... 2007-09.................................................... Deceased
Mark Hutson................... 2003-06................................... Asst. Coach - Tulane
Derrick Jackson.............. 2003-04....................................Asst. Coach – Akron
Shannon Jackson........... 2005-07..................Def. Coordinator - Indiana State
Brian Jenkins.................. 1996-99............... Head Coach - Bethune-Cookman
Noah Joseph.................. 2003-06...................... Asst. Coach - Montana State
Edmund Jones............... 2001-02..........................................Private Business
Bob Krieger.................... 1994-99............................ Asst. Coach, Georgia HS
Ron Lambert................. 1998-2000.................... Head Coach - Tennessee HS
Micah Lazenby..................2000...................................................... Deceased
Bill Legg.......................... 1989-93.......................... Off. Coordinator - Marshall
Justin Lustig................... 2006-08...........................Special Teams - Ball State
Mike Mallory................... 1991-92.............. Asst. Coach - New Orleans Saints
Randy Melvin.................. 1988-94.................... Asst. Coach – BC Lions (CFL)
Charley Molnar..................2001......................Off. Coordinator – Notre Dame
Jorge Munoz................... 2005-07.............. Asst. Coach - Louisiana-Lafayette
Tim Nolen..........................1993................... Head Coach - Robinson (Ill.) HS
Ben Norton..................... 1997-98.......Asst. Coach - Hartford Colonials (UFL)
Charlie Patridge.................2002............................... Asst. Coach - Wisconsin
Charlie Roche............... 1999-2000........ Asst. Coach –College of the Siskiyous
John Smith..................... 1987-97.................... Associate AD - Eastern Illinois
Brock Spack................... 1987-90 . .......................Head Coach - Illinois State
Chris Wilkerson............ 1997-2001.................... Def. Coordinator - Dartmouth
WWW.EIUPANTHERS.COM
HEAD COACH BOB SPOO
SPOO VERSUS ALL OPPONENTS [1987-2010]
LAST
OPPONENTS
W
L
T
MEETING
SCORE
Akron.................................... 1........ 1......................1989..........W, 21-17
Austin Peay......................... 8........ 1......................2010..........W, 28-10
Boise State........................... 0........ 1......................1988.............L, 7-12
Brigham Young..................... 0........ 1......................2005...........L, 10-45
California (PA)...................... 1........ 0......................2003............W, 27-0
Central Arkansas.................. 0........ 1......................2010.............L, 7-37
Central Florida...................... 0........ 2......................1999...........L, 21-31
Central Michigan.................. 0........ 2......................2008...........L, 12-31
Central State (OH)................ 1........ 0......................1995..........W, 33-27
Eastern Kentucky .............. 6 ....... 8 . ...................2010 ...........L, 7-35
Eastern Michigan.................. 1........ 0......................2004..........W, 31-28
Eastern Washington............. 1........ 0......................1991..........W, 31-12
Florida Atlantic...................... 2........ 0......................2002............W, 47-6
Hawai’i ................................. 0 ....... 2 . ...................2002 ..........L, 36-61
Idaho.................................... 1........ 0......................1989..........W, 38-21
Illinois................................... 0........ 1......................2008...........L, 21-47
Illinois State ...................... 10...... 10 . .... 1 . .........2010 ..........L, 23-27
Indiana State ...................... 15....... 5 . ...................2009 ...........W, 31-0
Iowa...................................... 0........ 1......................2010.............L, 7-37
Iowa State............................ 0........ 1......................1991...........L, 13-42
Jacksonville State ............. 3 ....... 4 . ...................2010 ..........L, 23-28
Kansas State........................ 0........ 1......................2002...........L, 13-63
Kentucky Wesleyan.............. 1........ 0......................2000............W, 72-0
Liberty................................... 2........ 1......................1989...............L, 7-9
Lock Haven.......................... 2........ 0......................1994..........W, 45-10
Marshall................................ 0........ 1......................1992...........L, 28-63
McNeese State..................... 0........ 2......................1993.............L, 7-49
Middle Tennessee................. 2........ 1......................1998..........W, 35-32
Missouri................................ 0........ 1......................2003.............L, 0-37
Montana............................... 0........ 2......................2000...........L, 13-45
Murray State . .................... 10 ...... 9 . ...................2010 ..........L, 28-38
Navy..................................... 0........ 1......................1993..........W, 10-31
Northeast Missouri............... 1........ 0......................1987..........W, 16-10
Northern Illinois.................... 1........ 2......................1998..........W, 24-10
Northern Iowa....................... 1....... 10.....................2001...........L, 43-49
NW Louisiana....................... 2........ 1......................1993...........L, 26-34
Penn State............................ 0........ 1......................2009.............L, 3-52
Pittsburg State (KS).............. 1........ 0......................1996..........W, 41-31
Purdue.................................. 0........ 1......................2007.............L 6-52
Samford ............................... 3 ....... 1 . ...................2007 .........W, 33-17
San Diego State................... 0........ 1......................2001.............L, 7-40
San Jose State..................... 0........ 1......................1987.............L, 3-24
Southeast Missouri .......... 12 ...... 3 . ...................2010 ..........L, 13-28
Southern Illinois................. 6........ 8......................2009.............L, 7-48
Southwest Missouri.............. 6........ 3......................1995..............W, 9-7
St. Joseph’s (IN)................... 2........ 0......................1998............W, 24-7
Stephen F. Austin................. 0........ 1......................1995...........L, 29-34
Tennessee Martin ............. 12 ...... 3 . ...................2010 ..........L, 10-20
Tennessee State ................ 7 ....... 5......................2010 .... W, 31-28 ot
Tennessee Tech ................ 11 ...... 3 . ...................2010...........L, 20-34
Texas-El Paso...................... 0........ 1......................1994...........L, 20-22
Toledo................................... 0........ 1......................2000...........L, 26-31
Western Illinois..................... 3........ 9......................2002.............L, 9-48
Western Kentucky................ 6........ 5......................2000...........L, 12-34
Western Michigan................. 1........ 0......................1996..........W, 28-20
Youngstown State................. 0........ 2......................1992...........L, 19-28
TOTALS
142 122
1
53.8%
2011 EASTERN ILLINOIS FOOTBALL