Bob Nielson - 2015 MVFC "Bruce Craddock" Coach of the Year

[ST_Lawson]

http://www.valley-football.org/news/def ... op-honors/

Bob Nielson, Western Illinois
Western was picked to finish eighth in the MVFC preseason poll and tied for third, despite having the nation’s toughest schedule. That improvement of 5 spots from the preseason poll is the second-biggest jump for the Leathernecks dating back to the inaugural preseason poll in 1986. Nielson has now taken a team at the Division III, II and I FCS to the NCAA playoffs. He coached Wartburg (2x) and Wisconsin-Eau Claire (1x) to the Division III postseason, and won two Division II National titles at Minnesota-Duluth, with six appearances in all. This year’s post-season appearance for Nielson is his 10th in 23 years.

The TOP 4 (Total Points)
Bob Nielson, Western Illinois (31)
Brock Spack, Illinois State (28)
Joe Glenn, South Dakota (25)
Chris Klieman, North Dakota State(24)

Awesome...and well-deserved, I'd say.

[rocki]

Congrats to Coach Nielson! I know he's had people questioning him, but I think it is well deserved. He's doing lots of things right, and I look for even more improvement in the future.

[leatherface]

I knew Bruce Craddock, when he was at NE Missouri and WIU. He would be very pleased to know who won the award this year.

[ST_Lawson]

Congrats to Coach Nielson! I know he's had people questioning him, but I think it is well deserved. He's doing lots of things right, and I look for even more improvement in the future.

The questioning is kinda expected when you have a somewhat "up and down" season like we have. You have those low points (three straight fairly demoralizing losses) where people are willing to throw in the towel on the season and sometimes the entire coaching staff, but they were able to get the team back in business again. I think the gradual improvement has been slower than some were wanting initially, but it's not easy when you're playing the best teams in the FCS every year and overall have one of the top 5 toughest schedules in the FCS for two straight years (5th last year, 1st this year...according to Massey). The two years of very tough schedules, I think, have provided some great experience for the young team, and I think they'll be even better next year.

[LocalFan]

Congratulations to Coach Nielson and the rest of his staff for this well deserved honor. Also, nice seeing Brett Taylor receiving some recognition for Defensive Player of the year, coming in third with 18 votes.

[sealhall74]

Congrats to him and all involved. Keeping the team focused after the NDSU debacle was a huge feat IMO. I am sure he had a lot to do with that. I think we have turned the corner and know how to finish now. Just need to play tough from the beginning to make sure we are around at the finish.