NORMAL — Travis Niekamp, a former Illinois State defensive lineman with 20 years of coaching experience, was named ISU's new defensive coordinator Thursday by Redbird head coach Brock Spack.
"Travis has worked with some big-time programs at the FCS level and has a background at the FBS level as well, so that checked off a lot of boxes for me,” Spack said. “He’s been a coordinator and coached defensive lineman and linebackers in the past, so he has a great idea of the big picture on defense while also being able to focus in on the defensive line here at Illinois State.