AU Announces New Football Coach

AURORA, Ill. January 11, 2005 - The 2005 football season will have a new look for the Aurora University Spartans, as Rich Duncan was named the eighth Head Football Coach in Aurora University history.

Duncan comes to AU from Loras College in Iowa, where he served as the Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach for the past four seasons. He succeeds Jim Scott, who retired following the 2004 season after leading the Spartans for 19 years. Duncan began his responsibilities at AU this week.

“We are excited to have Rich Duncan carry on the football tradition that has been established at AU,” said Mark Walsh, AU’s Director of Athletics. “He is an outstanding football coach who has been a successful coordinator and is ready to make the move into a head coaching position. In addition, he has strong experience coaching in two competitive leagues, the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and that experience will lend itself well to being successful in the Illini-Badger Football Conference.”

While at Loras, the Duhawk offense set eight Loras College offensive records, with seven offensive linemen named Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) All-Conference.

Chicago and northern Illinois are familiar to Duncan as he has spent the last four seasons at Loras recruiting in the Chicagoland area, while the previous four years were spent at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville recruiting in northern Illinois.

“Rich Duncan brings impressive collegiate recruiting experience to Aurora University,” said Dr. Rebecca L. Sherrick, AU President. “His excellent background is coupled with his understanding and commitment to the importance of building character and providing a strong academic program as part of a comprehensive football program.”

Duncan also spent four seasons as an Assistant Football Coach at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (UWP) from 1997 to 2000. He was Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach for the Pioneers in 1997 and 1998, while serving as UWP's Defensive Coordinator his last two campaigns at the school. Duncan was also the Pioneers' Head Baseball Coach.

Prior to joining the UWP staff, Duncan was an Assistant Football Coach (offensive line and special teams) for Capital University in Ohio from 1995 to 1997, and at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell from 1992 to 1995. His players broke 20 offensive records at Capital, and set UMass-Lowell rushing records for single game and season. He was also a football intern for Manchester College in Indiana in 1991. In addition, he served as the Assistant Athletic Director at Capital, overseeing the administration of winter and spring home athletic events. Duncan is a 1990 graduate of Bethany College with a bachelor’s degree in sociology with teaching certification.

“I am extremely excited and humbled to be named the next Head Football Coach at Aurora University,” Duncan said. “I look forward to leading the Spartan program as well as building upon the tradition and success that Coach Scott has created at AU,” Duncan added.

The Spartans’ 2004 campaign resulted in AU’s third appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs, where AU fell to Wooster College (Ohio) 41-34 in the opening round. AU has won the Illini-Badger Football Conference (IBFC) four out of the seven seasons (1998, 1999, 2000, 2004) they have been a part of the conference. In the seven years in the IBFC, AU has a 43-6 record.

The 2004 season saw several Spartans that will return in 2005 break numerous individual and team records. Sophomore quarterback Andrew Hornung rewrote the AU record book, establishing new marks for total offense (1,901 yards), passing yards (1,916), pass completions and attempts (135 for 241), and touchdown passes (15). Freshman place-kicker Jeremy Ayers set new marks for extra points made (42 of 51) and consecutive extra points made (24). Junior defensive back Robbie Parry was named D3football.com Third-Team All-American after leading Division III in passes defended with 24 (20 break-ups and four interceptions).

As a team, the Spartans set new marks for total yards (4,296 – 2,302 rushing/1,994 passing), points scored (363), passing yards (1,994), passing attempts and completions (139 for 247), and quarterback sacks (37). The Spartan offense finished 35th in Division III in scoring, averaging 33.0 points per game.

AU, under the leadership of Duncan, opens the 2005 season at home against Cornell College (Iowa) on Saturday, September 3, 2005 on the AU Field.

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