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| Former Northern Illinois receiver, receivers coach and Kaneland alumnus P.J. Fleck was hired as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers receivers coach Saturday after resigning as NIU's offensive coordinator Friday. Fleck lasted less than 24 hours as the Huskies offensive coordinator. (Daily Chronicle file photo) |
A source close to the situation confirmed Saturday afternoon to the Daily Chronicle that P.J. Fleck has been hired as the wide receivers coach by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Daily Chronicle has granted this source anonymity in order for the source to avoid reprisal.
Fleck was hired Thursday at Northern Illinois as the offensive coordinator, but resigned suddenly Friday morning. Fleck was supposed to fill a void that was left after Matt Canada accepted the same position at Wisconsin. NIU coach Dave Doeren will not comment on the situation until a new offensive coordinator has been hired.
Fleck will join new head coach Greg Schiano in Tampa Bay. Schiano hired Fleck from NIU to Rutgers University two seasons ago. Fleck coached wide receivers for the Scarlet Knights.
Fleck was beloved by fans as an NIU receiver from 1999-2003. He led the Huskies with 77 catches for 1,028 yards and six touchdowns his senior year, helping NIU ascend to a No. 10 BCS ranking before finishing the season 10-2. His reception total still ranks second on the school's single-season list.
After a brief NFL playing career with the San Francisco 49ers, Fleck returned to his alma mater to be a receivers coach under Novak and former coach Jerry Kill. He added recruiting coordinator duties in 2009 before leaving to become Rutgers' receivers coach. Fleck felt prepared enough to interview for NIU's head coach position last year after Kill left for Minnesota.
In a news release Friday night, Doeren said Fleck told him he wasn't ready to be an offensive coordinator. Fleck's former NIU coach, Joe Novak, told the Daily Chronicle on Friday night he "hinted" natural hesitation, but never said he was unprepared.
"We talked a little bit about that. I said, 'You know what, before you become a head coach, you have to become a head coach for a first time. There's a first time for everything,' " Novak said. "P.J's a very intelligent young guy, and he has a lot of experience. I thought he was ready, but it's a little nerve-wracking to anybody stepping into a role like that.
"It was a shock. I've talked to him several times the last couple weeks, and the last I talked to him was [Thursday] or the day before. He was excited and anxious."
Novak, a legendary coach at NIU, said he simply hoped the best for his former player.
