DeKALB, Ill. – The latest addition to Northern Illinois University head coach Thomas Hammock's coaching staff is no stranger to Huskie Football as Daryl Agpalsa, who will coach the offensive line, comes to NIU after four seasons at the University at Buffalo.
 
As the offensive line coach for the Bulls, Agpalsa coached five All-MAC performers from 2015-18, while UB ranked in the Top 10 in the country in fewest sacks and fewest tackles for loss allowed in 2018, and were 22^nd in sacks allowed and seventh in TFLs surrendered in 2017.  The Bulls won 10 games and the MAC East Division in 2018 en route to an appearance in the Dollar General Bowl.
 
"I am extremely excited to have Daryl Agpalsa joining the staff as offensive line coach," Hammock said.  "When he showed interest in coming to NIU, I dropped everything I was doing and immediately put him and [offensive coordinator] Coach Eidsness together.  I know what kind of developer of talent he is and I think our offensive linemen will be fired up to have him leading that unit. 
 
"I saw Daryl as a young coach at Minnesota, and since that time he's gained great experience over the last eight years at Wisconsin-Whitewater and at Buffalo. He's been in the MAC for the last four years and brings great knowledge of the league. He knows and has great ties in the state of Wisconsin, which is really going to help us in recruiting as that state is very important to us. I wanted to bring in the type of guy who can recruit and develop players and he certainly checks off all those boxes."
 
Prior to his time at Buffalo, Agpalsa spent two seasons as the offensive line coach at Division III power Wisconsin-Whitewater.  During his two seasons, the Warhawks went undefeated, winning the 2013 and 2014 National Championships, and led the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in scoring offense (40.1 ppg), rushing offense (218.2) and passing offense (269.5).
 
Prior to Whitewater, Agpalsa served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Minnesota, working primarily with the offensive line, for three seasons, where he first encountered Hammock.
 
"I'm excited about the opportunity to work with Coach Hammock again," Agpalsa said. "I know from our time together at Minnesota that he's an excellent recruiter and a tremendous coach, so I'm excited to join his staff and continue to build this program at NIU. I'm no stranger to the MAC from my time at Buffalo; we've played NIU multiple times over the last four years, so I'm very familiar with the history and the tradition here. During my time at Minnesota, I was on the staff of [former NIU head coach] Jerry Kill, and one of my mentors is Matt Limegrover, who was offensive coordinator and offensive line coach here, so I know that NIU is a wonderful place." 
 
Agpalsa coached the offensive line at Hamline (Minn.) University for three seasons (2007-09) and was on the staff at Linfield College (Oregon), his alma mater, from 2003-06. He helped produce four all-conference offensive linemen during his time at Hamline, and 10 all-conference linemen, including two All-Americans, at Linfield, which won three straight league titles (2003, 2004, 2005) and the 2004 NCAA Division III championship.
 
A native of Waipahu, Hawaii, Agpalsa was a first team All-American at Linfield in 2002 and was named all-Northwest Conference three times.  The Wildcats won three league championships in his four seasons as a starter.
 
Agpalsa joins offensive coordinator Eric Eidsness on NIU's new offensive staff and is one of four assistant coaches hired by Hammock to date.  
 
-- NIU --