Northern Illinois University Athletics

Craig Harmon, a former quarterback and graduate assistant coach at Northern Illinois University, returned to NIU as an assistant coach in 2014. After coaching the tight ends and fullbacks in his first two seasons, and serving as special teams coordinator in 2015, Harmon enters his third season as the Huskies’ quarterbacks coach in 2018. 

It was a challenging season for Harmon in 2017 as NIU used three different starting signal callers. It was the second consecutive season NIU employed multiple starting quarterbacks to execute the offense. However, by week six, Harmon and the Huskies had their man in Marcus Childers. The redshirt freshman put up impressive numbers, throwing for 1,674 yards, 16 touchdowns on 152-of-265 passing. Childers led NIU to a bowl bid and earned Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year honors.

Due to injury, four different quarterbacks started games for NIU in 2016 as Harmon’s proteges embraced the “next man up” philosophy. The quartet combined to complete 58 percent of their passes for 2,688 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for 833 yards and averaging almost five yards per rush.   

In 2014 and 2015, Harmon’s players helped the Huskie offense excel in both the rushing and passing games with tight end Shane Wimann developing into one of the most productive players at that position in school history. In 2014, NIU finished with more than 6,000 yards of total offense and won 11 games and the Mid-American Conference Championship. 

In 2015, NIU’s special teams units also excelled under Harmon as kickoff returner Aregeros Turner was named the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year and kicker Christian Hagan garnered first team All-MAC honors in 2015. 

Harmon spent the 2013 season as tight ends coach at Division III power Wisconsin-Whitewater, which posted a 15-0 record and won the national title. Prior to 2013, he was the tight ends and assistant offensive line coach at Georgia State University in Atlanta from 2010-12, working for head coach Bill Curry to help start the GSU program.

Harmon was offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for four seasons (2006-09) at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois. Under his direction, the offense broke 10 school records and improved statistically each year. 

Harmon returned to NIU as a graduate assistant coach on Joe Novak’s staff in 2004 and 2005, where he worked with the Huskie offense. NIU posted a 9-3 record and won the Silicon Valley Bowl in 2004 and played in the MAC Championship game to complete a 7-5 campaign in 2005.

Harmon’s affiliation with NIU dates back to his playing days as a quarterback for the Huskies from 1998-2000. As a freshman walk-on on the 1998 team, the one-time sixth-string signal-caller took over as the NIU starter in the fourth game of the season after attrition and injuries hit the position.

He finished the year as the Huskies’ top quarterback, completing 82-of-177 passes for 810 yards and two touchdowns. He redshirted the 1999 campaign, but returned to play as a back-up quarterback in 2000 before transferring to Quincy University, where he completed his playing career and earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education.

Harmon began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater in 2002-2003.

He played his prep football at Alton High School in southern Illinois. His wife, the former Megan Anderson, played soccer for the Huskies. They have a son, Cooper, and two daughters, Morgan and Madison.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE

PLAYING EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

PERSONAL