Eric Eidsness joined the Northern Illinois University football staff as quarterbacks coach in January 2019 and also served as the Huskies' offensive coordinator from 2019-22.
In three seasons under Eidsness, the Huskie offense made strides each year. NIU improved from 22.8 points per game in 2019, to 24.8 in 2020 and to 32.2 points per game in the 2021 MAC Championship season. The Huskies were top-five in the nation in rushing offense (241.4 yards/game) and fewest sacks allowed (13). Quarterback Rocky Lombardi accounted for over 3,000 yards of total offense and 24 touchdowns. In 2023 Lombardi was second in the MAC in passing with 2,274 yards. He threw 11 touchdown passes and rushed for seven touchdowns. Lombardi finished his NIU career with 5,516 passing yards which puts him sixth all-time in program history.
Eidsness came to NIU from South Dakota State, where he was offensive coordinator from 2012-18; adding associate head coach responsibilities in 2015. During his time at SDSU, the Jackrabbits made seven straight appearances in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) Playoffs, including in 2018, when the offense averaged a school-record 42.5 points and 480.5 yards per game to rank fifth and 10th in the nation, respectively.
The South Dakota State offensive record book was rewritten multiple times under Eidsness’ direction as the Jacks established 28 single-game, season and career marks in 2016, broke 15 records in 2017 and set or extended 25 school records in 2018. As quarterbacks coach, in addition to his offensive coordinator and associate head coach roles, Eidsness mentored Austin Sumner and Taryn Christion to the top of the school record books in every passing category.
Christion was a three-time finalist for the Walter Payton Award, presented to the top offensive player in the FCS, in 2016, ’17 and ’18. Tight end Dallas Goedert was also a two-time Payton Award finalist before being selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
From 2012-14, the SDSU offense featured Zach Zenner, who became the only running back in NCAA Division I history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in three consecutive seasons; Zenner was also a three-time Walter Payton Award Finalist for the Jackrabbits and played five seasons in the NFL.
Prior to returning to South Dakota State for his third stint at the Brookings, South Dakota school, Eidsness was the head coach at Southwest Minnesota State University from 2004-09. He built the program from a roster of just 13 eligible players when he arrived to 120, while raising the team GPA from 2.2 to 2.9.
During his tenure with the Mustangs, he compiled a 26-40 record, and his 26 victories as head coach rank second in program history.
While at the helm of the Mustang program, Eidsness coached 61 all-conference players, including 10 who earned all-region honors. SMSU increased its scoring average each of his last four seasons, from 20.1 points per game in 2006 to 36.0 points in 2009, tying a school record with eight games of 30-plus points. The 2009 team averaged 396.2 yards of total offense per game.
Eidsness began his association with South Dakota State football as a graduate assistant in 1996 and 1997, working with the team’s receivers. After a year as offensive coordinator, quarterbacks and receivers coach at Ferris State (Mich.), he returned to SDSU – then a Division II institution - in 1999 as offensive coordinator, while also coaching the team’s quarterbacks and wide receivers. In five seasons, the offense broke 36 school offensive records. In 2003, when he was also the assistant head coach, Eidsness was one of three finalists for the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year honor for Division II.
A Sioux Falls (S.D.) native, Eidsness attended St. Cloud State University (Minn.) for two years before transferring to the University of Sioux Falls, where he graduated in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. He spent two years playing in Europe, where he also began his coaching career with the Robinson Sphinx in Paris, France.
Upon returning to the United States, Eidsness served as quarterbacks and receivers coach at Morningside during the 1994 and 1995 seasons before enrolling in graduate school at SDSU, where he earned his master’s in athletic administration.
Eidsness and his wife Brandy have five children; sons Eli and Otto and daughters Isla, Olive and the late Audrey Rose.
