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Joe Tripodi

  • Title
    Assistant Coach, Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator
  • Email
    fbrecruiting@niu.edu
  • Phone
    (815) 753-1825
The longest tenured assistant coach on the Northern Illinois University football coaching staff, Joe Tripodi will be in his ninth season at NIU and his sixth as the Huskies’ offensive line coach. 

He added responsibilities as NIU’s run game coordinator in 2016 and saw the Huskies’ rushing offense rank 16th in the country and lead the MAC with an average of nearly 240 yards per game. In addition, behind a stellar offensive line that featured a pair of All-MAC honorees at tackle, NIU led the nation in fewest sacks allowed, giving up just eight on the season. The Huskies now have ranked among the league and national leaders in fewest sacks allowed in each of the last four seasons.

In his six seasons working with the Huskie offensive line (four as assistant coach and two as graduate assistant), 15 of his players have earned All Mid-American Conference honors, including three in 2015. He has coached three All-Americans - Trevor Olson and Scott Wedige earned the recognition in 2011, while 2016 All-MAC tackle Max Scharping was a 2015 Freshman All-American.  

In 2015, seniors Andrew Ness and Aidan Conlon set the NCAA FBS record for career games started with 56. Both were named first team All-MAC as seniors, while Levon Myers earned second team All-MAC recognition in each of the last two years.   

The 2014 season saw NIU win its third MAC title of Tripodi’s tenure, with the help of an offensive line that featured first team All-MAC selections Tyler Loos and Ness. The Huskie offense set three MAC and nine school records in 2013, including yards rushing, yards per game and points scored, guided by Tripodi’s offensive line unit that produced two All-MAC honorees in Loos and Jared Volk.

In 2014, NIU’s offensive line allowed just 14 sacks all season to rank tied for eighth in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Tripodi spent three seasons as a graduate assistant on the Huskie coaching staff, serving as tight ends and fullbacks coach during NIU’s 2012 MAC Championship season. He spent his first two GA seasons at NIU working with the offensive line and led the unit in the Huskies’ 40-17 victory Fresno State in the 2010 Humanitarian Bowl. 

He came to NIU from his hometown of Chelsea, Mich. where he served as defensive line coach at Chelsea High School, his alma mater, in 2008 and 2009. 

Tripodi was Northwestern’s starting left guard in 2005 and 2006 and was a co-recipient of the 2006 Randy Walker Wildcat Award, given for work ethic, toughness and warrior attitude. He was part of the offensive line that played a key role in Northwestern’s record-setting offensive season in 2005.

Tripodi earned all-state honors in both football and track and field at Chelsea High School and was one of six finalists for the Michigan High School Athlete of the Year honor as a senior. The three-time all-conference and two-time all-area selection in football also won back-to-back state titles in the shot put. His football team went 30-4 in his three years as a starter. 

He graduated from Northwestern in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and earned his master’s in adult and higher education at NIU. Tripodi is married to the former Rachel Munoz, and they have two children: daughter Emma and son Roman.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

2010-  NIU
 Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator, 2016-  
 Offensive Line, 2013-15
 Tight Ends/Fullbacks, 2012
 Graduate Assistant, 2010-11
2008-2009   Chelsea H.S. (Defensive Line)

POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE

2017 Quick Lane Bowl (NIU, O-Line Coach)
2015  Poinsettia Bowl (NIU, O-Line Coach)
2014  Boca Raton Bowl (NIU, O-Line Coach)
2013  Poinsettia Bowl (NIU, O-Line Coach)
2013  Orange Bowl (NIU, Tight Ends Coach)
2012  GoDaddy.com Bowl (NIU, Graduate Assistant)
2010  Humanitarian Bowl (NIU, Graduate Assistant)
2008-09   Michigan Division 3 Playoffs (Chelsea H.S., D-Line Coach) 
2005  Sun Bowl (Northwestern, Player)
2003  Motor City Bowl (Northwestern, Player)

PLAYING EXPERIENCE

2002-2006   Northwestern (Offensive Line)

EDUCATION

College  B.S., Northwestern, 2006 
High School   Chelsea, 2002

PERSONAL

Birthdate  March 4, 1984
Birthplace  Chelsea, Mich.
Hometown   Ann Arbor, Mich.
Family  Wife, Rachel, daughter Emma (3) and son Roman (infant)