Wildcats football coach candidate Kyle Nystrom wants to return Northern Michigan University to glory days
went through, it gives me a heavy heart. — Kyle Nystrom, NMU head coach candidate
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MARQUETTE — Northern Michigan University closed out its interviewing process for the next football head coach on Monday by welcoming the heir of a Wildcat legend on the search’s final day.
Kyle Nystrom, son of former NMU assistant coach Buck Nystrom, pitched his case to the program that he can be the one to return the Wildcats to their lost glory.
No timetable has been announced for when the university will make the decision on its hiring.
Growing up watching his father as assistant coach at Northern from 1975-80 and 1987-92, which included helping NMU win the 1975 national championship, Kyle Nystrom built great relationships with NMU and eventually became a graduate assistant himself at the university in 1988.
Nystrom said the Wildcat tradition runs through his veins.
“I grew up on (Memorial) Field as a child,” Nystrom said. “When my dad took the assistant job here, I was in fifth grade, and from that moment on I was on the field. All those players and coaches became my heroes, and as a grad assistant they all became close to my heart and soul.
“We had great teams. To see the program in the shape it’s in and not display the pride we all went through, it gives me a heavy heart, and I think I’m the only one who can fix it.”
For the past two seasons, Nystrom has been the codefensive coordinator at GLIAC member Ferris State. The Bulldogs just ended a playoff run in the NCAA Division II semifinals over the weekend.
Nystrom has been on nine coaching staffs the past three decades, most notably spending five seasons at Central Michigan University from 2010-14 as the linebackers coach, special teams coordinator as well as the assistant coach.
He was also the assistant head coach at North Dakota State University from 2006-08, as well as the defensive coordinator at Fort Hays State in 2009.
With a defensive unit that’s struggled for years at NMU, Nystrom said he will turn that side of the ball into NMU’s biggest strength.
“We have to prioritize the athleticism to go to defense first,” Nystrom said. “Defensive players that are plus-players are harder to find than those on offense. Not only do you need athleticism and speed, but you need a different mentality.
“It’s more of a reactive play than an assignment play, and we’ll have to look at where their skill and contact levels are. I’ve always coached that way and so did my dad, and that’s what I want to teach here.”
Nystrom is coming from a Ferris program with an offense ranked third overall in the conference, yet said his coaching staff would not mimic what the Bulldogs ran en route to their NCAA playoff bid.
“There might be pieces we’ll take a look at bringing here with us, but Northern has to be Northern,” Nystrom said. “I’ve been with nine different programs and we’ve done a lot of good things on offense, but what works at Texas Christian doesn’t mean it’s going to work here.
“We can do things here we did at North Dakota because we’re in the same recruiting region, and there’s a good chance that if I end up here I’ll end up with coaches who were also at North Dakota. But we’re not going to try to be something we’re not.”
And to get the right player personnel in place, Nystrom looked back upon the Midwest players his father recruited to NMU in their glory days, citing the need for players who can adapt to the Marquette community to put together a winning team.
“Our success was always in the U.P., Lower Michigan, Wisconsin and Chicago,” Nystrom said. “Recruiting has to be parallel to our region. I feel strongly about making those primary for our base. It’s all about the relationships our staff has with the coaches and know who the kids are when they are sophomores and juniors. To be successful, we need kids from these areas and present those players on the field.”
As Nystrom believes he is the only man who can turn around a program that’s suffered seven straight losing seasons, he also touched on the need to reach out to forgotten fans, former players and alumni with hopes of re-creating the “Golden Wildcat Club” for community supporters and summer clinics for the youth.
“We have to reconnect with our past players and establish those relationships again,” Nystrom said. “Getting the program on its feet is going to take hard work, but I’m confident in my ability and my past. I need to have a great staff of coaches who will help develop players accordingly.
“I’m confident we’ll get those guys and that will give us a chance to win. Nothing comes easy or as fast as everyone wants, but we will find a way to get us there.”
Ray Bressette can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is rbressette@miningjournal.net.
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MARQUETTE — Northern Michigan University closed out its interviewing process for the next football head coach on Monday by welcoming the heir of a Wildcat legend on the search’s final day.
Kyle Nystrom, son of former NMU assistant coach Buck Nystrom, pitched his case to the program that he can be the one to return the Wildcats to their lost glory.
No timetable has been announced for when the university will make the decision on its hiring.
Growing up watching his father as assistant coach at Northern from 1975-80 and 1987-92, which included helping NMU win the 1975 national championship, Kyle Nystrom built great relationships with NMU and eventually became a graduate assistant himself at the university in 1988.
Nystrom said the Wildcat tradition runs through his veins.
“I grew up on (Memorial) Field as a child,” Nystrom said. “When my dad took the assistant job here, I was in fifth grade, and from that moment on I was on the field. All those players and coaches became my heroes, and as a grad assistant they all became close to my heart and soul.
“We had great teams. To see the program in the shape it’s in and not display the pride we all went through, it gives me a heavy heart, and I think I’m the only one who can fix it.”
For the past two seasons, Nystrom has been the codefensive coordinator at GLIAC member Ferris State. The Bulldogs just ended a playoff run in the NCAA Division II semifinals over the weekend.
Nystrom has been on nine coaching staffs the past three decades, most notably spending five seasons at Central Michigan University from 2010-14 as the linebackers coach, special teams coordinator as well as the assistant coach.
He was also the assistant head coach at North Dakota State University from 2006-08, as well as the defensive coordinator at Fort Hays State in 2009.
With a defensive unit that’s struggled for years at NMU, Nystrom said he will turn that side of the ball into NMU’s biggest strength.
“We have to prioritize the athleticism to go to defense first,” Nystrom said. “Defensive players that are plus-players are harder to find than those on offense. Not only do you need athleticism and speed, but you need a different mentality.
“It’s more of a reactive play than an assignment play, and we’ll have to look at where their skill and contact levels are. I’ve always coached that way and so did my dad, and that’s what I want to teach here.”
Nystrom is coming from a Ferris program with an offense ranked third overall in the conference, yet said his coaching staff would not mimic what the Bulldogs ran en route to their NCAA playoff bid.
“There might be pieces we’ll take a look at bringing here with us, but Northern has to be Northern,” Nystrom said. “I’ve been with nine different programs and we’ve done a lot of good things on offense, but what works at Texas Christian doesn’t mean it’s going to work here.
“We can do things here we did at North Dakota because we’re in the same recruiting region, and there’s a good chance that if I end up here I’ll end up with coaches who were also at North Dakota. But we’re not going to try to be something we’re not.”
And to get the right player personnel in place, Nystrom looked back upon the Midwest players his father recruited to NMU in their glory days, citing the need for players who can adapt to the Marquette community to put together a winning team.
“Our success was always in the U.P., Lower Michigan, Wisconsin and Chicago,” Nystrom said. “Recruiting has to be parallel to our region. I feel strongly about making those primary for our base. It’s all about the relationships our staff has with the coaches and know who the kids are when they are sophomores and juniors. To be successful, we need kids from these areas and present those players on the field.”
As Nystrom believes he is the only man who can turn around a program that’s suffered seven straight losing seasons, he also touched on the need to reach out to forgotten fans, former players and alumni with hopes of re-creating the “Golden Wildcat Club” for community supporters and summer clinics for the youth.
“We have to reconnect with our past players and establish those relationships again,” Nystrom said. “Getting the program on its feet is going to take hard work, but I’m confident in my ability and my past. I need to have a great staff of coaches who will help develop players accordingly.
“I’m confident we’ll get those guys and that will give us a chance to win. Nothing comes easy or as fast as everyone wants, but we will find a way to get us there.”
Ray Bressette can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is rbressette@miningjournal.net.
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