Fleck, Uremovich sure to impact NIU’s recruiting

• Reprints

Former Northern Illinois University wide receiver P.J. Fleck is returning to his alma mater to be the Huskies’ offensive coordinator. | Sun-Times Media File Photo

Article Extras

Updated: March 4, 2012 8:17AM

When introducing his 31-player recruiting class Wednesday, Northern Illinois football coach Dave Doeren noted there were 16 from the state of Illinois.

“We wanted to put a fence around as many players as we could and make this an Illinois-laden team,” he said.

On Thursday, Doeren showed he wasn’t talking white picket, but more likely brick and mortar. That’s when he announced that P.J. Fleck is returning to be the Huskies’ offensive coordinator and Mike Uremovich is coming from St. Francis University in Joliet to tutor running backs and coordinate special teams.

I don’t know if Doeren golfs, but these moves were the equivalent of smacking a 300-yard drive right down the middle of the fairway.

Both have the necessary coaching pedigrees, but their worth to NIU’s program will extend well beyond the Xs and Os. Both will have an impact on Huskie recruiting.

Fleck, a Kaneland High School and NIU grad who was a standout receiver on the breakout 2003 team that reached 12th in the national polls, has been on the fast track pursuing his goal of becoming a college head coach since retiring as a player after a brief NFL career. He spent the past two seasons working for Rutgers’ Greg Schiano, who recently took the NFL Tampa Bay job.

“I think P.J. is an outstanding choice,” said anything-but-objective but still right on Joe Thorgesen, the retired Kaneland coach who directed Fleck on two state championship teams.

“What better person than P.J.? He knows the area, he has a passion for NIU and he knows the passing game. It’s absolutely time. The thing I like about P.J. as a coach is he coaches like he played, with great enthusiasm.”

Ironic that Fleck succeeds Matt Canada, who was his offensive coordinator in 2003. Canada left for Indiana in 2004, returned to DeKalb last season and recently went back to the Big Ten, taking the same post at Wisconsin.

Uremovich is a Providence grad from New Lenox who spent the past seven years building the Saints’ program. USF went 27-19 the past four years and his NAIA team beat FCS Georgia State last fall. The 35-year-old also spent two seasons in DeKalb (2001-02) as a grad assistant for coach Joe Novak.

“Mike is a very talented coach in all aspects who has done a tremendous job at St. Francis,” Joliet Catholic coach Dan Sharp said.

“We shared the same facility (Memorial Stadium) and ran camps together and he recruited quite a few of our kids. A lot of people here are sad to see him go, but if he is going to make that move this is probably the right time.”

Sharp said things that stand out about Uremovich are how hard he works and his enthusiasm.

“I think (Uremovich) is going to make an impact on Northern’s recruiting,” Sharp said. “He’s got so many great relationships with coaches in Illinois, particularly in Chicagoland extending into parts of Indiana. When Mike calls, he’s so personable and very friendly, he’s gonna get his foot in a lot of doors for them.”

St. Francis athletic director Dave Laketa echoed Sharp.

“I knew that Mike was going to walk in my office sooner rather than later,” Laketa said. “He was too good of a coach not to have opportunities at bigger schools.”

The same is true of Doeren. NIU fans need to enjoy him while they can.