J. J. Eckert
{{short description|American football player and coach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = J. J. Eckert
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_title =
| current_team =
| current_conference =
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| player_years1 = 1994–1997
| player_team1 = Northeastern State
| player_positions = Quarterback
| coach_years1 = 1998–1999
| coach_team1 = Northeastern State (QB/WR)
| coach_years2 = 2000
| coach_team2 = Kilgore (QB/WR)
| coach_years3 = 2001–2004
| coach_team3 = Kilgore (OC)
| coach_years4 = 2005–2006
| coach_team4 = Garden City
| coach_years5 = 2007–2018
| coach_team5 = Kilgore
| coach_years6 = 2019–2023
| coach_team6 = Northeastern State
| overall_record = 4–40 (college)
85–61 (junior college)
| bowl_record = 1–5 (junior college)
| championships = 2 SWJCFC (2015, 2018)
3 SWJCFC regular season (2007, 2012, 2018)
| awards = SWJCFC Coach of the Year (2018)
| coaching_records =
}}
J. J. Eckert is an American college football coach. He was the head football coach for Northeastern State University from 2019 to 2023. He was previously head coach at Kilgore College in Texas and Garden City Community College in Kansas.{{cite web|url=https://www.news-journal.com/etvarsity/juco-football-kcs-eckert-leaving-to-become-head-coach-at-northeastern-state-university/article_890a8904-fe41-11e8-82f3-173027ad1f65.html|title= Eckert leaving to become head coach at Northeastern State University - Longview News-Journal|website=news-journal.com|accessdate=November 18, 2020}} Eckert is also the son of long-time Northeastern State head coach Tom Eckert.
Playing career
In high school, Eckert was starting quarterback at Tahlequah High School for two seasons. He was also a Tulsa World All-Stater in 1993.
After a year at the University of Central Arkansas, Eckert transferred to Northeastern State University in 1994 to play quarterback under head coach Tom Eckert, his father.{{cite web|url=https://tulsaworld.com/archive/eckert-taking-care-of-business-for-nsu-dad/article_566b18ff-4a76-56c1-8041-90c277f82c2a.html|title= Eckert Taking Care of Business for NSU, Dad - Tulsa World|website=tulsaworld.com|accessdate=November 18, 2020}} He was a part of the teams that won the NAIA National Championship in 1994 and were National Runner-Ups in 1995.{{cite web|url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/sports/j-j-eckert-named-next-nsu-head-football-coach/article_6be014da-fe68-11e8-b916-ab5208c3ad34.html|title= J.J. Eckert named next NSU head football coach - Tahlequah Daily Press|website=tahlequahdailypress.com|accessdate=November 18, 2020}}
Coaching career
Eckert began his coaching career as a quarterback and wide receivers coach at Northeastern State in 1998. In 2000, he was hired by Jim Rieves at Kilgore College, a junior college in Kilgore, Texas, for the same position. The following season, he became Kilgore's offensive coordinator.{{cite web|url=https://www.kilgore.edu/sites/default/files/documents/file/Football/KC_Football_History_2000-16b.pdf|title=Kilgore College Football History (2000-2016)- Kilgore College|website=kilgore.edu|accessdate=November 18, 2020}}
In 2005, Eckert became the head coach at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas. During his two-year stint there, the Broncbusters won 13 games and made a bowl appearance.{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldextra.com/sports/dixie-rotary-bowl/article_22521c6f-05d0-5208-9a38-5c4ce3ab2585.html|title= Dixie Rotary Bowl - Utah Valley Daily Herald|website=heraldextra.com|accessdate=November 18, 2020}}
In 2007 Eckert returned to Kilgore as their head coach. Over the next 12 seasons, he led Kilgore to a 72–53 record, two Southwest Junior College Football Conference championships, three regular season conference titles, and five bowl appearances.{{cite web|url=https://www.kilgorenewsherald.com/sports/eckert-leaving-kc-for-alma-mater/article_8cd924d4-247a-5320-a58f-7e1f2e40dcd1.html|title= Eckert leaving KC for alma mater - Kilgore News Herald|website=kilgorenewsherald.com|accessdate= November 18, 2020}} Eckert was awarded as Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 after a 10-2 championship season.{{cite web|url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/sports/miaa-football-media-day-set-for-wednesday/article_9a7549e6-5c1d-5179-a8ba-9cdbf2e8ace8.html|title= MIAA Football Media Day set for Wednesday - Tahlequah Daily Press|website=tahlequahdailypress.com|accessdate=November 18, 2020}}
In December 2018, Eckert returned to Northeastern State as their 20th head football coach.{{cite web|url=https://goriverhawksgo.com/news/2018/12/10/nsu-announces-j-j-eckert-as-head-football-coach.aspx|title=NSU announces J.J. Eckert as Head Football Coach- NSU Athletics|website=goriverhawksgo.com|accessdate=November 18, 2020}}
Personal life
Eckert and his wife, Amanda, have three children.{{cite web|url=https://goriverhawksgo.com/staff-directory/j-j-eckert/185|title= Staff Directory - NSU Athletics|website=goriverhawksgo.com|accessdate=November 18, 2020}} He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.{{cite web|url=https://cherokeephoenix.org/Article/index/103655|title= Eckert hopes to revive Northeastern State’s football fortunes - Cherokee Phoenix|website=cherokeephoenix.org|accessdate=November 18, 2020}}
Head coaching record
=Junior college=
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = NJCAA }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Garden City Broncbusters
| conf = Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference
| startyear = 2005
| endyear = 2006
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2005
| name = Garden City
| overall = 7–4
| conference = 6–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname = Dixie Rotary Bowl
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2006
| name = Garden City
| overall = 6–4
| conference = 4–3
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Garden City
| overall = 13–8
| confrecord = 10–4
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Kilgore Rangers
| conf = Southwest Junior College Football Conference
| startyear = 2007
| endyear = 2018
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = division
| year = 2007
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 8–4
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname = C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2008
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 6–4
| conference = 5–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2009
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2010
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2011
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 3–6
| conference = 2–4
| confstanding = 6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2012
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 8–3
| conference = 5–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname = Brazos Valley Bowl
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2013
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 4–5
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2014
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 7–3
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2015
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 7–5
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname = C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = division
| year = 2016
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 6–5
| conference = 4–3
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname = Mississippi Bowl
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2017
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 5–4
| conference = 4–3
| confstanding = T–4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2018
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 10–2
| conference = 6–2
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname = SWJCFC Championship, W C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl
| bowloutcome = W
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 4
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Kilgore
| overall = 72–53
| confrecord = 47–30
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 86–61
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
}}
=College=
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Northeastern State RiverHawks
| conf = Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
| startyear = 2019
| endyear = 2023
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2019
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 0–11
| conference = 0–11
| confstanding = 12th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2020–21
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 0–1
| conference = 0–0
| confstanding = N/A
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2021
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 2–9
| conference = 2–9
| confstanding = 11th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2022
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 1–10
| conference = 1–10
| confstanding = 11th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2023
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 2–9
| conference = 1–9
| confstanding = 10th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Northeastern State
| overall = 5–40
| confrecord = 4–39
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 5–40
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
| legend = no
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://goriverhawksgo.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/j-j-eckert/555 Northeastern State profile]
{{Garden City Broncbusters football coach navbox}}
{{Kilgore Rangers football coach navbox}}
{{Northeastern State RiverHawks football coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eckert, J. J.}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:American football quarterbacks
Category:Garden City Broncbusters football coaches
Category:Kilgore Rangers football coaches