CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois head coach Nick Hill announced on Wednesday that D.J. Vokolek will take over as the program’s new defensive coordinator. He replaces Jason Petrino, who left last week to join the staff at North Dakota State.
Vokolek spent the 2022 season as Nebraska’s senior defensive quality control coach, and has more than 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, including several stints in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
“I have a ton of respect for D.J., and I’m really excited that he recognizes what we’re building here and wanted to be a part of this program,” said Hill. “I competed against him as a player, against some really good Northern Iowa teams. He’s coached some of the best defensive players in the country.”
Vokolek came to Nebraska after serving as the assistant head coach at Northern Iowa. Vokolek coached the Panther linebackers from 2017 to 2021. He was also the assistant head coach at UNI from 2003 to 2005, serving as linebackers coach in 2003, co-defensive coordinator in 2004 and defensive coordinator in 2005. He helped the Panthers to a pair of conference titles and an appearance in the 2005 FCS National Championship game. Vokolek spent a total of eight seasons on the UNI staff.
“I want to thank Coach Hill, AD Tim Leonard and the administration for giving me the opportunity to be part of a program with such a rich tradition,” Vokolek said. “There are three fundamental things I know Coach Hill instills, that I’m going to keep reiterating — we’ll stress being disciplined, aggressive and we’ll play hard. That’s the expectation.”
In 2015, Vokolek was the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach at Buffalo. He went to Buffalo after spending nine seasons as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator at Missouri State. In his role at Missouri State, Vokolek was responsible for organization, direction and evaluation of defensive game plans, schemes and techniques for each position of the Bears’ defense.
“The thing that impressed me the most in the interview process — he’s going to put a scheme together that fits our players,” Hill said. “He’s played multi-front defense, odd-front, some of the three-safety concepts you’re seeing.”
Before his first stint at UNI from 2003 to 2005, Vokolek spent the first 10 years of his coaching career in Nebraska. He was at UNO for six seasons from 1997 to 2002, serving as the Mavs’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2000 to 2002 and as the linebackers coach and academic coordinator from 1997 to 1999. Vokolek’s first full-time job was as the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Wayne State in 1996. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UNO from 1993 to 1995.
Vokolek played collegiately at Nebraska-Kearney, where he was a three-year team captain and three-time All-Nebraska selection as a defensive back/linebacker.
D.J. and his wife, Pam, have a son, Travis, and a daughter Leah. Travis played tight end for the Huskers and is entering the 2023 NFL Draft.
Coaching Experience
2022: Nebraska, Senior Defensive Quality Control
2017-21: Northern Iowa, Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers
2015: Buffalo, Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs
2006-2014: Missouri State, Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator
2004-2005: Northern Iowa, Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
2003: Northern Iowa, Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers
2000-2002: Nebraska-Omaha, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
1997-1999: Nebraska-Omaha, Linebackers/Academic Coordinator
1996: Wayne State, Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator
1995: Nebraska-Omaha, Graduate Assistant/Defensive Line
1993-1994: Nebraska-Omaha, Graduate Assistant/Linebackers
