In 31 seasons (1987-2017) as Illinois Wesleyan University head football coach, Norm Eash has built the Titans into one of the country's highly-regarded and respected NCAA Division III programs.
In the three decades, he has coached eight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship teams; five NCAA Division III playoff teams; 11 first team Division III All-Americans (including Jordan Hassan in 2017); eight Academic All-Americans; and the 1996 winner of the Gagliardi Trophy honoring the nation's top Division III player (Lon Erickson).
Eash's current career mark at his alma mater is 200-103-1 (.658). The "dean" of league coaches, Eash has been CCIW "Coach of the Year" six times (2017, 2009, 2007, 2001, 1996 and 1992). His career CCIW mark is 142-81-1 (.635), tying him for most all-time victories in the league with his own college coach, Don Larson (142-89-6 in 33 years from 1954-86).
Eash and his wife, Cheryl, have one son (Kyle) and four daughters (Kendra, Kelsey, Kaylyn and Karley).
Why you chose to attend Illinois Wesleyan: Because Coach Larson wrote me a personal letter asking me to join the football program.
IWU class you’re most qualified to teach: Intro to Coaching
The hardest challenge about being a Division III student-athlete is: Time management – getting everything done without making excuses
Worst grade in a class you ever got – what and when? D in philosophy, sophomore year
I’m deathly afraid of ... : The traditions of IWU football not being carried on in the future.
Worst habit: Expecting too much from other people
Most expensive traffic ticket: Regular [cost of] ticket for speeding
Language I’d like to learn: Portugese
The longest I could survive without my cell phone: A long time
One word your mother or father would use to describe you: “Hard-worker”
Favorite sports figure: Nick Saban
My greatest moment in sports was: Being part of winning nine CCIW championships (1974, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2017)
The best player I ever faced was: Andy Studebaker, Wheaton College
Worst dresser on my team: Jack Moroni, offensive guard
Thing that’s been in my fridge the longest: Ice cream that I bought but didn’t eat
Person I’m dying to have dinner with: Bill Gates
Favorite food: Good old fashioned hamburger
Vegetable I won’t eat: Asparagus
Pepsi or Coke? Diet Pepsi
Favorite TV show: NBC Evening News with Lester Holt
Favorite musical group: Steven Curtis Chapman
Favorite movie: “Saving Private Ryan”
If a movie were made of my life, I would like the following person to play me: Bruce Springsteen
If my life were on TV as a reality show, I’d call it: “Life and Times of a Division III Football Coach”
The person in history I would most like to meet is: Jesus Christ
My dream job would be: Living in Hawaii and owning a sailboat excursion company
Place I’d most like to live: Cabo San Lucas
If you come back in another life, what would you like to return as: A dog – people spend a lot of money on their pets
Two things that are tops on my “bucket list”: 1) Attend a Super Bowl; 2) Whitewater rafting in the Grand Canyon
My possession that would fetch the most on eBay: A basketball program (with the help of my friend Jack Sikma) that has the following autographs – Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson
Who is the luckiest person in the world? I am, for finding my wonderful wife Cheryl
What I miss most about being in the third grade: Going to recess
