Veteran defensive coaches Robert Wimberly and Jordan Gigli have joined the Northern Illinois University football staff and will work with the Huskie defense. Their specific roles with the defense will be announced once the staff is complete, head coach Thomas Hammock said.

Wimberly has been the defensive coordinator at Liberty University for the past seven seasons, including during the team’s transition from the FCS to FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision), and added associate head coach duties in 2018. Like Hammock, he began his career as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin, where the two coached together in 2003.

Gigli (pronounced GEE-lee) has spent the last five seasons as the defensive line coach at the University of North Dakota, coaching 10 players to all-conference honors. The Fighting Hawks ranked in the Top 25 in the country (Football Championship Subdivision) in scoring defense and rushing defense in 2018 and were one of the top three teams in the FCS in quarterback sacks and tackles for loss.