Following the departure of wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Kevin Johns, who was hired by incoming Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson as part of his new coaching staff, Northwestern announced that it has hired Dennis Springer, formerly of Indiana University, in a press conference held Monday afternoon.
Springer, in three seasons as running backs coach and co-special teams coordinator, led his running back corps to season averages of 166.9 yards per game (2008), 110.4 ypg (2009), and 100.3 ypg (2010). He last coached wide receivers during a previous stint at Ball State. Springer was also named assistant head coach by former Indiana head coach Bill Lynch prior to the start of the 2010 regular season.
Springer inherits a wide receiver corps led by first team All-Big Ten honoree Jeremy Ebert and the impending recovery of star quarterback Dan Persa. Springer will also work with returning starters Demetrius Fields and Drake Dunsmore, as well as prodigious freshmen Venric Mark, Rashad Lawrence and Tony Jones.