SIU finds its new football coach

CARBONDALE -- Southern Illinois on Friday introduced Dale Lennon as its new football coach, tapping the former North Dakota coach to take over a Salukis program that came within one game of playing for the national title this season.

Lennon signed a five-year contract that will pay him $200,000 a year, the school said.

"I feel very good about the task that we are about to go on and the journey we are about to enter," Lennon said at a news conference.

Lennon succeeds Jerry Kill, who resigned to take over at Northern Illinois less than a week after he guided the Salukis (12-2) to the semifinals of the Football Championship Subdivision.

Lennon said he knew he wanted to coach the Salukis after visiting the Carbondale campus.

"This is a program that I want to build upon," Lennon said. "It's not broke, it doesn't need to be fixed but I hope that what I can bring to the program will allow us to build on the success that has been put in place."

Lennon led North Dakota -- his alma mater -- to the Division II national title in 2001, a national runner-up finish and five North Central Conference championships since taking over in 1999. The Fighting Sioux went 10-2 this season, advancing to the second round of the Division II playoffs.

His 90 wins at North Dakota tie Lennon with Roger Thomas for the most in school history.

Lennon and his wife, Chris, have three teenage sons.