A former Ravens running backs coach will spend the next calendar week in the news after leading a MAC program to a shocking upset over Notre Dame.
A native of Jersey City, New Jersey, and graduate of Northern Illinois, Thomas Hammock was the Ravens’ running backs coach from 2014 to 2018. Still, on Saturday, the first African American head coach in Northern Illinois history led the Huskies to an upset win over Notre Dame, 16-14, in South Bend, Indiana.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS UPSETS NOTRE DAME🤯 pic.twitter.com/BzTIaXi1o4
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 7, 2024
Northern Illinois quarterback Ethan Hampton was 10 of 19 passing, for 198 yards and one touchdown, while Huskies running back Antario Brown had 20 carries for 99 yards, as the Mid-America Conference favorite held Marcus Freeman’s Irish offense to 14 points on the afternoon.
Former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard was 20 of 32 for 163 yards and two interceptions in a disappointing outing.
Northern Illinois BLOCKS THE FIELD GOAL as time expires to seal a historic upset at Notre Dame Stadium! 👏 @NIU_Football pic.twitter.com/0BRpfTPwXa
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 7, 2024
Hammock began coaching at the University of Wisconsin, serving as a graduate assistant for the Badgers from 2003 to 2004. The following season, he was named the running backs coach at Northern Illinois, reuniting with his former head coach, Joe Novak. In Hammock’s first season as running backs coach, Garrett Wolfe logged 1,580 yards and 16 touchdowns in nine games as the Huskies won the MAC West Division and appeared in the MAC Championship Game for the first time in school history.
Hammock spent three seasons at Minnesota as the Gophers running backs coach before spending his final season as co-offensive coordinator. In 2011, he was hired as running backs coach for Wisconsin, where he coached standouts like Montee Ball, James White, and Melvin Gordon until 2014 when the Baltimore Ravens hired Hammock as their new running backs coach.
Hammock has been at Northern Illinois ever since.
