2017 Frontier Conference Football Preview: Head Coaches

The Frontier Conference has an interesting and diverse mix when it comes to head coaches. There are sure-fire NAIA Hall of Famers, there are once rookies who are now veterans, and there are young up-and-comers looking to make their mark on the NAIA football landscape.

Yes, like everything else in the Frontier, the collection of coaches has to be one of the best, if not the best in the NAIA. So, with a new season now just three weeks away, here's a brief look at each head coach in the Frontier.

Aaron Christensen, MSU-Northern

Christensen begins his third season at the helm of the Lights. He's only the 4th head coach the Lights have had since Northern re-introduced football nearly two decades ago.

So far, it's been tough sledding for Christensen, as the Lights have won just once in his two seasons in Havre. However, he remains committed to his vision of what he wants the Lights' program to be, and as he said at last week's Frontier Media Day, the goals he and his team have set for the program remain unchanged.

From 2012 to 2014, Coach Christensen served as the Offensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator for Missouri Valley College (MVC). During that time, MVC won three consecutive Heart of America Athletics Conference Championships, had three NAIA FCS appearances, and one NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) semi-final appearance. Prior to becoming offensive coordinator, Christensen served as running backs' coach, wide receivers' coach, video coordinator and passing game coordinator for MVC. Christensen was on staff at MVC for five Heart of America Athletic Conference championships, seven NAIA Football Championship Series appearances, and three NAIA FCS semifinal games. 

Mike Van Diest, Carroll College

Not only is he the longest tenured coach in the Frontier, Van Diest is one of the most successful active coaches in the nation. In over 18 years as head coach at Carroll, Van Diest has led the Fighting Saints to six National Championships, 14 Frontier Conference Championships, including 12 straight titles from 2000 to 2011, for one of the most dominating runs in college football history. The Saints have posted a 194-42 record during the past 16 seasons. This includes a Frontier Conference mark of 138-28 for an impressive winning percentage of 83 percent. The Saints have compiled a playoff record of 39-8 over the past 14 years.

Tim Camp, E. Oregon

Camp begins his ninth season at EOU and is fresh off the best finish in school history. EOU wrapped up the 2016 season with a school-record 10 wins, including an 8-2 mark in Frontier Conference play to take second overall behind Montana Tech. The Blue and Gold earned its first postseason berth in program history, notching the No. 4 at-large bid, making it all the way to the NAIA FCS semifinals. During his time at the helm, Camp has compiled an overall record of 57-43. Prior to becoming the head coach at EOU, Camp served as an assistant coach for the Mountaineers for two seasons. In addition to being the offensive line coach, Camp was also the recruiting and camp coordinator. Before making his way to La Grande, Camp served as the offensive coordinator at Bucknell University and the offensive line and tight ends coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. From 1997 to 2002, Camp served as offensive line coach, recruiting coordinator, and strength and conditioning coordinator at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. In 2000, he was promoted to offensive coordinator. Camp's collegiate coaching career began in 1996 at Western Oregon University, where he coached the offensive line, tight ends and special teams.

Chuck Morrell, Montana Tech

This year is Morrell's seventh at the helm of the Oredigger football program. He starts the 2017 season with a 35-31 overall record. Morrell guided the Orediggers to a second straight 10-2 overall record and back-to-back Frontier Conference title last season. Coach Morrell was named the Frontier Conference Coach of the Year and the AFCA Regional Coach of the Year. Morrell arrived at Tech from the University of South Dakota, where he served as the defensive coordinator in 2009.  Prior to his stint at USD, Morrell coached at the University of Sioux Falls from 1998 to 2009, where he served as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

Ryan Nourse, UM-Western

Nourse is in his second stint as head coach of the Bulldogs and begins his second season of that stint after serving as the University of Montana Western Athletic Director from 2013 to 2016. Before returning to his alma matter, Nourse served as the offensive coordinator at Morningside College in 2010-2011, his second stint at Morningside, where he also coached the quarterbacks and was the recruiting and camp coordinators. The offense ranked in the top-25 in total offense and scoring offense with Nourse at the helm. From 2008 to 2010, Nourse was the defensive coordinator at Truman State University in Missouri and served as the linebackers' coach and the academic coordinator. Nourse was at Morningside College from 2001 to 2008 where he spent his last six seasons (2003-2008) as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. During this stretch, he served as the strength and conditioning coordinator, recruiting coordinator and special teams coach. From 2004 to 2007 Nourse helped Morningside compile a 38-10 overall record and only allowed 12 points per game on defense. The team also qualified for the NAIA National Playoffs every season, including quarterfinals appearances from 2005 to 2007 and three consecutive top-8 finishes in the NAIA rankings.

Mike Moroski, C of I

Moroski was charged with re-starting football at College of Idaho from the ground up. Thus far, the Yotes have compiled a 12-21  record. Moroski came to the College after three decades at UC-Davis - both as a player and a coach. As offensive coordinator from 1993 to 2010, his schemes helped the Aggies to eight NCAA Division II postseason appearances, including three trips to the national quarterfinals and trips to the national semifinals in 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2001.

Jason Petrino, Rocky Mountain College

Petrino begins his second season leading the Battlin' Bears. He came to Rocky after spending four years as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach under legendary coach Joe Glenn at the University of South Dakota. Petrino's coaching career began in 2000 at his alma mater, Carroll College (Mont.), where he coached the defensive backs on the 2002 NAIA National Championship team. He stayed on head coach Mike Van Diest's Carroll College coaching staff for three seasons. From 1995 to 1999, Petrino was a team captain and second-team All-Frontier Conference defensive back for the Fighting Saints.

Charlie Hall, S. Oregon

Hall was tapped March 10 to lead the Southern Oregon University football team following a nationwide search, becoming the 16th head coach in team history. Hall was hired following the passing of the great Craig Howard. Hall needed only to make a short trek down the street after a highly successful run at Ashland High, where he had been the head coach since 2005. Prior to his time at Ashland, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northern Arizona University from 2001 to 2005. Hall played and was a student assistant at SOU until 1983. After that, he served as an assistant at University of Washington, University of Idaho and University of New Mexico. He returned to Ashland as the Raiders' offensive coordinator from 1996 to 1997 under Jeff Olson, was offensive coordinator and receivers coach at University of North Texas from 1997 to 1998, and was a defensive coordinator under Jim Nagel at Ashland High from 1998 to 2001.

Editor's Note: This is the final installment of the Havre Daily News' annual summer preview of the Frontier Conference. For a full team-by-team preview of the upcoming Frontier season, see the HDN on Aug. 24.