Northern interviews Dave Sandau for head coaching vacancy

As Montana State University-Northern looks for the next football head coach, several candidates are putting their names in to try to turn around the program.

One of those candidates is Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College offensive coordinator Dave Sandau. He was on Northern’s campus last week to interview for the head job, vacated by Andrew Rolin.

Sandau is not unfamiliar with the Treasure State as he attended the University of Montana for college. He first got into collegiate coaching in 2014 as the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach for Yuba College in California. In his first two years there, his linebacking unit finished top 10 in the state in sacks. During his tenure there, he coached all-state linebackers Zach Moreland and Ashad Guice.

Sandau then returned to the University of Montana where he served as an offensive assistant for a season. He then went to Wofford College in 2017 to serve as an assistant offensive line coach. During his season there, the offensive line helped the rushing attack finish seventh in the country with 244.8 yards per game. He also coached All Southern Conference Offensive Linemen Roo Daniels and Jarod Jacon-Duffy and All-American Tackle Ross Demmel. That season, Wofford reached the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.

Sandau then relocated back to the west coast to Occidental College in Los Angeles in 2018. In his one season there, he served as the tight ends coach. He then spent the next two seasons at Naval Academy Prep School where he was the wide receivers and special teams coach.

Since July of 2021, Sandau has been the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at NEO A&M College. In his first season there, the team’s rushing attack went from 21st in the country to third averaging 258 yards per game last season. Sandau also coached First Team All-Conference center Max Johnson and Second Team All-Conference guard Kobe Sixkiller. The program quadrupled its win total from the 2021 spring season.

MSU-N has interviewed a total of three candidates for the head coaching position.