Kirch resigns as NW Defensive coordinator

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Northwestern football defensive coordinator Billy Kirch has announced his resignation after 10 years in the program.

Kirch will pursue a new coaching opportunity after a decade of success with the Raiders, headlined by Northwestern’s national title in 2022.

“My family and I have been greatly blessed by Northwestern College and Red Raider football,” Kirch commented. “The memories and relationships that were built here over the last ten years will last a lifetime. Northwestern is a special place with great leadership, and a great future.”

During his time at Northwestern, Kirch was named the 2022 Footballscoop.com NAIA Coordinator of the Year after coaching GPAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-American Parker Fryar, eight GPAC All-Conference selections, and NAIA Honorable Mention All-American Jaden Snyder. Since becoming defensive coordinator in 2016, Northwestern has had 13 All-Americans and 60 All-GPAC athletes on the defensive side, and four GPAC Defensive Players of the Year (Parker Fryar (x2), Tanner Machacek, Bryce Van Beek).

“I’m thankful to work alongside Bill the last 10 years,” head coach Matt McCarty said. “He is an excellent teacher of the game and has played a key part in one of the most successful stretches of Raider football.”

In the 2024 campaign, Northwestern was third in the NAIA in points per game allowed (11.1), second in total defense (238.0 ypg), fourth in rush defense (76.5 ypg), and led the GPAC in pass defense (161.5 ypg), advancing to the NAIA FCS Quarterfinals for the fifth season in a row.

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