Rod Sandberg

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rod Sandberg
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamWhitworth
ConferenceNWC
Record74–22
Biographical details
Bornc. 1969 (age 54–55)
Playing career
1987–1990Wheaton (IL)
Position(s)Defensive back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1991Aurora (assistant)
1993–1994Georgetown (KY) (assistant)
1995–2002Wheaton (IL) (LB)
2003–2013Wheaton (IL) (DC)
2014–presentWhitworth
Head coaching record
Overall74–22
Tournaments2–3 (NCAA D-III playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 NWC (2018, 2020, 2023)

Rod Sandberg (born c. 1969) is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, a position he has held since the 2014 season.

Sandberg played college football as a defensive back at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois from 1987 to 1990.[1] He began his coaching career in 1991 as an assistant at Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois and spent 1993 and 1994 as an assistant coach at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. Sandberg returned to Wheaton in 1995 as linebackers coach and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2003.[2]

Sandberg was hired by Whitworth in December 2013 to succeed John Tully as head football coach. He was selected over Chris Tormey, who had been the head football coach at University of Idaho and the University of Nevada, and John Sala, the head football coach at Louisburg College, a junior college in Louisburg, North Carolina.[3][4]

Head coaching record[edit]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs D3#
Whitworth Pirates (Northwest Conference) (2014–present)
2014 Whitworth 6–4 4–3 4th
2015 Whitworth 9–2 6–1 2nd L NCAA Division III First Round 20
2016 Whitworth 8–2 6–1 2nd
2017 Whitworth 8–2 5–2 T–2nd
2018 Whitworth 10–1 7–0 1st L NCAA Division III Second Round 10
2019 Whitworth 6–3 5–2 2nd
2020–21 Whitworth 4–0 4–0 1st
2021 Whitworth 7–3 4–3 4th
2022 Whitworth 6–4 4–3 T–4th
2023 Whitworth 10–1 7–0 1st L NCAA Division III Second Round 17
2024 Whitworth 0–0 0–0
Whitworth: 74–22 52–15
Total: 74–22
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References[edit]

  1. ^ Owens, John (September 7, 1990). "Wheaton takes aim against Millikin, Augustana". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. p. 53. Retrieved January 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ^ Clouse, Thomas (December 16, 2013). "Whitworth picks Rod Sandberg as football coach". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  3. ^ Clouse, Thomas (December 18, 2013). "Pirates hand reins to Sandberg". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. B1. Retrieved January 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ^ Clouse, Thomas (December 18, 2013). "Sandberg (continued)". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. B8. Retrieved January 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.

External links[edit]