Northwestern is set to hire North Dakota State defensive coordinator David Braun to the same post, sources told FootballScoop on Monday. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg also reported the news.
Braun arrives to the shores of Lake Michigan fresh off major accomplishments in each of the past two seasons.
For starters, the move comes one day after Braun coached the Bison in the FCS national championship game.
Beyond that, a year ago Braun was chosen by former winners as the FCS Coordinator of the Year. Braun's 2021 unit led FCS in scoring while ranking among the top three in rushing defense, total defense, and third down defense.
Braun will be NU's third coordinator in four years. Mike Hankwitz, the 2020 FootballScoop FBS Defensive Coordinator of the Year, retired after that season.
Jim O'Neil ran the defense after the past two seasons but was let go after the Wildcats surrendered 28.3 points per game on their way to a 1-11 season.
Braun ran the Bison's defense for the past four seasons, winning two national titles. He has coached defensive linemen, linebackers and safeties across a career that has taken him to Winona State, Culver-Stockton, UC Davis, Northern Iowa, NDSU and, now, the Big Ten.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.