Eric Eidsness, who was hired on Jan. 21, 2004, to resurrect a program by bringing excitement, a winning attitude and competitive football back to Southwest Minnesota State University, completed his sixth season as head football coach in 2009. During his six seasons as head coach, SMSU has compiled an overall record of 26-40, including 19-32 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
During his tenure on the Mustang sidelines, Eidsness has reached those lofty goals and more having overseen a program that had just 29 players on the 2004 spring roster to over 100 student-athletes on the 2009 roster.
Eidsness’ 26 victories as head coach ranks second in school history, a total that very easily could be much higher. Since the 2006 season, 16 of SMSU’s 27 losses have been by an average of just 5.5 points.
During the past two seasons SMSU has shown it can compete in the tough Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference putting together 11 combined victories, the most combined wins by SMSU in back-to-back seasons since 1991-92.
In 2009, the Mustang offense had one of its best seasons in school history. SMSU averaged 36 points per game, scoring 396 points ranking as the third highest in school history. SMSU also scored 30 or more points in eight games tying a school record for most 30-point scored games in one season. The offense averaged 396.2 yards per game ranking as its highest average since 1993.
In 2008, SMSU proved it could be a conference contender once again as the Mustangs recorded six victories in the newly expanded NSIC finishing in sixth place in the 14-team league. SMSU’s 6-5 record in 2008 was the program’s first winning season since 1999 and just the eighth in school history. The top-half conference finish for SMSU was its first since 1999 and just the second since the 1992 season.
The Mustang offense in 2008 was also one of the most prolific offensive teams in school history. SMSU averaged 29.4 points per game and ended the year scoring 30 or more points in five games. The team also racked up 236 first downs ranking as the second highest in school history. SMSU also passed for 3,189 yards, the fourth highest total in school history and became the first Mustang team to reach 3,000 yards since 1993. Junior running back Zach Wysong also reached a milestone becoming just the fourth Mustang player to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season.
Under the guidance of Eidsness, SMSU has had 61 players earn all-conference honors with 10 individuals earning all-region accolades. He has had five student-athletes named CoSIDA Academic All-District and has recruited and coached two of the most decorated football student-athletes in conference history.
Eidsness made his first season as head coach in 2004 a memorable one as he led SMSU to five victories, the most by an SMSU team since the 1999 season, while the 5-6 record was tied for the best mark by a rookie head coach in school history.
During that first season, Eidsness, who also serves as the team’s offensive coordinator, coached a Mustang offense that averaged 356.3 yards per game ranking as the seventh highest total in school history and the highest total since 1993.
Eidsness had 10 players earn all-conference accolades during his rookie season, including SMSU’s first ever NSIC Offensive Newcomer of the Year and two first team All-NSIC selections. The first team all-conference picks were the programs first since the 2001 season.
In 2005, SMSU had 12 players earn NSIC postseason honors the most by an SMSU squad since 1997. SMSU punter Andy Schlichting also earned first team all-region honors, becoming SMSU’s first all-region performer in six years.
During the 2006 season the program continued to make strides including earning a road victory over Concordia University, the defending conference co-champions and proved it could play with the top teams in the conference as five of its seven losses were by a total of 24 points.
In 2007, the offense continued to make progress passing for 2,942 yards, the highest by an SMSU team since the 1993 season and finished with 3,930 total yards of offense ranking as the fifth highest in school history.
Eidsness has not only helped SMSU improve on the field of play, but his impact as head coach has also helped the program make major strides off the field as well. In 2005, SMSU set a school record with 10 players earning academic all-conference honors, but that number has been topped twice since then including a record high 17 student-athletes in 2008.
In the spring of 2007 and 2008, linebacker Tyler Fischer earned the NSIC’s Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Award as the league’s top male student-athlete. He is just the second SMSU male student-athlete to ever earn the award and the first in conference history to earn the award twice. In 2007 and 2008, two players were honored with the NSIC’s Glen Galligan Award honoring the top senior football student-athlete in the conference each year. In 2007, Fischer became the first Mustang in eight years to earn the award, while in 2008 Tyler Reed earned the prestigious honor.
Eidsness came to SMSU after spending five seasons as offensive coordinator at South Dakota State University, while also serving as assistant head coach during the 2003 season.
During his tenure as offensive coordinator, Eidsness led an offense that broke 36 SDSU records and had 20 North Central Conference offensive players of the week.
In 2003, SDSU finished with a 7-4 overall record, finishing first in the North Central Conference in passing offense with 284.0 yards per game, while finishing 13th in NCAA Division II in passing offense and 29th in total offense.
Under his guidance at SDSU, Eidsness had the top ranked passing quarterback in the NCC for two seasons and his offense ranked in the top four in the NCC his last four seasons, including ranking first in 2001 and 2000. For his efforts in 2003, he was one of three finalists for the NCAA II American Football Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year award.
A native of Sioux Falls, S.D., Eidsness played four seasons of college football, spending one season at St. Cloud State University as a wide receiver before transferring to the University of Sioux Falls in 1989. He spent his first season at USF as a wide receiver before moving to quarterback his final two seasons where he earned all-conference honors.
Following his graduation from the University of Sioux Falls in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in health/physical education, he spent two seasons in Europe where he played and also began his coaching career. He coached two seasons with the Robinson Sphinx in Paris, France, before moving back to begin his college coaching career.
His collegiate coaching career began at Morningside College (Iowa) in 1994 where he spent two seasons as quarterbacks and receivers coach, before moving to SDSU where he served as receivers coach during the 1996 and 1997 campaigns and earned his master’s degree in athletic administration.
In 1998, Eidsness became offensive coordinator at Ferris State University (Mich.), where his offensive unit set 26 school records, four conference records and had an offense that ranked ninth in NCAA Division II with 452.4 yards per game.
Eric and his wife Brandy live in Marshall with their sons Eli and Otto and daughter Isla.
Eidsness Coaching Experience
1992 - Robinson Sphinx (quarterbacks/receivers)
1993 - Robinson Sphinx (head coach)
1994-95 - Morningside College (quarterbacks/ receivers)
1996-97 - South Dakota State (receivers)
1998 - Ferris State (offensive coordinator/special teams)
1999-03 - South Dakota State (offensive coordinator)
2003 - South Dakota State (assistant head coach)
2004-09 - SMSU (head coach/offensive coordinator)
Eidsness Playing Experience
1988 - St. Cloud State, WR
1989-91 - University of Sioux Falls, WR/QB
