Klieman Promoted to Defensive Coordinator

FARGO, N.D.--North Dakota State University head football coach Craig Bohl announced Chris Klieman has been promoted to defensive coordinator. Klieman replaces Scottie Hazelton, who accepted the linebackers coach position at USC.

Klieman joined the Bison coaching staff last March as defensive backs coach. NDSU led the nation in scoring defense (12.73 ppg) and ranked 8th in turnover margin (+1.20 avg/g), 16th in pass efficiency defense (110.53 rating), 17th in rushing defense (118.73 avg/g) and 20th in total defense (315.93 avg/g).

North Dakota State won the program's first NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national championship on Jan. 7 with a 17-6 win over Sam Houston State. The Bison completed the season with a 14-1 record including a 7-1 ledger in winning the Missouri Valley Football Conference title.

Klieman spent nine seasons at the University of Northern Iowa as defensive coordinator, co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach from 2006-10 under head coach Mark Farley and 1991-93 under then head coach Terry Allen.

As defensive coordinator in 2009, Klieman led a UNI defensive unit that finished fourth in the nation in scoring defense (13.2 ppg). The Panthers also led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in rushing defense, passing defense and total defense, giving up a mere 267.2 yards per game. UNI held six of its 11 opponents to seven points or less during the 2009 season.

Under Klieman’s direction as co-defensive coordinator in 2008, the Panthers ranked No. 4 in the nation in turnover margin and No. 9 in the nation in scoring defense. The Panthers forced 40 turnovers in 2008, which included 24 interceptions and 16 fumble recoveries.

In 2007, the Panthers had 11 different players intercept passes. The 11 players tallied a total of 21 interceptions.

Klieman’s first year of his return to coaching the Panthers’ secondary in 2006 was marked by Dre Dokes leading the nation with seven interceptions. Chris Parsons also tallied six interceptions to finish in a tie for second in the nation.

He was a three-time all-conference defensive back for the Panthers and a four-year letterwinner from 1986-1990.

Klieman came back to his alma mater after serving as the Loras College head football coach in 2005. Prior to being named the Duhawk head coach, Klieman served as the Loras defensive coordinator and turned them into one of the Iowa Conference’s most feared defensive units. When he took over, the Duhawk defense was ninth in the conference. In 2004, the defense set a school record for fewest rushing yards allowed and saw three players earn all-conference honors. The 933 yards allowed on the ground (93.3 per game) was the top number in the Iowa Conference and was also 21st overall in NCAA Division III. The 2005 defense led the Iowa Conference in rush defense (121.4), pass defense (161.0 ypg) and total defense (282.4).

After his playing career was over, Klieman served as an assistant coach for the Panthers from 1991-93. Klieman also had assistant coaching stints at Loras (2001-2004), Missouri State (1999), Kansas (1997) and Western Illinois (1994-1996).

Klieman earned both his bachelor’s (health education, 1990) and master’s (physical education, 1992) degrees from UNI. Chris and his wife, Rhonda, are the parents of two sons, Devin and Colby and one daughter, Haley.