Joliet Junior College Wolves Football Camps

Joliet Junior College Football Camp

Tom Minnick
Head Coach

Tom Minnick begins his second season as head football coach at Joliet Junior College. In his first season as head coach, Coach Minnick led his team to a 7-3 overall record and a trip to the Graphic Edge Printing Bowl Game in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Tom was the top assistant coach for eight seasons at Joliet Junior College before receiving the head coaching position, six of them working with former head coach Bob MacDougall.

Prior to coming to Joliet, Minnick was part of the College of DuPage football coaching staff for seven seasons (1990-1996) under Bob MacDougall. During his time at DuPage, the football team compiled a 62-9 record and played in seven consecutive bowl games. Of those seven post-season games, DuPage won four of them.

Minnick made the jump to Joliet Junior College in 1998, but it was when MacDougall joined him in 2000 as the head football coach that they never looked back. The duo chalked up a 48-16 overall record and two national championships. The 2001 football team defeated North Iowa Area community College 14-7 in the Pepsi Cola/Sigler Printing bowl game to become NJCAA Non-Scholarship Champions. In 2002, the Wolves took on #1 ranked Georgia Military Academy in the national championship game in Brunswick, GA. After coming back from a 14-0 deficit, Joliet went on to upset Georgia Military 24-14 to claim the NJCAA National Championship.

Coach Minnick has assisted in the development of many players who have moved on to the next collegiate level and to the National Football League (NFL). Most recently, JJC's own Kelvin Hayden played in Super Bowl XLI for the Indianapolis Colts and had a key 56 yard interception for a touchdown in the 4th quarter against the Chicago Bears. Former defensive end Rob Ninkovich plays for the New Orleans Saints who were NFC South Division Champions for the 2006 season. In June 2007, Hayden and Ninkovich were inducted into the NJCAA Football Hall of Fame. Former JJC running back Antoine Bagwell is a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Besides his coaching accomplishments, Minnick also received numerous accolades during his playing days.

Minnick was an outstanding high school quarterback at Bishop Luers High School in Fort Wayne, IN. Further, he led Bishop Luers to the 1985 Class 2A Indiana state football championship. He also played basketball and baseball at Bishop Luers, where he earned all-conference honors in both football and baseball.

Following his high school playing days, Minnick played for former JJC head coach Bob MacDougall at the College of DuPage (1986-1987). He was the starting quarterback for the Chaparrals in 1987 when the team finished the season with a 7-3 record. That same year, he was a North Central Community College Conference (N4C) all-conference selection.

After moving on from DuPage, Minnick attended the University of Missouri-Rolla, a NCAA Division II school. He was Missouri-Rolla's starting quarterback for two seasons, serving as the team captain his senior year. He majored in business at Missouri-Rolla.

Tom and his wife, Tiffany reside in Channahon, IL. They have two daughters, Payton, 9, and Morgan, 4. Tiffany is the head cheerleading coach for football and basketball at Joliet Junior College.