Ken Gordon is going into his second year as the Defensive Coordinator for the Northwestern Ranger football team.
In his first season as the leader of the Ranger defense, he and his defense had a solid year and made some major changes in certain areas and are poised for another big jump this season as recruiting top tier players as well as what he has returning will help make that a reality.
Northwestern had two defensive players make the All-GAC first team after big seasons. Maurice Wright Jr. and Aharon Barnes were two of the best defenders in the league and arguably the best at their respective positions and it didn't go unnoticed as Gordon had a big influence on them this season.
Coach Gordon comes to Northwestern from Nebraska-Kearney where he was the Associate Head Coach as well as the Defensive Coordinator.
Ken Gordon was hired as UNK's defensive coordinator and defensive secondary coach in December 2014. In April 2015, he was promoted to associate head coach.
The 2016 season was a good one for Gordon and his defense as they put three players on the All-MIAA squad, including an All-American Linebacker in Tyke Kozeal, who finished his career with 604 total tackles, good enough for second all-time in the NCAA.
In 2015, Gordon saw senior safety Dillon Loschen, senior end/lineman Peyton Lange, junior safety George Brown and junior linebacker Tyke Kozeal earn All-MIAA honors. It was the third such recognition for Kozeal and the second for Brown.
Lange led the league in interception return yards (122) with Kozeal racking up 176 tackles, among the top totals in all of NCAA football. Kozeal also became UNK's career leader in tackles early in the season and is well on his way to reaching the rare 600 mark.
Also on the field, UNK had 64 tackles for loss (19 sacks), seven INT's for 225 yards and two TD's, 36 pass breakups and 19 QB hurries.
Gordon previously been a defensive coordinator at Emporia State (2007-10), Minnesota State (2005-06) and Pierce Junior College, Calif. (2003-04). Prior to coming to Kearney, he was Northwest Missouri State's secondary coach and special team coordinator for four seasons.
In his time as coordinator, Gordon coached 10 All-Americans and now 38 all-conference players. That large group includes All-American defensive back Jordan Malone of MSU ('06) and All-American defensive end Danny Webb of E-State ('10).
While at Emporia, all four of his defenses ranked in the top half of the MIAA statistically. Webb led the league in solo sacks in 2010 and finished that fall with 16 TFL's. Emporia won five games that season, the most by a Hornet squad since 2003.
In the 2014 NFL Draft, Gordon saw one of his players, cornerback Brandon Dixon, drafted in the sixth round by the New York Jets. Currently playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brandon saw his brother, Brian, make the New Orleans Saints as a free agent and both are having productive rookie seasons.
The pair were among the 18 players (11 defense and seven special teams) Gordon coached the past four years that earned All-MIAA honors. The Dixon brothers were a key part of the 2013 national championship team that posted a 15-0 record and held opponents to 17 points and 293 yards per game. Subsequently, Brandon Dixon earned All-American honors.
A year earlier, Brandon Dixon earned his first All-American honor with safety Nate DeJong earning the same recognition. Gordon's secondary led Division II in interceptions (28) and was ranked in the top five in pass defense.
In 2014, Northwest ranked fourth in the country in pass defense, allowing 142 yards per game. They also picked off 14 passes, pushing their total under Gordon to 75.
The special teams units that he led for four falls were among the best in the country as well. Punter Kyle Goodburn was a three-time All-MIAA selection who earned 2012 All-American honors after averaging a school-record 44.3 yards per attempt. He also set a new Bearcat record for career average (41.6).
Gordon began his coaching career as a Northwest graduate assistant, working with the Bearcat linebackers in 1998 and 1999. In both seasons, NWSU won the national title.
As a player, Gordon earned All-MIAA honors at linebacker in 1996, his senior season. He previously was an all-conference player at Blinn Junior College in Texas. Gordon was a member of Mel Tjeerdsma's first recruiting class at Northwest, helping turn the Bearcats into an MIAA and national powerhouse.
A native of Quitman, Texas, he received his bachelor's degree in 1996 and earned a Master's degrees in 1999, both from Northwest. He and his wife, Jessica, have three children; Dominik, Addisyn and McKinnley.
