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Stevenson settles on Becker as new football coach

Stevenson has named Brent Becker its new head football coach, ending a bizarre sequence of events for the Lincolnshire school in the past week.

Becker, who has served on the Patriots' coaching staff since 2012, replaces Mike Morrissey, who resigned last week after less than three weeks on the job. Morrissey had replaced Josh Hjorth, who stepped down last fall after coaching the Patriots to the state playoffs in each of his two seasons. Morrissey resigned from the Stevenson job, deciding to remain as head football coach at Moline.

Becker has 21 years of high school and college coaching experience, including four as head coach at Lake Forest College. During his seven seasons on the Patriot coaching staff, Stevenson has compiled a 59-20 record, winning the IHSA Class 8A state championship in 2014. SHS has reached the IHSA state playoffs in each of his seven seasons as an assistant and has captured four North Suburban Conference championships.

"Brent has a long and impressive history with our program, and we're thrilled that he has embraced this opportunity to put his mark on Stevenson football," Stevenson athletic director Trish Betthauser said.

At Stevenson, Becker coached running backs his first year, then served as offensive line coach and special teams coordinator from 2013-16. Becker moved to quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in 2017 and last fall served as assistant head coach and offensive line coach.

Prior to joining the Stevenson staff, Becker served as defensive coordinator at New Trier High School for three seasons (2009-11). The Trevians held opponents to 15.3 points per game during his tenure, which included state playoff appearances each year.

Becker's first 11 years in coaching came at the collegiate level. After graduating from Knox College in 1998, he remained in Galesburg and coached linebackers for his alma mater for one season. Becker moved on to Greenville College (now Greenville University) for two seasons as linebackers coach and defensive special teams coordinator. The Panthers were co-St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions in 1999 and played in the National Christian College Athletic Association Victory Bowl in 2000.

Becker moved up to the NCAA Division II level the next two seasons, coaching defensive ends at Saginaw Valley State University in 2001 and 2002. The Cardinals went 20-5 in his two seasons, reaching the Division II playoffs each year. Saginaw finished the 2001 season ranked sixth in the country.

Becker returned to Illinois and NCAA Division III in 2003, joining Lake Forest College as its defensive coordinator. In each of his two years leading the defense, the Foresters allowed the fewest points among Midwest Conference teams and had the conference's defensive player of the year.

Becker was promoted to head coach at Lake Forest College in 2005. The Foresters went 17-23 in his four seasons, including a 3-1 mark against his alma mater, Knox College. Lake Forest produced 46 all-conference and 32 academic all-conference players during his tenure. Becker retained defensive coordinator duties his first year, then moved to special teams coordinator in 2006 before taking over as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach his last two seasons. In 2007, Lake Forest averaged 25.5 points per game on offense, which at the time was the third-highest in school history. Also, Becker implemented an academic program that produced the program's six highest team grade-point averages in consecutive semesters.

As a player, Becker was a four-time letter winner at outside linebacker for Knox College from 1994-98. He also earned three letters on the men's track and field team.

Becker is a 1994 graduate of Princeton High School in Princeton, Ill. The PHS football team reached the second round of the IHSA Class 3A state playoffs his senior season.

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