(Peru, Neb.)—Peru State has announced the hiring of Phil Ockinga as the 26^th head football coach of the Bobcats. Ockinga will begin his duties on Thursday, April 7.
 
"I am delighted that Coach Ockinga is coming to Peru State to lead the Bobcats," said President Dr. Michael R. Evans. "Coach Ockinga brings impressive experience in recruiting, retention, program development, and sideline coaching, and he is absolutely the right person to help the team continue its excellent trajectory."
 
Dr. Evans continued…

"I'm looking forward to watching the team grow, gain skills and depth, and hit the field this fall ready to compete at a very high level."
 
Athletic Director Wayne Albury had this to say about the hire
 
"We are excited to have Coach O on campus," said Albury. "We are excited have him here in the Peru community and to see where he leads the Bobcat football program this season and beyond."
 
Here's what head coach Phil Ockinga had to say about the opportunity.
 
"Me and my family are extremely honored to be apart of the Peru State College family," said Ockinga. "What stuck out to me throughout the interview process was the people and the direction of the football program and the college."
 
Ockinga has over 20 years of coaching experience at various levels of college football from NAIA all the way to NCAA DI FBS. He has coached at Hastings College, Fort Hays State, Florida International, Hutchinson Community College, Western Illinois and South Dakota.
 
Ockinga has spent the last five seasons with the University of South Dakota in various positions.
 
At USD, he started in 2016 as the Running Backs Coach/Special Teams Coordinator. During the 2018 season Ockinga moved over to Recruiting Coordinator and Wide Receivers coach. The last three seasons from 2019-2021 he has been the Assistant Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach.
 
This past season at USD the Coyotes went 7-5 overall and 5-3 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They made the 2021 FCS playoffs for the second time in school history. The first time was in 2017 while Ockinga was on the staff with Coyotes making it to the second round.
 
Ockinga has had a phenomenally successful tenure with the Coyotes in all positions he has held. In 2019 he signed the number one FCS prospect in the country. Ockinga also coached an All-Conference Punter in 2019 which led to being the number one team in net punting in the MVFC in 2019 with 42.6 yards net punting per game.
 
He coached an all-conference wide receiver for three seasons, had the top the passing offense in the MVFC during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. In 2017 Ockinga coached the Coyotes to the number one offense in the MVFC and second in the nation averaging 523.6 yards per game.
 
During the 2016 season the Coyotes had the number three rushing attack in the MVFC, the number one special teams' unit in the MVFC and number one in net punting at 41.4 yards per game which was good for second in the nation.
 
Ockinga spent one season with Western Illinois as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. The Leathernecks advanced to second round of the FCS playoffs. While at WIU he coached two of the top five receivers in the MVFC as the wide receivers coach.
 
Ockinga also has experience coaching at the small college level in 2013-14 as he coached at Hutchinson Community College. In 2013 he coached the defensive line and was the recruiting coordinator. He helped the defense to the second ranked scoring and rushing defense in the conference. The Blue Dragons were also second in sacks, and he coached four first and second team All-American defensive linemen.
 
In the 2014 season he switched over to take over the offense as the Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs/Tight Ends coach.
 
Ockinga led the team to the number six total offense in the country and number one in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference with 502.2 yards per game. He helped lead the team to an 11-1 record and a conference championship while also coaching NFL superstar running back Alvin Kamara now with the New Orleans Saints.
 
Other small colleges he has coached at includes Hastings College and Fort Hays State.
 
Ockinga has also coached at the FBS level as he coached at Florida International from 2009-2012.
 
He coached the defensive ends in 2009 as a graduate assistant. In 2010 he coached the defensive backs as a graduate assistant under former defensive coordinator Geoff Collins who is now the head coach of Georgia Tech.
 
Ockinga helped the Panthers to their first bowl game winning the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl over Toledo. They were the number one in total defense, scoring defense and passing efficiency in the Sun Belt Conference.
 
He coached under Todd Orlando who is now the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Florida Atlantic University. FIU that season was again number one in scoring defense and passing efficiency in the Sun Belt. They also led the Sun Belt in sacks that season. He helped the Panthers to an 8-5 record and another bowl appearance this time the Beef O'Brady's Bowl.
 
Ockinga has coached 15 players in the NFL most notably Alvin Kamara.
 
He and his staff will look to improve on a successful 2021 campaign where the Bobcats finished 7-4.
 
Ockinga earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Hastings College after transferring from the University of Wyoming where he began his career as a football player.
 
In addition to his bachelor's degree, Ockinga earned his master's in health and human performance from Fort Hays State.
 
He and his wife Kelsie have four children – Miles, Blaise, Claire and Elle.