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Hendrickson announces new additions to coaching staff

Western Illinois football adds trio of coaches

Western Illinois head coach Myers Hendrickson officially announced the addition of three new coaches to the Leatherneck football staff on Tuesday afternoon (March 22).
Todd Drury, Michael Priefer Jr. and Aairon Savage join Coach Hendrickson's staff, bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to the program.
Drury takes over as defensive coordinator while Priefer leads special teams, tight ends and fullbacks and Savage will coach the defensive backfield.
"We are extremely excited to announce these great additions to our Leatherneck family," Coach Hendrickson said. "All three bring outstanding backgrounds and experiences that will help us elevate our program."
TODD DRURY
Drury joins the Leathernecks after leading the Missouri S&T football program as head coach, taking over the Miner program in January of 2019. In three seasons, the Drury-led Miners went 15-10.
Before becoming head coach of Missouri S&T, Drury served as the program's defensive coordinator in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. His defenses were among the top in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, allowing league-bests 292.2 total yards per game during the 2018 season and 294.3 yards in 2017.
He began his tenure at Missouri S&T as a defensive line coach in 2015.
Prior to joining the Miners, Drury served as defensive line coach and strength coordinator at Evangel University for two seasons after coaching linebackers and special teams at Midland College in 2012.
Before going to Midland, he was a graduate assistant coach for Evangel, where he played collegiately.
He also received his Masters in secondary education from Evangel.
Drury is a Peoria, Illinois native.
"Coach Todd Drury has extensive experience leading great defenses," Hendrickson said. "His defenses utilize an aggressive style of play that has created big time production.
"We will play tough, relentless defense here at Western Illinois and I am excited for the direction and leadership Coach Drury brings to our program on that side of the ball," Hendrickson said.
 
MICHAEL PRIEFER JR.
Coach Michael Priefer Jr. was most recently at Northwood University, serving as special teams coordinator since March of 2021.
 
Under Priefer Jr., the Timberwolves led the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in kickoff return average and yards, field goal percentage and blocked kicks during the 2022 season. His special teams also ranked second in punt average.
 
Before coaching at Northwood, Priefer served as a defensive graduate assistant at the University of Pittsburgh from 2019-2021, with a primary focus on linebackers.
 
He was also a defensive graduate assistant at the University of Minnesota from January 2018 to January of 2019.
 
He attended college and played football at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he was a three-time letterwinner and a two-year starter in the defensive backfield.
 
He also started in all six phases of special teams (kickoff return, kickoff coverage, punt coverage, punt return, field goal and field goal block).
 
He is the son of Mike Priefer, who has 29 years coaching experience, 20 in the NFL and grandson of Chuck Priefer, who coached for 40-plus years at the NFL, college and high school levels.
"Coach Michael Priefer Jr. has great special teams experience at different levels of college football, and comes from a football family," Hendrickson said. "He is a third-generation coach, with his father and grandfather having a combined 38 years of NFL coaching experience."
AAIRON SAVAGE
 
Coach Aairon Savage takes over as defensive backs coach for the Leathernecks.
 
Savage most recently served as secondary quality control coach at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, a position he has held since January of 2022.
 
Before coaching for the Ragin' Cajuns, Savage served as safeties coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff from May 2021-Janaury 2022. He assisted with special teams at Arkansas-Pine Bluff while also leading recruiting efforts in Arkansas and Alabama.
 
Savage has also coached the cornerback position at Georgia State (Feb. 2019-Feb. 2020), and Northern Iowa (March 2018-Feb. 2019) as well as serving as the secondary quality control coach at the United States Military Academy from Feb. 2017-Feb. 2018. While at Georgia State, Savage was named the No. 1 recruiter in the Sun Belt Conference.
 
Savage was also secondary coach at Arkansas Tech (2015-17), and a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech and Auburn.
 
He attended and played football at Auburn, playing on the 2010 BCS champion Tiger squad.
His freshman season, he was named to the SEC All-Freshmen Team as well as being named a Rivals All Freshmen All American.
 
"Coach Aairon Savage has outstanding experience in Division I football, and has also coached in the Missouri Valley," Hendrickson said. "He is an expert defensive backs coach, who played in the SEC, and has coached the game at the FBS and FCS levels. He brings a wealth of knowledge to our secondary."
 
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