Mike Uremovich enters his fifth season as the head football coach at University of St. Francis, coming off the program's most successful season in 17 years.

Uremovich and his staff and players enjoyed a breakout season in 2008 as the Saints completed a 7-4 season, the school's first winning campaign since 1991. USF opened its season with four straight wins and stood 5-1 after its first half-dozen contests. The Saints were nationally ranked for the first time since that 1991 season and stayed in the NAIA coaches' poll for five consecutive weeks, with a high rating of No. 18 on Sept. 29 when they stood 4-0. USF garnered its most wins in one season since founding coach and Hall of Famer Gordie Gillespie directed College of St. Francis to an 8-2 mark in 1989. Highlighting the outstanding season was a come-from-behind 24-21 upset victory over then No. 8-ranked Saint Xavier on Sept. 11 in Chicago. The Cougars were the highest-ranked foe to ever fall to St. Francis in USF's 23-year program history.

Uremovich, who replaced Mike Slovick following the 2004 season, became the first USF coach to not only win his first game with the Saints but to also go 2-0 in his initial campaign. Injuries, lack of depth and a rugged MSFA schedule contributed to the Saints losing their last nine games and giving Uremovich a 2-9 mark in his inaugural season.

His second year was much like the first. The schedule again was among the toughest in the NAIA, with road games at NAIA semi-finalist Saint Xavier, playoff-bound St. Ambrose (IA) and 8-3 NCAA Division II St. Joseph's (IN). The home slate was not any easier, with visits from NAIA playoff team Walsh (OH) and NAIA powers McKendree and Quincy. The young Saints finished 1-9.

But the 2007 season pushed USF into believing that it can make some serious strides in the conference standings and compete for the conference title, a goal that Uremovich established when he accepted the position with the Saints. USF finished just 3-8, but its three wins came in the final six weeks of the season and included wins on the final two Saturdays. The last of those wins was a thrilling 30-26 come-from-behind home victory over Olivet Nazarene as the Saints scored 27 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to overcome a 26-3 deficit.

USF's hiring of Uremovich back in December of 2004 made him just the third head coach in the history of the program, which began under Gillespie's tutelage in 1986.

"We are truly excited to have Mike Uremovich accept our offer," said USF director of athletics Dave Laketa at the press conference introducing Uremovich. "Mike brings an unbelievable work ethic, a tremendous amount of energy and a powerful, albeit brief, resume to the position."

For Uremovich, who served as the offensive coordinator at NCAA III Waynesburg College (PA) each of the previous two years, the move marked a return to the area.

He grew up in nearby New Lenox and graduated from Providence Catholic High School, where he was a wide receiver for the Celtics' Class 5A state championship team in 1994. That year, he caught 18 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns.

Uremovich, who turned 33 this August, returned to Providence Catholic four years later to serve as a wide receivers coach after breaking into the coaching ranks at McCutcheon High School, just outside of Lafayette, Ind., in 1996. As the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at McCutcheon in 1996 and 1997, Uremovich tutored four all-conference players and helped the Mavericks capture a sectional championship.

With the Celtics in 1998 and 1999, both teams advanced to the IHSA state playoffs, with the former club advancing to the state title game.

Uremovich made the jump to the collegiate level one year later in 2000.

Benedictine University in Lisle registered its best record (7-3) in 23 years with Uremovich as its receivers coach and special teams mentor.

Next up came a move to the NCAA I ranks with Northern Illinois, where Uremovich was a two-year graduate assistant offensive line coach. The hire turned out to be a smart one as the DeKalb-based school produced its best two-year showing in 12 years, going 6-5 in 2001 and 8-4 in 2002. Included in that time slot were the Huskies' first two Mid-American Conference - West Division co-championships since 1983.

Waynesburg College head coach Jeff Hand snatched Uremovich back up when the former Benedictine head coach was in need of an offensive coordinator in 2003, and in each of the next two seasons, the Yellow Jackets and their offense flourished.

In fact, the 2003 season proved to be one of the most memorable in the 108-year history of the program. That team not only tied a school record for the most regular-season wins, going 9-2, but also claimed the program's first-ever Presidents' Athletic Conference outright title and a bid to the NCAA III playoffs for the initial time.

That season, Uremovich placed nine offensive players on the all-PAC team, including five on the first squad. Together, they helped the offense establish school records for both rushing yards (2,315) and total offense (4,412 yards).

The latter record did not last long, however, being replaced the following year by that team's 4,579 total yards, 2,592 of which came through the air for another new school mark.

Combined, Waynesburg went 16-6 during Uremovich's two-year stint, with all six losses being decided by six points or less.

Uremovich, who earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education/U.S. history from Purdue University (IN) and a master's in continuing adult education from Northern Illinois, resides in Joliet with his wife, Katie, daughter Ella (4), and son, Michael (2).

Kyle Cepeda begins his second season on the USF coaching staff and again will tutor the Saints' running backs.

Cepeda himself was a running back, starting for three years at NCAA Division III University of Chicago. He earned second team All-University Athletic Association honors in 2005. He also was named to the Academic All-UAA team, a significant honor in a conference that is comprised of some of the country's most highly acclaimed academic institutions.

Cepeda graduated from Chicago in 2008 and was a member of the Deans List.

Cepeda is a native of La Porte, Ind.

Will Cinelli enters his first season as a member of the USF coaching staff and will assist head coach Mike Uremovich with the Saints' offensive line.

Cinelli is currently completing his Bachelor of Science degree in the highly regarded Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. A native of Paeonian Springs, Va., Cinelli has been a staff member of WNUR-FM, the student-run radio station at Northwestern. He has served as Web Director for the station and handled play-by-play duties for Northwestern softball and women's basketball broadcasts. He also anchored morning and evening newscasts and provided color commentary on men's basketball broadcasts. Cinelli was part of the broadcast team that covered NU's most recent national championship match win in women's lacrosse.

Cinelli served as play-by-play announcer for the Alaska Goldpanners in the Alaskan Summer Collegiate Baseball League in 2008. He also served an internship at ESPN Radio Boston in the summer of 2007.

Former University of St. Francis defensive lineman Joe Curry returned to his alma mater to take over as the program's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in the fall of 2005. After, his defense was ranked 13th nationally in total defense, 6th in opponent 1st downs, 14th in the country against the pass, and 20th in the country in rush defense. Coach Curry was named the 2008 Mid-States Football Association Midwest Assistant Coach of the Year.

Curry played for the Saints from 1998-2000, earning all-Mid-States Football Association second team accolades as a senior after gaining honorable mention all-Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference status in 1998.

A team captain in 2000, Curry was selected as USF's best defensive lineman that year as well as in 1998.

For his career with the Saints, he posted 168 tackles (71 solo, 97 assisted), 15 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.

Prior to enrolling at St. Francis, Curry attended Indiana State University for two years. After redshirting in 1996, he played in three games for the Sycamores the following season and made nine tackles.

Upon completing his playing career, Curry entered the coaching ranks, beginning as a defensive line coach for the Saints in 2001. He then ventured to Ferris State University (MI) for the next three seasons, where he coached the defensive line, recruited and served as the travel coordinator.

An Aurora Central Catholic High School graduate, Curry was a Chicago Sun-Times and Illinois High School Football Coaches Association all-state selection his senior year as well as a member of the all-Private School League team in each of his three varsity seasons with the Chargers. He also claimed first-team all-area recognition from the Aurora Beacon News twice and established a school record with his 342 career tackles.

Curry earned a bachelor's degree in education with a concentration in history from USF before gaining a master's in education administration from Ferris State.

He and his wife, Holly, and newly-born son Connor reside in Joliet.

Bill Dragonetti remains with the Saints' football program in 2009, moving up to the coaching staff after completing his eligibility last fall.

Dragonetti was an honorable mention All-MSFA/Midwest League selection as a senior in 2008 as he helped lead the Saints to a 7-4 record and their first winning season since 1991. USF also reached the NAIA top 25 for the first time since that 1991 season and was ranked as high as No. 18.

Dragonetti finished third on the Saints with 52 total tackles as a senior and added 2 tackles-for-loss and a pair of quarterback sacks. He also recorded a pair of pass breakups.

He came to USF in the spring of 2007 and became a starter at linebacker midway through the 2007 season. He registered 42 total tackles in '07, which was the eighth-best mark on the team.

Dragonetti transferred to USF from Rock Valley JC where he spent his sophomore season and Dana (NE) where he played as a freshman. He played high school football at Kettle Moraine High in Waukesha, Wis.

Irvin Duffy joins the USF coaching staff this fall and will assist Mike Ridings with the Saints' wide receivers. Duffy joined the Saints during spring practice and worked with the returning wide receivers.

Duffy is also currently the assistant offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach for the Chicago thunder semi-pro football team. He has been with that organization since March 2007. He helped direct the Thunder to three consecutive unbeaten seasons which included a national title in their division in 2009.

Prior to joining the USF staff, Duffy was an assistant coach at Kennedy High School on Chicago's southwest side. As the program's offensive coordinator, he helped lead the school to the state playoffs for the first time in school history in 2007. He also spent one season as an assistant boys basketball coach at Kennedy and was part of a staff that directed the team to its first undefeated conference record and league title in the Chicago Public League Blue South Conference in 2007-08.

Duffy graduated from Senn High School in Chicago in 1998. He is currently working on his bachelor's degree in communications at DePaul University.

Craig Harmon enters his fourth season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at University of St. Francis.

Harmon came to USF in January, 2006, after serving the previous two seasons as a graduate assistant coach on head coach Joe Novak's staff at Northern Illinois University. Harmon worked specifically with the offensive line and tight ends and ran the defensive and special teams scout units. The Huskies were Mid-American Conference West champions in 2005 and co-champs of that division in 2004.

Prior to coaching in DeKalb, Harmon worked as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons at Quincy University, tutoring running backs and defensive backs.

Harmon played collegiately as a quarterback at both Northern Illinois (1998-2000) and Quincy (2001-02). As a freshman in 1998, he was nominated by the Huskies for MAC Player of the Week honors after leading the club to a 26-14 victory over Eastern Michigan. His name was also put forward for Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges in both the spring and fall of 2002.

Harmon earned a B.S. in physical education and a master's in education administration from Quincy.

During his prep days, Harmon played for legendary head coach Bob Shannon at Alton High School, where he graduated as the all-time leading passer in school history. He also played baseball for the Redbirds.

Harmon and his wife, Megan, reside in Downers Grove.

Matt Jones begins his first season on the USF coaching staff and will work with the Saints' tight ends.

Jones spent the 2008 season as a varsity assistant football coach at Lincoln-Way Central H.S. in nearby New Lenox, Ill. He worked with both the offensive and defensive lines and also tutored the Knights' long snappers. Jones was also heavily involved in scouting Lincoln-Way Central's opponents and in preparing team scouting reports.

While a student at Eastern Illinois University, Jones worked as a student assistant on Coach Bob Spoo's staff. He also previously served as an offensive line coach at Paris (Ill.) High School in the 2006 season.

Jones graduated from Mount Carmel High School in Chicago in 2002 prior to attending Eastern Illinois. He played four years of football at Mount Carmel and was a member of the 2000 Illinois Class 5A state champions and the 2001 Chicago Prep Bowl champions.

He played collegiate rugby while at Eastern Illinois.

Jones graduated from Eastern Illinois in 2008 with a degree in Kinesiology and Sport Studies.

Jeff Knowles, a former Saints player and a USF graduate, joined the USF coaching staff in 2008 and again will tutor the Saints' defensive line.

Knowles is a former high school teammate of head coach Mike Uremovich at Providence Catholic High School. The two were key players on the Celtics' perfect 14-0 state championship squad in 1994. Knowles was a first-team all-state linebacker on that Matt Senffner-coached club.

Knowles began his coaching career as an assistant to Senffner at Providence in 2004.

He is a native of nearby Manhattan, Ill. Knowles and his wife Sarah are the parents of one son, Gannon, who is two-years old.

Mike Ridings joins the St. Francis coaching staff this fall and will coach the Saints' wide receivers.

Ridings comes to USF after spending the past three seasons as a coaching intern at Indiana University. He worked with the Hoosiers' offensive line during his first two years and helped tutor the running backs in his third year.

His duties included assisting with recruiting and helping the coaching staff with game preparation. His game-day duties included the responsibility for personnel substitutions.

Ridings graduated from Indiana in May 2009 and majored in sport marketing and management.

Ridings is a native of Floyds Knobs, Ind.

Tom Sallay begins his fourth season of college coaching at USF and will again work with the defensive backs for head coach Mike Uremovich. He will also coordinate and oversee USF's special teams.

Sallay came to USF after spending the previous four years coaching football and baseball at Bloom Township High School in Chicago Heights, Ill. Sallay served as head sophomore football coach from 2003-2005 and head sophomore basketball coach from 2002-2006. Prior to going to Bloom, he spent one year as the head freshman baseball coach at Lincoln-Way Central High School. Sallay began his coaching career at Highland High School in Ewing, Mo., while he was attending school and playing football at Culver-Stockton College (MO).

A 1997 graduate of Thornton Fractional North High School, Sallay earned his B.A. in education from Culver-Stockton in 2001. He and his wife, Alex, reside in Joliet.

Ray Smith joined the USF coaching staff USF in 2008 and will again assist defensive coordinator Joe Curry while working primarily with the Saints' corps of defensive backs.

Smith coached the previous two seasons at NCAA Division III University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he also tutored the defensive backs. While at Platteville, Smith also served the university as an advisor in the school's admissions office.

Smith entered the coaching ranks after completing an outstanding playing career at Northern Illinois. A four-year letterman, Smith earned first-team All-Mid-American Conference honors as a senior safety in 2005. He helped lead the Huskies to shares of four MAC West championships and captained the squad as a senior. He was also honored as the MAC Defensive Player of the Week once in 2004.

Smith was an all-state prep football player at Lake Central High in northwest Indiana. He graduated in 2001 and played in the annual Indiana North-South All-Star game that summer.