Mike Uremovich came to University of St. Francis prior to the 2005 season with the challenge of turning the Saints' football program into not just a competitive NAIA program, but also a winning one. In just his fourth season in 2008 Uremovich led the Saints to a 7-4 record, the school's first winning season since St. Francis coaching legend Gordie Gillespie directed the Saints to a 6-5 mark back in 1991.

       The club slipped to a 3-8 mark last year, but four of the losses were by four points or less and two games ended when the Saints failed to send games into overtime by missing extra-point kicks with no time left on the game clock.

       So, while there was a drop, Uremovich and the Saints don't feel as though they lost all the momentum they gained in that breakout 2008 season. USF opened that campaign 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. 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 now 24-year program history.

       Uremovich 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.

       The improvement on the football field is only part of the story of the success that Uremovich has attained at USF. The Saints have had 13 players named NAIA Scholar-Athletes in the last two seasons and a total of 20 in Uremovich’s five seasons. Only eight Saints had been honored by the NAIA in the previous 14 years of the Schlar-Athlete program. Recipients must be juniors or seniors and carry a grade point average of 3.50 or better. In addition to the individual success in the classroom, Uremovich is proud of the fact that his team earned a cumulative 3.01 GPA in the spring of 2009 and narrowly missed repeating that success in the spring of 2010 when the team GPA came in at just under 3.00.

       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 34 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 (5), and son, Michael (3).

Kyle Cepeda begins his third 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 Dean's List. He earned his Master's Degree in education this past spring from USF.

Cepeda is a native of La Porte, Ind.

Dan Cepek joins the USF coaching staff in 2010 and will assist defensive coordinator Joe Curry with the Saints' defensive line. He will also work closely with special teams coordinator Tom Sallay.

Cepek has spent the past nine years coaching at the high school level at football powerhouses Driscoll Catholic and St. Rita.

He spent eight years at Driscoll and was part of a staff that directed the Highlanders to seven straight Illinois state championships from 2001-07. Driscoll's streak was snapped in the quarterfinals in 2008 and the school closed following that academic year in the spring of 2009. Cepek tutored the linebackers and special teams in his first four years at Driscoll and then was the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for his last four years.

In 2009, Cepek joined the staff at St. Rita where he coached the Mustangs' linebackers. St. Rita captured the Chicago Prep Bowl title at the conclusion of that season.

Will Cinelli enters his second season as a member of the USF coaching staff and will work with the Saints' tight ends.

Cinelli completed his Bachelor of Science degree in the highly regarded Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University this past spring. He is currently enrolled in graduate school at St. Francis.  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 national championship match win in women's lacrosse in 2009.

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 in the fall of 2005. Curry also tutored the linebackers from 2005 through last season and will oversee the Saints' defensive linemen this season.

Curry shared the MSFA/Midwest League Assistant Coach of the Year award following USF's 7-4 season in 2008.

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 sons Connor (1) and Cooper, who was born this summer, reside in Joliet.

Veteran coach Mike Curry begins his first season on the USF staff and will work with the Saints' safeties. Curry, the retired head coach from Aurora Central Catholic High School, is the father of Saints' defensive coordinator Joe Curry.

Curry spent the past 23 (1987-2009) years as the head coach at Aurora Central Catholic and was the head coach at Freeport Aquin Central Catholic High for the nine (1978-86) years prior to that. Curry directed Aurora Central Catholic to the state playoffs seven times in his tenure there and posted 10 or more wins on two occasions (11-1 in 1991 and 10-3 in 1994).

Curry led Freeport Aquin to a 68-26 record and two state championships in his nine-year run. The Bulldogs captured those Class 1A titles in 1981 and 1986.

Curry and his wife Liane have three sons -- Tom (34), Joe (32) and Bill (30) -- and daughter Marci (29). Mike and Liane are also the proud grandparents of six.

Matt Jones begins his second season on the USF coaching staff and will work with the Saints' offensive line after tutoring the tight ends one year ago.

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 coached 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 will tutor the Saints' linebackers in 2010 after working with the defensive line the past two seasons.

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.

Knowles earned his Master's degree in education this past spring from St. Francis.

He is a native of nearby Manhattan, Ill. Knowles and his wife Sarah are the parents of two sons, Gannon, who is three years old and newborn Emmett.

Tom Sallay begins his fifth season of college coaching at USF and will again work with the safeties 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' cornerbacks.

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.

Ray and his wife Courtney were married this summer. He has one daughter, Leila (1).

Erick Ware enters his first season on the St. Francis coaching staff and will work with the Saints' corps of wide receivers.

Ware comes to USF after spending last season as the defensive line coach at NCAA Division II Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo. In addition to coaching the linemen, Ware also served as the Blue Tigers' assistant strength and conditioning coach. Ware coached two linemen who received All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association postseason honors.

Prior to moving to Lincoln, the Chicago native coached at three Chicago-area high schools and also a suburban Chicago junior college.

He was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Chicago's Dunbar Academy for two seasons (2007 and '08) and tutored six players who earned All-Public League recognition. He coached at Dyett High School in 2006 and began his coaching career back in 2002 at Morton High School in suburban Cicero.

In between his stops at Morton and Dyett, Ware spent the 2004 and '05 seasons as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at College of DuPage in suburban Glen Ellyn.

Ware also worked as a coaching intern with the Washington Redskins in the summer of 2006. He also continues to serve as the director of the Chicago Public League Football Coaches Association Clinic, a duty he has held since 2007.

Ware graduated from Millikin University in Decatur in 2003 and is currently pursuing his Master's degree in education at Chicago State.