| Jeff Hecklinski | |
| Birth Date: | 18 February 1974 |
| Birth Place: | Palatine, Illinois, U.S. |
| Player Years1: | 1994 |
| Player Team1: | Illinois |
| Player Years2: | 1995–1997 |
| Player Team2: | Western Illinois |
| Player Years3: | 1998 |
| Player Team3: | Albany Firebirds |
| Coach Years1: | 1998 |
| Coach Team1: | Benedictine (QB/WR) |
| Coach Years2: | 1999–2000 |
| Coach Team2: | Fort Scott C.C. (OC) |
| Coach Years3: | 2001–2002 |
| Coach Team3: | Central Missouri St. (OC) |
| Coach Years4: | 2003 |
| Coach Team4: | Arizona (QB/PGC) |
| Coach Years5: | 2004–2008 |
| Coach Team5: | Ball State (WR) |
| Coach Years6: | 2009–2010 |
| Coach Team6: | San Diego State (AHC/RB) |
| Coach Years7: | 2011–2014 |
| Coach Team7: | Michigan (WR) |
| Coach Years8: | 2015 |
| Coach Team8: | CSU–Pueblo (QB/PGC) |
| Coach Years9: | 2016 |
| Coach Team9: | Illinois (TE/ST) |
| Coach Years10: | 2017–2018 |
| Coach Team10: | Indiana State (OC/QB/RC) |
| Coach Years11: | 2019 |
| Coach Team11: | Kansas (TE) |
| Coach Years12: | 2020–2022 |
| Coach Team12: | San Diego State (OC/QB) |
Jeff Hecklinski (born February 18, 1974) is an American football coach and former player. He was most recently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at San Diego State University from 2020–2022.
A highly-rated high school quarterback, Hecklinski enrolled at the University of Illinois in 1993, but transferred to Western Illinois University (WIU) in 1995. He became the second-leading passer in WIU history with nearly 6,000 career passing yards. After college, he played for the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League in 1998.
He has been a college football coach since 1998. He has previously had stints as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator for Arizona (2003), wide receivers coach at Ball State (2009–2010), assistant head coach and running backs coach at San Diego State, wide receivers coach at Michigan (2011–2014), quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator at CSU–Pueblo (2015), tight ends and special teams coach at Illinois (2016), offensive coordinator at Indiana State (2017–2018), and tight ends coach at Kansas (2019).
Hecklinski played high school football in Palatine, Illinois, and was rated as the top quarterback prospect in the Midwest.[1] [2] [3] [4] SuperPrep magazine rated him as one of the top three prospects in the country.[5]
He enrolled at the University of Illinois in 1993.[6] [7] After a redshirt season in 1993, Hecklinski lost a three-way battle for the starting quarterback position in 1994.[1] [8] In 1995, he transferred to Western Illinois University (WIU).[1] [9] [10] He became the second quarterback in WIU history to pass for 5,000 yards and finished his career with nearly 6,000 passing yards.[1] [11] [12] He also played in the Arena Football League in 1998 for the Albany Firebirds.[13] [14]
Hecklinski has been a college football coach since 1998, including a stint as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator for the Arizona Wildcats.[14] In 2004, he joined Brady Hoke's coaching staff as the wide receivers coach at Ball State. When Hoke took the head coaching job at San Diego State in 2009, Hecklinski joined him as the Aztecs' assistant head coach, running backs coach, and recruiting coordinator.[15] When Hoke took the head coaching position at the University of Michigan in 2011, Hecklinski again followed and became Michigan's wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.[16] In January 2012, he was the subject of press coverage after Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio cut off Hecklinski's presentation at the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Winners' Circle Clinic.[17] [18] [19] [20]
San Diego State University hired Hecklinski as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2020. He was fired midway through the 2022 season.[21]
Hecklinski and his wife, Tiffany, have three children: a daughter, Riley, and two sons, Mikey and JR. His nephew Jeremy is slated to play QB at Wake Forest after being named MaxPreps HS 2023 Player of the Year in Georgia.