# J. J. Eckert

J. J. Eckert is an American college football coach. He was the head football coach for Northeastern State University from 2019 to 2023. He was previously head coach at Kilgore College in Texas and Garden City Community College in Kansas. Eckert is also the son of long-time Northeastern State head coach Tom Eckert.

## Playing career

In high school, Eckert was starting quarterback at Tahlequah High School for two seasons. He was also a Tulsa World All-Stater in 1993.
After a year at the University of Central Arkansas, Eckert transferred to Northeastern State University in 1994 to play quarterback under head coach Tom Eckert, his father. He was a part of the teams that won the NAIA National Championship in 1994 and were National Runner-Ups in 1995.

## Coaching career

Eckert began his coaching career as a quarterback and wide receivers coach at Northeastern State in 1998. In 2000, he was hired by Jim Rieves at Kilgore College, a junior college in Kilgore, Texas, for the same position. The following season, he became Kilgore's offensive coordinator.
In 2005, Eckert became the head coach at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas. During his two-year stint there, the Broncbusters won 13 games and made a bowl appearance.
In 2007 Eckert returned to Kilgore as their head coach. Over the next 12 seasons, he led Kilgore to a 72–53 record, two Southwest Junior College Football Conference championships, three regular season conference titles, and five bowl appearances. Eckert was awarded as Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 after a 10-2 championship season.
In December 2018, Eckert returned to Northeastern State as their 20th head football coach.

## Personal life

Eckert and his wife, Amanda, have three children. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.

## Head coaching record
### Junior college

| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | NJCAA$^#$ |
| Garden City Broncbusters (Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference) (2005–2006) |||||||
| 2005 | Garden City | 7–4 | 6–1 | 2nd | L Dixie Rotary Bowl | |
| 2006 | Garden City | 6–4 | 4–3 | 4th | | |
| Garden City: | Garden City: | 13–8 | 10–4 | | | |
| Kilgore Rangers (Southwest Junior College Football Conference) (2007–2018) |||||||
| 2007 | Kilgore | 8–4 | 5–1 | 1st | L C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl | |
| 2008 | Kilgore | 6–4 | 5–2 | T–2nd | | |
| 2009 | Kilgore | 4–6 | 3–3 | 4th | | |
| 2010 | Kilgore | 4–6 | 3–3 | T–3rd | | |
| 2011 | Kilgore | 3–6 | 2–4 | 6th | | |
| 2012 | Kilgore | 8–3 | 5–1 | T–1st | L Brazos Valley Bowl | |
| 2013 | Kilgore | 4–5 | 3–3 | T–3rd | | |
| 2014 | Kilgore | 7–3 | 4–2 | T–2nd | | |
| 2015 | Kilgore | 7–5 | 3–3 | 4th | L C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl | |
| 2016 | Kilgore | 6–5 | 4–3 | 2nd | L Mississippi Bowl | |
| 2017 | Kilgore | 5–4 | 4–3 | T–4th | | |
| 2018 | Kilgore | 10–2 | 6–2 | T–1st | W SWJCFC Championship, W C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl | 4 |
| Kilgore: | Kilgore: | 72–53 | 47–30 | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 86–61 | | | | |
| National championship  Conference title  Conference division title or championship game berth |||||||

### College

| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing |
| Northeastern State RiverHawks (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) (2019–2023) ||||||
| 2019 | Northeastern State | 0–11 | 0–11 | 12th |
| 2020–21 | Northeastern State | 0–1 | 0–0 | N/A |
| 2021 | Northeastern State | 2–9 | 2–9 | 11th |
| 2022 | Northeastern State | 1–10 | 1–10 | 11th |
| 2023 | Northeastern State | 2–9 | 1–9 | 10th |
| Northeastern State: | Northeastern State: | 5–40 | 4–39 | |
| Total: | Total: | 5–40 | | |