Ex-ULM assistant Travis Niekamp to be Montana linebackers coach

Former Louisiana-Monroe co-defensive coordinator, linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Travis Niekamp will be the new linebackers coach for Montana coach Bob Stitt, according to a source.

This past season was the sharp Niekamp’s first as Louisiana-Monroe’s co-defensive coordinator and third overseeing the program’s linebackers. He was in charge of the program’s special teams for four seasons and coached its tight ends in 2012.

Before ULM, Niekamp spent four seasons with Washington State, three of those coaching linebackers and the other was as director of football development. He coached Eastern Washington’s linebackers from 2004–07 after four seasons as Army’s tight ends coach.

Niekamp got his start in coaching at his alma mater, Illinois State, coaching defensive tackles in 1998 and outside linebackers the following season. He was a defensive lineman for the Redbirds from ’94–97.

He joins a Montana program that went 8–5 this past season in the highly regarded Stitt’s inaugural campaign. The Grizzlies advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs.