In the weeks following Matt Majkrzak’s introductory press conference at Northern Illinois, he couldn’t stop thinking back to a simpler time.
School was over, and Majkrzak was settling down in front of the TV, prying open the plastic corners of EA Sports NCAA March Madness 2004. He has two distinct memories of the game: that Carmelo Anthony was on the cover in a Syracuse uniform and–more notably–his Northern Illinois basketball dynasty.
The details surrounding the legendary run are spotty all these years later, but a few things about it are irrefutable. Majkrzak’s run spanned over 15 seasons. It included national championship trophies coming back to Northern Illinois. He doesn’t remember if he ever left the job. If he did, it was because he wanted to bring another mid-major program back to prominence.
These days, Majkrzak is leading the same program that he used to run via controller.
