Tabor College Men's Football

Gardner brings 26 years of coaching experience into the 2016 season. He started his coaching career as the special teams and recruiting coordinator at Hastings (Neb.) College from 1990-1992. From 1993-1995, Gardner was the receivers and quarterbacks coach at Bethel College. From 1996-1999, he was the special teams and recruiting coordinator for Lindenwood (Mo.) University. He coached the defensive line in 1997, tight ends in 1998 and linebackers in 1999.  He then became the defensive coordinator for the Lions in 2000.        In 2001, Gardner came to Tabor as the defensive coordinator and coached the secondary under then head coach Tim McCarty. In 2003, he helped the Bluejays earn their first ever NAIA national playoff appearance and a No. 15 national ranking. That same year, Gardner was named the AFCA NAIA Assistant Coach of the Year and the AFLAC Assistant Coach of the Year. His stingy defenses at Tabor were ranked 11th in the final NAIA statistics in 2003 and 2nd in 2002.        In 2004, Gardner was named the head football coach at Tabor College. That year, the Bluejays finished 9-2, won their first ever KCAC Championship, went to the national playoffs and finished No. 14 in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll.        In 2005, the Bluejays finished the regular season with a record of 11-1, repeated as KCAC champions, won their 1st round NAIA national playoff game and eventually lost in the quarterfinals. The success earned the Bluejays a No. 6 ranking in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll. After such a successful season, Gardner was listed in American Football Monthly as one of the top small college football coaches.      Gardner was lured away from Hillsboro in 2006, when he became the head coach for Malone (Ohio) University. Prior to his arrival, the Pioneers had not had a winning season in seven years. Gardner orchestrated a drastic turnaround for the program in his four years as head coach. The Pioneers posted a record of 7-4 in 2006, 8-4 in 2007, 6-4 in 2008 and 4-6 in 2009. During his tenure with the Pioneers, they were ranked No. 19, No. 22 and No. 25 in the NAIA. He is the only coach to take the Pioneers to the Victory Bowl three times. In 2007, he led them to their first win in that bowl game. Gardner is the second winningest coach in Malone University history.      He returned to Hillsboro in 2010 for a second go-round as Tabor's head coach and led the team to a 4-6 record that season. In 2011, the Bluejays finished 3-7 overall, but the tide turned the following fall. In 2012, Tabor finished the season with an 8-2 record and second place in the KCAC (7-1). The success that year launched the Bluejays into a No. 19 ranking in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll.       Gardner and the Bluejays continued to build on their success in 2013 as they qualified for the NAIA football playoffs where they finished in the final eight teams in the nation. The Bluejays defeated Benedictine College in the first round on the road, 14-13. The win was Tabor's first ever road victory in the playoffs. The Bluejays would lose to the eventual national champion, Grand View University, 44-24. For the second year in a row, Tabor finished second in the KCAC with a 7-2 conference record. They also finished with an impressive 10-3 overall record and were ranked No. 8 in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll.      The 2014 season saw Tabor earn its highest ranking in school history. After starting off the year 3-0which included a 27-17 win on the road over NAIA powerhouse Missouri Valley College, the Bluejays climbed as high as No. 3 in the NAIA Football Coaches Top 25 Poll. The Bluejays would end the 2014 season ranked No. 24 in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll after finishing the year with a 7-4 overall record.      Last season again saw the Bluejays garnering unprecedented success as they completed an undefeated conference season, finishing 9-0, while garnering Tabors first outright title since 2005.  Additionally, Tabor was selected to host a playoff game for the first time in school history, and they made that honor pay off as they defeated then #9 Doane College, 16-14.  The Bluejays would move on to face #1 Morningside, losing in the second round of the playoffs and finishing they year 11-2 and ranked #8 in the country.      Gardner's success on the gridiron has earned him the KCAC Coach of the Year award in 2004, 2005, 2012 and 2015.      Entering the 2016 season, Gardner's career record of 88-45 currently ranks him as the 13th winningest coach in the nation. He is currently the most successful coach in Tabor College football history with a record of 63-27.  Billy Hickman enters his seventh season as the offensive coordinator for the Bluejays. This year Hickman will be working individually with the quarterbacks. Throughout the past five years, Tabor's offense has consistently been one of the strongest rushing units in the NAIA.         From 2012-15, the Bluejays have produced two KCAC Offensive Players of the Year (Monroe-2013 and McKee-2015) and two AFCA NAIA All-Americans (Bergeron-2012 and Croley-2015). Overall, during Hickman's stint as the offensive coordinator, the Bluejay offense has broken or tied 37 school records.        In 2012, Hickman was named KCAC Assistant Coach of the Year after the Bluejays led the nation in rushing yards per game (330.4) and averaged over 41 points per game. During that season, running back James Monroe received all KCAC honors after rushing for over 1,000 yards. In 2010, the Bluejays offense set multiple school records including pass completions in a season (210) and sacks against per game (.3). Against Peru State, quarterback Joey Erickson set a school record with 570 yards of total offense.       Prior to his tenure at Tabor, Hickman coached at Colorado School of Mines (NCAA Division II), where the Orediggers went 8-3 in both 2008 and 2009.       Hickman resides in Hilllsboro with his wife Ashley, and has two daughters, Makenna (6) and Sophia (7).  Nik France is from Half Moon Bay, Calif., and returns to the defense for his third season leading the linebackers.  As a linebacker at Tabor, France earned unanimous KCAC All-Conference honors in 2012 and 2013. He volunteered as a student-assistant for the 2014 season, while in pursuit of his MBA. France is grateful for his opportunity to influence young athletes throughout their educational and athletic journey. Cory McNeil is from Carrollton, Texas. He was a punter and kicker in college. Cory will be coaching the running backs this year at Tabor.  This will be his first year on the staff. Coach McNeil attended Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, Tx (HS).  He then went to Cisco Junior College before heading to Henderson St. in Arkansas (D2). Coach then played at East Texas Baptist University (D3). Cory most recently finished a professional stint in the Arena Football League with the East Texas Punch. He is grateful for this opportunity. Go Bluejays.