Wheaton College IL Men's Football

Following the conclusion of the 2019 season, Jesse Scott '09 was named the Head Coach of the Wheaton football team. Scott served as Wheaton's offensive coordinator between 2016 and 2019 and has been a member of the Thunder coaching staff since 2010. Scott is the 22nd head coach in program history and replaced Mike Swider, who announced his retirement on December 10, 2019. Athletics Director Julie Davis says of the hiring of Scott, "Jesse brings a passion for Wheaton football, a deep knowledge of what it takes to compete at this level, and a commitment to maintaining the distinctives that make this program thrive on the field and in the lives of our players. He is a talented coach, and I believe he has all the tools to continue the great tradition of Wheaton football, which is to develop young men in their faith and character through excellence in football." Scott served as Wheaton's Offensive Coordinator between 2016-2019 and the program's offensive line coach from 2012-2016. He has also served as the recruiting coordinator for Thunder Football since 2013 and spent one season as a defensive line coach. Under his guidance, the Wheaton offense was ranked in the Top 10 in Division III in scoring in every season between 2017-2023 (not including the canceled 2020 season). In the 2019 campaign, Wheaton set a school record for points in a season (611), shattering the previous best of 505 points in 2008. Wheaton advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Playoffs twice (2016 & 2019) in Scott's tenure as offensive coordinator. In his tenure on the coaching staff, Scott has coached 14 players who have collectively earned 22 All-America recognitions. Among those honorees was Spencer Clark, the 2014 recipient of the Rimington Award as the top center in Division III. In Scott's four seasons as offensive coordinator, the Thunder offense achieved Top-20 placement in Division III in 14 different statistical categories. Scott says of his appointment, "I am thrilled and humbled by the opportunity to lead the Wheaton Football program. Wheaton Football will continue to change lives. Our program will shape young men for the glory of God through our pursuit of excellence on the field and off of it. I want to thank Julie Davis for entrusting me with this opportunity and Coach Swider for his affirmation that I am the right man for the job." A 2009 Wheaton graduate, Scott earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business and Economics. His four-year playing career (2005-08) for the Thunder featured All-CCIW selections in his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, Scott earned D3Football.com All-North Region First Team honors and was named to the D3football.com All-America First Team. As the starting right tackle, Scott was part of the record-breaking 2008 Thunder offense that broke 17 single-season and career records while advancing to the NCAA Division III National Semifinals. Scott took over a Wheaton program that posted a 12-1 record in 2019, tying the school record for victories in a single season. Wheaton advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Playoffs for the fourth time in program history.  Due to the cancellation of the 2020 season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott's first season at the helm of the Thunder program came in the fall of 2021. Wheaton posted a 10-2 overall record and an 8-1 mark in conference play, while advancing to the second round of the 2021 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs. Scott earned his first postseason win as the head coach of the Thunder football team in November 2021 when Wheaton defeated Aurora, 63-31, at McCully Stadium in the first round of the playoffs. Wheaton placed 15 football players on the 2021 All-Conference teams, six of whom also earned All-American recognition. Additionally, the Thunder earned an all-time best representation figure on the 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-District football team with six student-athletes being selected. Wheaton finished the season ranked ninth in the D3football.com and AFCA national polls, and the Thunder remained in the top ten of the D3football.com national rankings for the entirety of the 2021 season. Scott led the Wheaton football team to an 8-3 record in 2022 and a 10-2 record in 2023, finishing second in the CCIW and earning NCAA Division III Playoff berths in both seasons. The Thunder advanced to the second round of the national playoffs in 2023 thanks to a 41-34 home win over Mount St. Joseph University in the first round. Wheaton posted a 9-2 overall record in 2024 and defeated University of Wisconsin-Stout, 35-32, in the Culver's Isthmus Bowl to capture the program's first-ever bowl victory and become the first CCIW program to win the Isthmus Bowl. COMMENTS ON JESSE SCOTT MIKE SWIDER ('77), HEAD FOOTBALL COACH (1996-2019) "I am really excited about Jesse Scott as the head coach here. I remember recruiting and coaching Jesse here at Wheaton. He has coached alongside me for the past 10 years. He loves Wheaton football as much as I do. This program is as important to him as his next breath of air. He will embrace Wheaton football and respect its core values. He will continue to build it in the years to come." TIM HARDY ('99), HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT GREATER ATLANTA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL AND FORMER WHEATON OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR I am really excited for Wheaton football and the future of the program under Jesse Scott's leadership. He has invested greatly as a player and as a coach – this is a natural extension of the program. Jesse is a great representation of Wheaton College. He has a deep personal and abiding faith. He is about excellence in all that he does and he has a passion to pursue excellence. That is what Wheaton stands for – honoring Christ through excellence. Jesse is the right man for the next chapter of Wheaton football."

Peltz captained the 1980 football team and earned All-CCIW Second Team honors in 1979 and 1980. He is Wheaton's career sack leader with 37 and set the former single-season sacks record of 14 in 1978, a record which stood until 1995. In 2003, Jeff was inducted into Wheatons Hall of Honor as a player. Jeff has a heart for ministry and also serves as the Spiritual Coordinator for the football program. He is in charge of organizing player small groups, team chapels, and also organizes the Wheaton Football Missions trips that take place over spring break.

Jeff Peltz, a 1981 Wheaton graduate, has coached the Wheaton defensive line for the past 42 years. He has coached 15 All-Americans and over 59 All-Conference players in his tenure, including the 2019 D3football.com National Defensive Player of the Year. Peltz captained the 1980 football team and earned All-CCIW Second Team honors in 1979 and 1980. He is currently Wheaton's career QB sack leader with 37 and set the former single-season QB sack record of 14 in 1978, a record which stood until 1995. In 2003, Jeff was inducted into Wheaton’s “Hall of Honor” as a player. Jeff has a heart for ministry and also serves as the Spiritual Coordinator for the football program. He is in charge of organizing player small groups and team chapels and also organizes the Wheaton Football Missions trips that take place over spring break for the last 24 years. Jeff and his wife, Nancy, a Wheaton graduate in 1981 who is a former four-time Olympic speedskater, having set two World Records, have three children. Their daughter Nancy Jr. was an Olympian in Speedskating, participating at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 9th place; married to former Wheaton Football player, Dan Puknaitis. Their oldest son, Jeffrey Jr., played 1 year of WC football, deciding to pursue and train making the 2018 Olympic team in Speedskating. His youngest son, Johnny, was a member of the Thunder football team, D3.com POW, and 2014 male performer of year and Thunder baseball team, getting honors in 4/2014 as CCIW offensive POW. Jeffrey Sr. and Johnny (2016) are the only father and son duo to each be named captains of the Wheaton football team. The Peltz family (PICTURED BELOW) lives in Wheaton.

2024 will mark the 14th season as part of the Wheaton Football coaching staff for Ron Harris.  Harris is a 1976 graduate of Earlham College, he also earned his M.A.T. at Northwestern University. He taught one year at Maine West High School and has spent the past 33 years teaching at Glenbrook South High School. During his high school tenure at Glenbrook South, he has been a football coach for a total of 30 years, including 10 seasons as head coach. At the collegiate level, Harris coached tight ends and running backs at Montana State University in 1984-85 for the NCAA Division 1AA National Championship Team. Ron and his wife, Debbie, who passed away in 2021, have four children – Matt, Sarah, Rebecca, and David – along with grandchildren, Claire and Sam. Matt is a 2002 Wheaton graduate who played for the Thunder football team from 1998-2001. David was a member of Wheaton's Track & Field team from 2015-2018.    

Mikey Swider will enter his fifth year as an assistant coach for the Thunder football program in 2024. Having previously served as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator, Swider was promoted to the role of defensive coordinator in January 2024. A 2017 Wheaton graduate, Swider returns to his alma mater following a career that saw him twice earn First Team All-CCIW honors at linebacker and finish his career as a First Team All-North Region honoree by D3football.com.

The 2024 season will be the seventh at his alma mater for James Houck. Houck served as the wide receivers coach for the Thunder before being promoted to the role of Offensive Coordinator following the 2023 campaign. As wide receivers coach for the Thunder the past few seasons, Houck has been a key part of the high-powered Wheaton offense. In 2023, Houck helped mentor Ben Bonga and Seth Kortenhoeven as they became the first Thunder wide receiver duo to earn First Team All-CCIW honors since 2012. Bonga also earned First Team All-Region honors from D3football.com, as his 79 receptions for 1,035 yards were the most in both categories for a Wheaton receiver since 2008. Houck was a central part of a Thunder offensive staff that helped guide the unit to 6,012 yards of total offense in 2023 to set a new school record. The Thunder offense averaged 501.0 yards per game for another school record. The Wheaton offense ranked ninth in Division III in scoring (46.0 PPG) and was tenth in total offense in 2023. In 2022, the Thunder offense ranked in the top five in Division III in both total offense and scoring.  Houck has coached and mentored the following Wide Receivers: All-CCIW performers: Phillip Nichols (2017, 2018, 2019), Adam Terrini (2019, 2021), Tyler Gautier (2022), Ben Bonga (2023), and Seth Kortenhoeven (2023) All-Region honorees: Adam Terrini (2019), Ben Bonga (2023) Houck ('14) played four years at wide receiver for the Thunder football team, catching 21 passes for 208 yards in his career. A three-time All-State prep player in Indiana, Houck also ran track at Wheaton. He came to Wheaton after serving as the wide receivers coach at Wheaton Academy in 2016. Houck is married to his wife, Kylie, and they have a four-year-old daughter, Reese.