NIC-10's 100 Greatest Football Players: No. 89 - Greg Heidel, Jefferson

The last J-Hawk on this list was the top lineman for Joe Blume's rugged 1980s teams.

Greg Heidel comes in at No. 89. Heidel was an all-conference defensive lineman on Blume's 1984 team that finished in a three-way tie for first at 6-2 with Belvidere and Boylan.

The J-Hawks' formula in the 1980s was to win by running the ball and stifling the other team's offense. The 1984 squad, the first of back-to-back NIC-10 champs, was a perfect example. With Heidel disrupting the offense, the J-Hawks gave up just 64 points in nine games. 

Heidel also teamed with center Scott Conti to open holes for Earl Upton in Jefferson's wishbone offense. It was Heidel's athleticism - he was an all-conference wrestler - that earned him a scholarship to Northern Illinois University to play in coach Jerry Pettibone's wishbone.

At NIU, Heidel was on the roster all four years, lettered the last three and started the last two. The 1987 team went 5-5-1 and the 1988 team was 7-4.

After college, Heidel spent several years as a Winnebago County Sheriff's Deputy before spending 16 years in insurance investigations. Today, he's a manager and wine buyer for Sheffields in Chicago. 

No. 89 - Greg Heidel, Jefferson
Year	Level	School	Accomplishments	Points
1983	High School	Jefferson	Losing Team	0
1984	High School	Jefferson	First Team All-NIC-10	2
			Winning Team	1
			Conference Co-Champion	1
1985	College	Northern Illinois	Played in NCAA Division 1	1.75
1986	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in NCAA Division 1	3.5
1987	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in NCAA Division 1	3.5
			Starter	1
			Winning Team	1
1988	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in NCAA Division 1	3.5
			Starter	1
			Winning Team	1
Total				20.25

NIC-10's 100 Greatest Football Players

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