Mac McLeran reflects on tenure as linebackers coach at SIU

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois assistant Mac McLeran announced on X that he has accepted a position on the staff at Iowa, after coaching linebackers at SIU the last four seasons.

The Iowa native was instrumental in the development of players such as Jacksonville Jaguars first-year pro Branson Combs, All-American Ben Bogle and all-conference stalwart Colin Bohanek.

More than that, McLeran’s life story was a powerful example of overcoming adversity. As a player, he suffered a serious neck injury that left him paralyzed for several weeks. As a parent, he nearly lost his newborn son, Brooks, several years ago.

Throughout his tenure at Southern, McLeran brought intensity on the football field, but it was his dedication to his players, and the ability to bring out the best in them that will be remembered most.

StrongDawgs spent a few minutes with McLeran on Thursday.

SD: What stands out the most from your four years on the staff at SIU?

MM: It’s the people that make the place. SIU is a place where football matters, and people care deeply, and it's a place that invests in you personally. I credit Coach Hill with creating a culture and a staff that breeds that. You go up and down the hallway on both sides of the ball and you see it everywhere.

It starts with great leadership, and I think that's what Coach Hill personifies every day, of just driving home belief among coaches and players, making guys believe in what their ability can be. Coming here as a graduate assistant, Coach Hill gave me the opportunity (for a full-time job). He said, “I think you're gonna be a great coach,” and he just built that confidence in me. Then it's a personal pride thing to want to provide value to the people that believe in you and give you a shot.

SD: You can get pretty animated on the football field, and he gave you the freedom to be yourself, didn't he?

MM: He’s got a little bit of that street-fighter mentality to him that sometimes you don't always see from the outside, but he's excited and aggressive, and that allowed me to be me. He’s a dude that I knew had my back and trusted that I'm gonna relay his message. There’s not a better guy to work for — somebody that's in your corner personally, professionally, on the field, off the field, you just can't say enough positive things about him.

SD: It’s such a tight-knit staff. Talk about the impact some of your fellow coaches have had on you.

MM: Coach Griff (Nate Griffin) — he’s somebody that I look to for  guidance — personally, professionally, just, somebody that I know is gonna tell me things that maybe I don't want to hear, but I need to hear. He’s that older voice that has that wisdom of going through the process. He knows what it means to drive home belief in your players, and how that manifests in how they play, and how they interact with each other.

ZG (Zach Grant) is one of my closest friends who was with me through the trials and things that have happened personally. He’s a guy that's been there for me every step of the way with Brooks, to all the things that have come from that. You just can't say thank you enough for having somebody like that in your corner.

There's not a person that I've been closer to than (Nate) Frame — just the ability to be honest with each other, to be hard on each other. He's somebody I look up to and is a very good guide for me, similar to Griff, that can give me advice and wisdom. At the end of the day, he's like a brother to me.

Coach Pron (Lee Pronschinske), I feel like we have a bond, being in the fight together and going through wins and losses, through adjustments and hard times. I’m just eternally grateful for how that guy sees the game and relays information. He’s been able to teach me how he sees different coverages, different rotations, why he likes certain things. He's worked for amazing coaches. He's won a national championship at North Dakota State. I'd run through a wall for that dude, and I know he'd run through a wall for me. We have each other's back. Through good games, bad games, he has the ability to challenge you, and push you and hold you accountable.

SD: Reflect on your experience leading the linebackers room.

MM: I mean, it's just an amazing group to work with. That doesn't mean that there's not friction. There is, and I think that's healthy. You got to know where each other are at during difficult times. They're guys that want to be challenged, want to be coached, want to work.

This game demands that it's not enough just to be in the boat, pulling the same direction. There's something to sacrificing for the greater good for the people you care about. You gotta love them enough to be honest with them. The respect that you can give them is that you're gonna coach them hard and hold them to a standard. Belief and buying-in is a two way street. They got to trust you, and that comes from going through some hard times, because that's how you grow. I can't say enough positive things about the people that have been in this room. I’m a product of them.

SD: On behalf of your family, how grateful are you for the support you’ve received?

MM: When you think about what two-and-a-half years ago looked like, and just the outpouring of support and love, it started with the guys that I'm around every day. It's a support system that cares about each other, and when the chips are down and the situation has nothing to do with what your job is, people have your back. It's a testament to the leadership that we have here with Coach Hill. Those guys went above and beyond. That love and that gratitude is not lost at any point in this journey, and it's what makes this bittersweet.

SD: Your thoughts on going from the Missouri Valley to the Big Ten?

MM: I played in this league and every job I've had in college has been in the Missouri Valley. One thing that I've learned here is the ability to adapt and adjust, the ability to find different ways to present information, the ability to be resourceful. You're finding ways to adapt. It taught you to be gritty. I’m just looking forward to the ability to continue to grow. The University of Iowa provides an opportunity for me to move home, to move to a place that I've idolized since I was a little kid. My goal is to be successful each day and give everything I can to Iowa football.