Updated July 15, 2008

The slogan for the 2008 Saluki Football team is "All In." It comes from the Texas Hold `Em card game and represents the hallmarks of Dale Lennon's coaching philosophy -- you can win the big prize with the right plan, consistent effort and by putting all your "chips" in.

"The only way you have a chance to be successful is if you put everything you've got into it," Lennon explained. "I really think it applies to this year's team because you have a new coaching staff, a new philosophy, you've got players who have never been coached by us, and the whole process involves getting everyone to believe in the system. Get that one heartbeat -- because we're all in this together."

Lennon has the difficult task of replacing the most successful coach in school history -- Jerry Kill. Kill took a program that was a laughingstock and built it into a regular playoff participant with a string of five-straight appearances in the postseason.

The challenge neither concerns or intimidates Lennon, who has his own string of five-straight playoff appearances at the Division II level and also owns a National Championship ring.

His keys to success are steadiness, preparation and team chemistry.

"I don't want the highs to be too high, and I don't want the lows to be too low," he said. "I want to make sure that everyone is focused and the plan of attack is in place, and then it's just a matter of going out and executing."

You won't find Lennon prowling the sidelines, stalking officials or raising a ruckus.

"You're going to see my emotions under control during the course of a game," Lennon said. "I told the players I don't want us playing emotionally -- I want us playing enthusiastically."

Lennon attributes his success at North Dakota, where he compiled a 90-24 record in nine years, including seven playoff appearances, one National Championship and five North Central Conference Championships, to thorough preparation.

"You don't want surprises," he said. "You want to make sure you control what you can control. That's been my motto. Just make sure everything is covered that needs to be covered, and success will follow."

One way to eliminate surprises is to build a cohesive team. With that in mind, Lennon has been careful not to overload the roster with transfers. In fact, he brought in just two FBS transfers for the 2008 season.

"The players that are here and have been here for a number of years take ownership within the program," he explained. "If they've done the work and are capable, it will be their turn. I've always been a big believer in that."

Lennon graduated from Rugby High School in Rugby, N.D., a town of less than 3,000 residents near the Canadian border. He went on to play running back at the University of North Dakota from 1979-83, where he was team captain.

The first half of Lennon's coaching career came on the defensive side of the ball -- he was North Dakota's defensive line coach (1988-89) and defensive coordinator (1990-96) for nine years.

"When I converted over to the defensive side, I thought my offensive background was very beneficial, because I understood how offenses attack defenses," he said. "I eventually made my name as a defensive coordinator."

The Fighting Sioux made four-straight playoff appearances from 1992-95, which ultimately led to Lennon's hiring as head coach at the University of Mary in Bismarck in 1997. He reversed the fortunes of that program and led it to an NAIA playoff appearance in 1998.

Lennon returned to his alma mater as head coach in 1999, and the program has been among the best in the nation ever since.

He reached the pinnacle of success in 2001 when he guided his team to the Division II National Championship and earned American Football Coaches Association Coach-of-the-Year honors. He has won NCC Coach-of-the-Year laurels three times.

Lennon has already accomplished something no Saluki head coach has done in 11 tries since 1983 -- beat SIU's Valley Football rival Northern Iowa at the UNI Dome. Lennon did it in 2006, defeating the Panthers, 35-31, when UNI was ranked #3 in the nation.

Since arriving at SIU, Lennon has been impressed with the commitment of the players and the support staff to maintaining a winning program.

"I was told the players have a great work ethic," he said. "They've gotten after it hard and have not disappointed me."

The athletic department is addressing perhaps the biggest obstacle the program faces -- an aging McAndrew Stadium. Architects are putting the finishing touches on plans to build a new state-of-the-art stadium and football complex, and construction will begin after the 2008 season.

"The plan to improve our facility situation is definitely in place, and that's what excites me," Lennon said. "The new stadium will bring us to the next level, and it's right on course."

Lennon is a perfect fit for Saluki Athletics' approach to academics, where excellence is not just enouraged, but expected. In eight of his nine seasons, the team GPA at North Dakota was better than 3.0. In all, more than 50 Sioux players earned academic all-conference honors during his tenure.

Lennon and his wife, Chris, have three sons: Jared (19), Trevor (17) and Cody (13).