Warrensburg, Mo. (Jan. 30, 2001) -- Jeff Hecklinski, an assistant coach at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College the past two seasons, has been hired as the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Central Missouri State University.

The 26-year-old Hecklinski replaces Dave Bassore on coach Willie Fritz's staff. Bassore left the Mules' staff after four seasons to become head football coach at his alma mater, William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo.

Hecklinski was the offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Fort Scott and helped lead the Greyhounds to back-to-back winning seasons in 1999 and 2000. The school's passing offense was nationally ranked in the top 10 in 1999 and in the top 15 last season, while Fort Scott's 2000 recruiting class was rated first in the Kansas Jayhawk Conference.

A highly sought-after quarterback out of Palatine (Ill.) High School, Hecklinski was USA TODAY's Illinois High School Player of the Year as a senior. He threw for 5,871 yards and 54 touchdowns to finish his prep career second in Illinois history in passing yardage.

Recruited to the University of Illinois, Hecklinski was red-shirted in 1993, then played in four games in 1994. He then transferred to Western Illinois University, where in three seasons he passed for 5,980 yards to become the Leathernecks' number-two career passer.

An all-conference selection all three seasons, Hecklinski was also team captain as a senior. He led Western Illinois to back-to-back NCAA Division I-AA playoff berths in 1996 and 1997.

Hecklinski played one season in the Arena Football League with the Albany Firebirds in 1998. He spent one year as an assistant coach at Benedictine University in Illinois before joining the staff at Fort Scott in 1999.

Hecklinski received his bachelor's degree in communications from Western Illinois.