| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 29, 1951 |
| Playing career | |
| 197?–197? | Minot State |
| Position(s) | Offensive lineman |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1970's | Sherwood HS (ND) |
| 1979 | North Dakota State (assistant) |
| 1980 | Morningside (DL) |
| 1981–1984 | Augustana (SD) (DC) |
| 1985–1986 | North Dakota State (DC/LB) |
| 1987–1996 | North Dakota State |
| 1997–2003 | Temple (assistant) |
| 2004–2009 | Northeastern |
| 2012 | Bryant (DL) |
| 2013–2015 | TCNJ (DC) |
| 2016 | TCNJ (interim HC) |
| 2017–2021 | TCNJ (ST/LB) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 113–80–1 |
| Tournaments | 12–5 (NCAA D-II playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2 NCAA Division II (1988, 1990) 5 NCC (1988, 1990–1992, 1994) | |
| Awards | |
| 2× Division II National Coach of the Year (1988, 1990) | |
Ralph Earl "Rocky" Hager III[1] (born August 29, 1951) is American football coach and former player. Rocky is currently retired from coaching as of the 2021 football season. His final stop on his storied career was an assistant coach at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). He served as the head football coach at North Dakota State University from 1987 to 1996 and at Northeastern University from 2004 until 2009, after which the school dropped their football program.[2] He was also the interim head football coach at TCNJ for the 2016 season. Hager won two NCAA Division II Football Championships at North Dakota State, in 1988 and 1990.
Hager is a native of Harvey, North Dakota and a 1974 graduate of Minot State College. Rocky has three children with his wife Peggy: Tiffanee, Rebecca, and Joshua. Josh has also entered the career of football coaching, winning a JUCO National Championship while the Defensive Coordinator of Garden City Community College in 2016. Hager was hired as the tenth Northeastern Huskies football head coach in 2004.
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State Bison (North Central Conference) (1987–1996) | |||||||||
| 1987 | North Dakota State | 6–4 | 6–3 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1988 | North Dakota State | 14–0 | 9–0 | 1st | W NCAA Division II Championship | ||||
| 1989 | North Dakota State | 8–3–1 | 6–2–1 | T–2nd | L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | ||||
| 1990 | North Dakota State | 14–0 | 9–0 | 1st | W NCAA Division II Championship | ||||
| 1991 | North Dakota State | 7–3 | 7–1 | 1st | L NCAA Division II First Round | ||||
| 1992 | North Dakota State | 10–2 | 8–1 | 1st | L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | ||||
| 1993 | North Dakota State | 7–3 | 6–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1994 | North Dakota State | 9–3 | 7–2 | T–1st | L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | ||||
| 1995 | North Dakota State | 10–3 | 7–2 | T–2nd | L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | ||||
| 1996 | North Dakota State | 6–4 | 5–4 | 5th | |||||
| North Dakota State: | 91–25–1 | 70–18–1 | |||||||
| Northeastern Huskies (Atlantic 10 Conference) (2004–2006) | |||||||||
| 2004 | Northeastern | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–5th (North) | |||||
| 2005 | Northeastern | 2–9 | 2–6 | T–10th (North) | |||||
| 2006 | Northeastern | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–6th (North) | |||||
| Northeastern Huskies (Colonial Athletic Association) (2007–2009) | |||||||||
| 2007 | Northeastern | 3–8 | 2–6 | T–9th (North) | |||||
| 2008 | Northeastern | 2–10 | 1–7 | T–10th (North) | |||||
| 2009 | Northeastern | 3–8 | 3–5 | T–8th (North) | |||||
| Northeastern: | 20–47 | 16–32 | |||||||
| TCNJ Lions (New Jersey Athletic Conference) (2016) | |||||||||
| 2016 | TCNJ | 2–8 | 2–7 | 8th | |||||
| TCNJ: | 2–8 | 2–7 | |||||||
| Total: | 113–80–1 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||