By Ace Grado/Staff Writer

Some new changes are coming to the Missouri Valley College football program. With the hiring of LaQuentin Black, the Vikings are locked in for what they hope will be a successful 2025 season.

Black, a 2012 graduate of Missouri Valley, was a standout defensive back for the Vikings, earning first-team NAIA All-American honors. That same year, he led the NAIA in kickoff return yards, averaging an impressive 35.9 yards per return.

Returning to MVC as head coach is a meaningful moment for Black. 

“A humbling comeback, it was special. And it felt like a second chance,” he said.

Black first learned about the coaching opportunity when Missouri Valley President Dr. Joe Parisi reached out to him. 

“Parisi called, and I thought it was just a normal check-in call that I would regularly receive with updates about the school and the programs,” Black said. “That one particular phone call was to uncover the head football coach position.”

As he steps into his new role, Black has a clear vision for the program. 

“Accountability, dependability, and toughness,” he said. He expects his athletes to demonstrate those values both academically and athletically, carrying them over into their daily lives.

Black is optimistic about the team’s current roster and its potential. 

“It’s exciting,” he said. “We’ll add bits and pieces as needed, but the current roster is working hard right now.”

Reflecting on his own playing career, Black said his personal drive to improve influences his coaching style. 

“I was more so a person who wanted to strive to be better. I was a daily deposit type of person,” he said.

When asked about the biggest lesson he learned as a player that he now applies to coaching, Black emphasized the importance of seizing opportunities. 

“To take advantage of the opportunity that is presented to you,” he said. “A second chance is unbelievable. Take advantage of that opportunity.”

As he prepares for his first season at the helm, Black had a message for MVC football fans. 

“Students deserve to know what wearing that purple and orange really means, which is succeeding,” he said. “To represent in the right capacity. To come together as a family.”

Junior offensive lineman Wyatt Nordean is hopeful about the team’s new direction under Black’s leadership. 

“I hope to see how a successful program is run here, as we haven’t been to the playoffs since I’ve been here. I look forward to hopefully finally getting a winning season for my last season,” Nordean said.

Black and the Vikings will kick off the 2025 regular season with a home game on Sept. 6 against Clarke (Iowa).