Former offensive coordinator Roy Wittke was named director of football operations on Monday by the Eastern athletic department.

Wittke, who has been the Panthers’ offensive coordinator in two separate stints, will join newly-hired head coach Dino Babers in his first season leading the team. Wittke served a total of 17 years, first from 1990-2002 and then from 2008-2011. Wittke was instrumental in helping current Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo win the Walter Payton Award in 2002. In the same season, Wittke was named the American Football Coaches Association Football Conference Subdivision (AFCA FCS) Assistant Coach of the Year. A native of Racine, Wis., Wittke helped the Panthers to become the nation’s fourth highest scoring offense in 2002, averaging 35.3 points per game.

“I am thrilled to be able to retain Roy Wittke as Director of Football Operations,” athletic director Barbara Burke said in a press release. “This adds another dimension to our staff, and to be able to have someone of Roy’s character and knowledge of the game is critical to our football program’s ongoing success.”

Along with being a coach for the Panthers, Wittke also has been an offensive coordinator at Arkansas, Arizona State and Northern Illinois.

Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-7942 or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu.