Boston, MA -- Northeastern University hired 52-year-old Rocky Hager as its new head football coach on Wednesday.

Hager will replace Don Brown, who left to become the head coach at the University of Massachusetts.

Hager, most recently the recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach at Temple University, left North Dakota State in 1996 after posting a record of 91-25-1 in nine years as head coach. His teams won Division II national championships in 1988 and 1990.

"Rocky Hager is the ideal coach for Northeastern's football program at this time in our history," said director of athletics Dave O'Brien. "He combines outstanding success as a head coach at North Dakota State with significant Division I-A recruiting experience in the Northeast while at Temple University."

Brown had spent four seasons as the head coach at Northeastern, compiling a 27-20 record and leading the Huskies to an Atlantic 10 Conference championship and a final national ranking of 11th in 2002.

Northeastern had denied UMass' request to discuss its coaching vacancy with Brown, but the school hired Brown anyway.