Eastern Michigan Athletics
Doug Downing Named Assistant Football Coach
3/24/2010 10:47:52 AM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
Assistant coach at the University of Findlay will coach the running backs
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Doug Downing, an assistant football coach at the University of Findlay last season, has been named an assistant football coach at Eastern Michigan University, Head Coach Ron English announced today. Downing will coach the running backs.
The 44-year-old Downing has an extensive collegiate coaching career, including stops at the University of Toledo, Southwest Missouri State University, and Western Illinois University.
Downing began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Purdue University in 1988-89, and had his first coaching stop at Western Illinois where he was an assistant coach for nine seasons, the first five as the running backs coach and the final three as the offensive coordinator.
While at Western Illinois, Downing saw the Fighting Leathernecks make the NCAA Division I-AA post-season playoffs three times, from 1996-98, and the final two seasons the team was the Gateway League champion.
Downing then moved on to become the running backs coach at Southwest Missouri State for the 1999 and 2000 seasons.
From there, Downing joined the University of Toledo staff and was the running backs coach for the Rockets from 2001 through the 2008 season. He also served as the recruiting coordinator from 2003-08 and added special teams coordinator duties in 2008. He was on the staff of the 2008 Toledo squad that upset the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
During his Toledo stint, Downing coached future NFL running backs Chester Taylor and Jalen Parmale along with punter Brett Kern.
Downing joined the University of Findlay staff last year as the offensive coordinator.
A native of Lafayette, Ind., Downing was the top ranked quarterback in the nation by Parade Magazine as a high school senior at Jefferson H.S.
He stayed in the Lafayette community to become a standout quarterback for the hometown Purdue University Boilermakers where he started at quarterback for two seasons.
After graduating from Purdue in 1988 with a bachelor's degree in communications, Downing stayed for a two-year stint as a football graduate assistant coach, from 1988-89.
Downing and his wife, Lisa, are the parents of two sons, Brian (17) and Adam (15).
The Doug Downing File
Name: Doug Downing
Born: 6-15-65 - Lafayette, Ind.
High School: Jefferson H.S. - Graduated in 1983
College: Purdue University - Bachelor's degree in communications - 1988
Family: Wife: Lisa; Two sons: Brian (17), Adam (15)
Football Coaching/Playing Experience
Year School Position Record-Highlights
2009 University of Findlay Asst. Coach-RBs,Rec. Coor./Spec. Teams
2008 University of Toledo Asst. Coach-RBs
2007 University of Toledo Asst. Coach-RBs
2006 University of Toledo Asst. Coach-RBs
2005 University of Toledo Asst. Coach-RBs MAC West Div. Champion, GMAC Bowl Champion
2004 University of Toledo Asst. Coach-RBs MAC Champion, Motor City Bowl
2003 University of Toledo Asst. Coach-RBs
2002 University of Toledo Asst. Coach-RBs MAC West Div. Champion, Motor City Bowl
2001 University of Toledo Asst. Coach-RBs
2000 Southwest Missouri State Asst. Coach-Running Backs
1999 Southwest Missouri State Asst. Coach-Running Backs
1998 Western Illinois University Asst. Coach-Offensive Coordinator NCAA 1-AA Playoffs-Gateway League Champion
1997 Western Illinois University Asst. Coach-Offensive Coordinator NCAA 1-AA Playoffs- Gateway League Champion
1996 Western Illinois University Asst. Coach-Offensive Coordinator NCAA 1-AA Playoffs
1995 Western Illinois University Asst. Coach-Running Backs
1994 Western Illinois University Asst. Coach-Running Backs
1993 Western Illinois University Asst. Coach-Running Backs
1992 Western Illinois University Asst. Coach-Running Backs
1991 Western Illinois University Asst. Coach-Running Backs
1990 Western Illinois University Asst. Coach-Running Backs
1989 Purdue University Graduate Asst. Coach-Running Backs
1988 Purdue University Graduate Asst. Coach-Running Backs
1987 Purdue University Player-Quarterback
1986 Purdue University Player-Quarterback
