Eastern Michigan Athletics

Football

vs
Northern Illinois

Oct 11 (Sat)

TBA

Doug Downing
Doug Downing
Entering his fourth year at EMU is Doug Downing, who came to Ypsilanti after spending the 2009 campaign as an assistant coach at the University of Findlay. Downing will serve as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at EMU.

Downing joined EMU in 2010 as the running back coach before sliding over to the wide receivers coach prior to the start of the 2012 campaign. Last year, the Eagles receiving corps hauled in 159 passes for a total of 2,059 yards and 19 touchdowns, an improvment of more than 500 yards from the 2011 campaign.

The Eagles’ ground attack was extremely effective during the 2011 campaign, Eastern Michigan rushed for 2,620 yards and 16 touchdowns on 575 carries for the 16th-best ground attack in the nation. The total was the second most in program history trailing only the 1987 team that captured the Mid-American Conference title by running the ball 610 times for a total of 2,701 yards.

The 48-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 six 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 in 2009  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 (20) and Adam (18).

The Doug Downing  File
Name:    Doug Downing
High School:   Jefferson High School - Graduated in 1983
College:    Purdue University - Bachelor’s degree in communications - 1988
Family:    Wife: Lisa; Two sons: Brian (20), Adam (18)

Coaching Experience
Year School Position Record-Highlights

2012 Eastern Michigan University  Asst. Coach-Recruiting Coord.-WRs
2011 Eastern Michigan University  Asst. Coach-Recruiting Coord.-RBs 16th ranked ground attack
2010 Eastern Michigan University Asst. Coach-RBs Team rushed for 2,080 yards
2009  University of Findlay  Asst. Coach-Off. Coord./QB/WR
2008  University of Toledo  Asst. Coach-RBs,Rec. Coor./Spec. Teams
2007  University of Toledo  Asst. Coach-RBs
2006  University of Toledo  Asst. Coach-RBs
2005  University of Toledo  Asst. Coach-RBs  GMAC Bowl Champion
2004  University of Toledo  Asst. Coach-RBs  Motor City Bowl
2003  University of Toledo  Asst. Coach-RBs
2002  University of Toledo  Asst. Coach-RBs  Motor City Bowl
2001  University of Toledo  Asst. Coach-RBs  Motor City Bowl Champion
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
1997  Western Illinois University  Asst. Coach-Offensive Coordinator  NCAA 1-AA Playoffs
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