Ron English, the defensive coordinator for the University
of Louisville football team in 2008, has been named head
football coach at Eastern Michigan University. Derrick
Gragg, EMU director of athletics, made the announcement
Dec. 22 in a press conference that took place in the Convocation
Center atrium. English replaces Jeff Genyk who did not
have his contract renewed after the 2008 season.
"When we began this search for a new head football
coach at Eastern Michigan University, we wanted someone
that we felt could take our program in a new direction," Gragg
said. "After going through an exhaustive search process,
we have selected Ron English to lead our football program.
He has proven himself as a tremendous defensive coordinator
over a long career and we feel that he is prepared to take
over our football team as a head coach."
 |
NEW FOOTBALL COACH: Ron English makes
a
statement during a Dec. 22 press conference to
announce his taking over head football coaching
duties at Eastern Michigan University as EMU
President
Susan Martin looks on. English spent 2008
as defensive
coordinator for the University of
Louisville and
was an assistant football coach at the
University
of Michigan from 2003-07. |
Prior to spending the 2008 season at Louisville, the 40-year-old
English was an assistant football coach at the University
of Michigan from 2003-07, where he coached the defensive
backs for his first three seasons and served as the football
program's defensive coordinator in his final two seasons.
In 2007, English oversaw an aggressive Michigan defense
that was the nation's eighth-ranked pass defense and 17th
in pass efficiency defense. The Wolverines also were 23rd
in scoring defense and 24th in total defense.
English was named Rivals.com National Defensive Coordinator
of the Year during his initial season as the defensive
signal caller at Michigan in 2006. That Wolverine defense
rated among the nation's best, finishing first against
the run, fourth in sacks, seventh in third-down defense,
10th in total defense and 15th in scoring defense.
The Wolverine defensive secondary collected 36 interceptions
during his three seasons overseeing the entire corps and
turned four of those picks into touchdowns. In addition,
U-M yielded 37 touchdown passes by the opposition during
that time, including an NCAA-leading nine in 2003.
English became the first coach in NCAA history to have
two defensive backs earn consensus All-America honors in
the same season, since the organization began incorporating
both an offensive and defensive team in 1965. Cornerback
Marlin Jackson and safety Ernest Shazor earned the recognition
following the 2004 season. During his tenure on the Michigan
staff, English coached an All-Big Ten defensive back in
every season and had two All-Conference selections in four
of his five seasons.
English made an immediate impact on the Wolverine secondary
during his first season as an assistant coach when U-M
tied for the national lead in fewest touchdown passes yielded
with nine, and finished ninth in pass efficiency defense.
The secondary collected 13 interceptions and returned two
for scores.
A 15-year veteran of college coaching, English spent five
seasons as an assistant football coach at Arizona State
University. He coached the secondary all five years with
the Sun Devils, the final two years with the cornerbacks
and the previous three seasons mentoring the safeties.
He helped ASU to three bowl appearances: the 1999 and 2000
Aloha and 2002 Holiday bowls.
English also tutored the secondary for two seasons at
San Diego State (1996-97) and served as the outside linebackers
coach at Northern Arizona for the 1996 spring practice.
His first stint at ASU was as a graduate assistant coach,
handling the defensive line during the 1994-95 seasons.
English began his collegiate coaching career as the defensive
backs coach at Mt. San Antonio College (1993) in Walnut,
Calif. He coached one season at Ganesha High School (1992),
his alma mater, in Pomona, Calif.
English was a four-year letterman (1987-90) and senior
starter at safety for the University of California Golden
Bears football squad. He also started on special teams
all four seasons at California. English finished his career
with 134 tackles and seven sacks, and participated in the
1990 Copper Bowl against Wyoming. His identical twin brother,
Don, also played for the Golden Bears.
English played one season of prep football at Ganesha
High School before heading to California.
A 1990 graduate of the University of California-Berkeley
with a bachelor's degree in social sciences, English earned
his master's degree in education administration from Arizona
State in 1995.
English will be one of five African-American head coaches
in the 119-school NCAA Football Subdivision ranks.
English and his wife, Sophia (Woodard) have three children;
Simon, 9; Sydney, 5; and Seth, 3.
