EMU COACHING STAFF First-Year Head Coach - Ron English 65 2009 Eastern Michigan University FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE Coaching Staff Head Coach Ron English First Year at EMU • California, 1990 the road to begin the task of signing picks into touchdowns. In addition, the his first recruiting class as a head coach Wolverines yielded just 37 touchdown and developing the blueprint for suc- passes by the opposition during that cess. time, including an NCAA-leading nine That dedication to detail in his early in 2003. days reflects one of English’s strongest English became the first coach in traits and is reflected in his theme for NCAA history to have two defensive his first EMU season: Embrace the Pro- backs earn consensus All-America cess. honors in the same season, since the English accepted the challenge of organization began incorporating developing a winning atmosphere both an offensive and defensive team at EMU after spending the previous in 1965, as cornerback Marlin Jackson 15 years learning the college football and safety Ernest Shazor earned the trade at the University of Louisville, the recognition following the 2004 season. Ron English has prepared a lifetime University of Michigan, Arizona State During his tenure on the Michigan staff to call a football program his own and University and San Diego State Univer- he coached an All-Big Ten defensive he has not wasted any time in putting sity. back in every season and had two All- his stamp on Eastern Michigan Univer- English spent the 2008 season as an Conference selections in four of his five sity football. assistant football coach at Louisville seasons. After serving as an assistant football and just prior to that was a member English made an immediate impact coach at four of the nation’s top foot- of the University of Michigan football on the Wolverine secondary during his ball schools, English was named the staff from 2003-07 where he coached first season as an assistant coach when head football coach at Eastern Michi- the defensive backs for his first three U-M tied for the national lead in fewest gan University, Dec. 22, 2008. seasons and served as the football pro- “When we began this search for a new gram’s defensive coordinator in his fi- head football coach at Eastern Michi- nal two seasons under legendary Head gan University we wanted someone Coach Lloyd Carr. that we felt could take our program In 2007 English oversaw an aggres- in a new direction,” EMU Director of sive Michigan defense that was the na- Athletics Dr. Derrick Gragg said at the tion’s eighth-ranked pass defense and press conference announcing English 17th in pass efficiency defense. The as Eastern’s new head football coach. Wolverines were also 23rd in scoring “After going through an exhaustive defense and 24th in total defense. search process we selected Ron English English was named Rivals.com to lead our football program. He has National Defensive Coordinator of proven himself as a tremendous defen- the Year during his initial season sive coordinator over a long career and as the defensive signal caller at we feel that he is prepared to take over Michigan in 2006. That Wol- our football team as a head coach.” verine defense rated among That patience in learning the game the nation’s best, finishing at several stops has paid big dividends first against the run, fourth in for the highly energetic English as he sacks, seventh in third-down begins the task of rebuilding the EMU defense, 10th in total defense football program in all phases of the and 15th in scoring defense. operation. The U-of-M defensive sec- Just minutes after finishing the press ondary collected 36 intercep- conference, the 40-year-old English tions during his three seasons was a on a mission to hire a staff, hit overseeing the entire corps and turned four of those 66 2009 Eastern Michigan University FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE Coaching Staff touchdown passes yielded with nine, ball coach at Arizona State University. participated in the 1990 Copper Bowl and finished ninth in pass efficiency He coached the secondary all five years against Wyoming. His identical twin defense. The secondary collected 13 with the Sun Devils, the final two years brother, Don, also played for the Gold- interceptions and returned two for with the cornerbacks and the previous en Bears. scores. three seasons mentoring the safeties. A 1990 graduate of the University English began his collegiate coaching He helped ASU to three bowl appear- of California-Berkeley with a bache- career as the defensive backs coach at ances: the 1999 and 2000 Aloha and lor’s degree in social sciences, English Mt. San Antonio College (1993) in Wal- 2002 Holiday bowls. His first stint at earned his master’s degree in educa- nut, Calif. after coaching for one sea- ASU was as a graduate assistant coach tion administration from Arizona State son at Ganesha High School (1992), his handling the defensive line during the in 1995. alma mater, in Pomona, Calif. 1994-95 seasons. English will be one of seven Afri- English also tutored the secondary for English was a four-year letterman can-American head coaches in the two seasons at San Diego State (1996- (1987-90) and senior starter at safety 120-school NCAA Football Bowl Subdi- 97) and served as the outside lineback- for the University of California Golden vision ranks. ers coach at Northern Arizona for the Bears football squad. He also started English and his wife, Sophia (Woo- 1996 spring practice. on special teams all four seasons at dard) have three children; Simon (10), He then went on to spent five sea- California. English finished his career Sydney (5) and Seth (4). sons (1998-2002) as an assistant foot- with 134 tackles and seven sacks and The Ron English File Name: Ron English Born: May 21, 1968 High School: Ganesha (Pomona, Calif.) College: University of California-Berkley - Bachelor’s degree in social sciences - 1990 Arizona State University - Master’s degree in education administration - 1995 Family: Wife: Sophia; Three children: Simon (10), Sydney (5), Seth (4) Coaching Experience Year School Position Record-Highlights 2009 Eastern Michigan University Head Coach Named Head Coach Dec. 22, 2008 2008 University of Louisville Asst. Coach-Defensive Coordinator 5-7; Total defense and rushing defense ranked in the top 10 nationally for 10 of 12 games 2007 University of Michigan Asst. Coach-Defensive Coordinator 9-4; T-2nd Big Ten; Capital One Bowl Champions; Ranked eighth in the nation in pass defense 2006 University of Michigan Asst. Coach-Defensive Coordinator 11-2; T-2nd Big Ten; Rose Bowl; Rivals.com National Defensive Coord. of the Year Led the nation in run defense 2005 University of Michigan Asst. Coach-Secondary 7-5; T-3rd Big Ten; Alamo Bowl 2004 University of Michigan Asst. Coach-Secondary 9-3; T-1st Big Ten; Rose Bowl 2003 University of Michigan Asst. Coach-Secondary 10-3; 1st Big Ten; Rose Bowl; Nation’s leader in passing TDs allowed; 9th in def. pass efficiency 2002 Arizona State University Asst. Coach-Secondary 8-6; Holiday Bowl 2001 Arizona State University Asst. Coach-Secondary 4-7 2000 Arizona State University Asst. Coach-Secondary 6-6; Aloha Bowl; 2nd nationally in turnovers forced 1999 Arizona State University Asst. Coach-Secondary 6-6; Aloha Bowl 1998 Arizona State University Asst. Coach-Secondary 5-6 1997 San Diego State University Asst. Coach-Def. backs 5-7 1996 San Diego State University Asst. Coach-Def. backs 8-3 1995 Northern Arizona University Asst. Coach-Def. Backs Spring season only Arizona State University Grad. Asst. Coach 1994 Arizona State University Grad. Asst. Coach 1993 Mt. San Antonio College Asst. Coach-Def. backs California Bowl Champions 1992 Ganesha High School Asst. Coach 2009 Eastern Michigan University FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE 67 Coaching Staff Assistant Coach Ken Karcher Offensive Coordinator • Quarterbacks First Year at EMU • Tulane, 1986 From there it was back to the college ranks as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Pittsburgh (1993-96) followed by three seasons back in professional football as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe. In 2000, Karcher became the head football coach at Liberty University and served in that capacity through the 2005 season. His 2003 and ‘04 Liberty teams finished second in the Big South Confer- ence with identical 3-1 records. Karcher moved into the high school Entering his first year at EMU is Ken coaching ranks in 2006-07 as the offen- Karcher, who came to Ypsilanti after sive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, spending the 2008 campaign as the assistant athletics director and athlet- quarterbacks coach at the University of ics director at Fellowship Christian High Toledo. Karcher will serve as the offen- School in Roswell, Ga.. sive coordinator and will also coach the He returned back to college last season quarterbacks. as the quarterbacks coach at the Univer- The 45-year-old Karcher has a distin- sity of Toledo. guished coaching and playing career in Karcher and his wife, the former Pau- college, professional football and high line Termini, have four children: Austin school. He was the head football coach (20), Kelly (18), Katie (16) and Clay (13). at Liberty University from 2000-05. In ad- dition to his coaching experience, Karch- The Ken Karcher File er played collegiately at Notre Dame and Tulane and also in the NFL for the Den- Name: Ken Karcher Born: July 1, 1963 - Glenshaw, Pa. ver Broncos. High School: Shaler Area A native of Glenshaw, Pa., Karcher was a College: Tulane University - Bachelor’s degree in general studies - 1986 Parade All-America quarterback at Shal- Family: Wife-Pauline (Termini); Four children: Austin (20), Kelly (18), Katie (16), Clay (13) er H.S.