KEVIN DONLEY ON NEW CONTRACT THROUGH 2016 SEASON
The University of Saint Francis has entered into a new contract with Head Football Coach Kevin Donley which will extend Donley’s term at USF through 2016.
Donley, the founder of the USF Football program in 1997 and two-time NAIA National Coach of the Year, has a remarkable record at USF with 121 wins and only 26 losses – an .823 winning percentage. He has been named the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Coach of the Year seven times in the past nine seasons. Under his tenure, the Cougars have captured nine MSFA Mideast League championships. His teams have advanced to the NAIA “Final Four” in six of the last seven years. For his remarkable efforts at USF, Donley was awarded a Red Coat by the Mad Anthonys.
“Write the Kevin Donley story and put it in the ‘Fiction’ section of a bookstore, and no one would buy it because it’s almost unbelievable,” said Mark A. Pope, USF Director of Athletics. “But the simple fact is, all of it’s true: his success on the field is unparalleled at any level of intercollegiate football. However, Kevin’s greatest asset is how he continues to influence the lives of our student-athletes after football. I’m thrilled that Kevin will continue to guide our program for many years to come.”
Succeeding with programs that had previously suffered through hard times is nothing new for the Springfield, Ohio native. Prior to taking the head-coaching job at Georgetown College, where he captured a National Championship title in 1991, he had four successful seasons at Anderson College. In 1981, he led the Ravens to a 9-2 record and a berth in the NAIA Division II playoffs, as well as Hoosier-Buckeye Collegiate Conference championships in 1980 and 1981. While at Anderson, Donley’s teams compiled a 28-9 (.757) overall record during his four-year stay. He was named conference coach of the year while at Anderson, and on nine occasions while at Georgetown.
Donley-coached teams have had an impressive track record for moving the football through the air and scoring points. Donley’s teams have set national offensive records in points per game (59.5), rushing touchdown (69), total touchdowns (102), yards gained per play (7.4), and total offense per game (541.4). His offensive teams have averaged 40.8 points per game. He owns the title of most points scored in a season (744) by any college team in the 20th century at all collegiate levels and earned a display in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992.
“I am truly grateful to the entire Saint Francis community for this opportunity to continue to coach football,” said Donley. “We started this program twelve years ago with a mission to develop quality young men into meaningful contributors to our community and to win some games along the way. I think we’ve been able to do that – but we still have goals to accomplish.”
Donley, a native of Springfield, Ohio, will begin his 32nd year as a Head Coach on September 11, 2010, when USF travels to Iowa Wesleyan. The Cougars open their Home Schedule on September 18 at Noon, against Saint Ambrose on Donley Field at D’Arcy Stadium on the Saint Francis campus.
The Annual Blue-White Spring Game takes place at D’Arcy Stadium on Sunday, April 18, at 1:00 PM and will pit last year’s Winning Coach, Keith Busse, against newcomer Jim Shields. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Tom Jehl Football Complex.
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