Dennis Douds

Douds is a native of western Pennsylvania, having attended Indiana High School in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania.[1] Douds played football for Slippery Rock University as a right guard on offense and a nose tackle on defense. He earned All-Conference, All-State and NAIA All-America honors, and was named Slippery Rock's outstanding senior athlete in 1962–1963.[2] Douds graduated from Slippery Rock in 1963.[3]

After graduating from Slippery Rock, Douds was hired as an assistant football coach at McDowell High School in suburban Erie, Pennsylvania. In 1965, he was hired as an assistant freshman football coach at West Virginia University while working on a master's degree in physical education.[4]

In 1966, Douds joined the coaching staff at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.[4] He began coaching tight ends and linebackers and became the team's defensive coordinator in 1968.[2] After eight years as an assistant coach under Charles Reese (45–21–2), Douds took over as East Stroudsburg's head football coach in 1974. Douds is also an assistant professor of sport studies at East Stroudsburg.[2]

In his 37 years as head coach, Douds' East Stroudsburg football program has been one of the leading programs in NCAA Division II. Douds has had seven seasons in which his team has won at least nine games, including consecutive undefeated seasons in 1975 (10–0) and 1976 (9–0–1).[3] The 1982 team (9–2) won the Lambert Cup as the top Division II football team in the East.[2]

Douds' quarterback on the undefeated teams of 1975 and 1976 was Mike Terwilliger. Terwilliger joined Douds coaching staff after graduating, and has been Douds' assistant coach for more than 30 years.[5] In 2006, Mike Terwilliger said of Douds, "The man hasn't changed any of his beliefs, any of his principles or the way he coaches football. What separates him from a lot of people around the game of football is that he realizes his job is bigger than what takes place on Saturday afternoons. The neat thing is to see guys came back after 30, 35 years and see the impact he's had on their lives."[4]

Terwilliger's son, Jimmy Terwilliger, also played quarterback for Douds. The younger Terwilliger won the 2005 Harlon Hill Trophy and set 12 NCAA records at ESU, including tying the NCAA record for all levels with 148 career touchdown passes and setting a new Division II record with 16,064 yards of total offense.[6] The 2005 East Stroudsburg team with Terwilliger at quarterback broke the school record with 11 wins, won the Lambert Trophy and produced five All-America selections.[2] Douds said of Terwilliger, "Jimmy Terwilliger is simply the best football player ever in the PSAC, and I give you that with over 50 years of experience in the league."[7]

NFL coach Harry Hiestand also got his start as an assistant coach working under Douds.[8]

Douds won his 200th career victory in 2006,[4] and in 2008, he became the winningest coach in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference history.[1][9] On the eve of his 200th win, Douds said, "I never scored a touchdown, never made a tackle, never threw a block, never threw a pass. This represents a great tribute to the thousands of guys who have played here, and the 100 or so coaches who have been with me here in that tenure."[4] As he neared the PSAC coaching wins record, the Associated Press opened its story on Douds' drive to the PSAC coaching wins record as follows:

"Quick, name the Pennsylvania college football coach climbing a career wins list who has spent decades at the same university. The one not named Joe Paterno. He's East Stroudsburg coach Denny Douds, who is a victory away from having the most wins in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference history."[10]

Interviewed in 2006, Douds said he would stop coaching when it was no longer fun. Asked if he would still be coaching at age 82, like fellow Pennsylvania coaching legend, Joe Paterno, Douds responded, "Am I still breathing at that time?"[11] In May 2010, the 69-year-old Douds gained attention for jumping with the Golden Knights, the United States Army Parachute Team. Douds described jumping from the plane at 13,500 feet as "magnificent." He noted, "I don't care if you're 16, 18 or 22, getting ready to play West Chester or Bloomsburg. If you're 69 and there's something you like to do, go ahead and do it."[12]

Douds concluded his career on October 27, 2018, retiring on the field during the final seconds of a 48–35 loss to Ohio Dominican, walking off the field as the clock ran out.[13]

Douds has received numerous awards for his accomplishments and contributions to the sport, including the following:

• Douds was named the Kodak College Division Coach of the Year in 1975, 1976, and 1982.[2]
• He was named PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year in 1976, 1982, 2002.[2]
• Douds has been inducted into the East Stroudsburg Athletic Hall of Fame (1998), the Slippery Rock University Athletic Hall of Fame, the Indiana County Athletic Hall of Fame and the Northeast Pennsylvania Athletic Hall of Fame.[2]

Douds and his wife, Judy Douds, have a daughter, Jill, a son, Douglas, and five grandchildren.[11]

• List of college football coaches with 200 wins

• East Stroudsburg profile