New EMU head coach Ron English spent five seasons at Michigan
Eastern Michigan will name Louisville defensive coordinator Ron English as its new head football coach at a press conference scheduled for Monday, December 22.
English, 40, just completed his first season as defensive coordinator with the Louisville Cardinals after spending five seasons as an assistant coach at Michigan, including two seasons as the Wolverines' defensive coordinator in 2006 and 2007. Under English the Wolverines posted the nation's number one run defense in 2006 and English was named Defensive Coordinator of the Year by Rivals.com that season.
English initially came to Michigan as an assistant coach in 2003 and served as the Wolverines' defensive secondary coach through 2005 before being elevated to defensive coordinator by Wolverines head coach Lloyd Carr (who served as an adviser during Eastern Michigan's recent search process for a new head coach) prior to the 2006 season.
In 2004, with English in charge of coaching Michigan's defensive secondary, the Wolverines became the first team to have two defensive backs, cornerback Marlin Jackson and safety Ernest Shazor, earn consensus All-American in the same season.
English left Michigan after Lloyd Carr retired at the conclusion of the 2007 season and the majority of Carr's assistants were not retained by new Wolverines' head coach Rich Rodriguez.
The Eastern Michigan job became available when Jeff Genyk was relieved of his head coaching duties at EMU at the conclusion of the 2008 campaign. In five seasons Genyk compiled a 16-42 mark at Eastern Michigan, which has not had a winning season since going 6-5 in 1995 and has had only two winning campaigns overall since 1989.
This past season under English the Louisville Cardinals ranked 69th in the nation in total defense, allowing 368.8 yards per game and were 39th nationally in rushing defense, allowing 129.5 yards per game but were 92nd in the nation in pass defense, allowing 239.3 yards per contest.
Louisville finished the season with five straight losses and gave up an average of over 42 points in its last four contests, failing to reach bowl eligibility, finishing the year at 5-7 which snapped a run of nine straight bowl appearances.
English will be getting his first opportunity as a head coach after spending the past 15 seasons as an assistant coach in the collegiate ranks and becomes only the fifth African-American head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA.
Prior to embarking on a coaching career, English played safety for the California Golden Bears from 1987-1990.
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