Indiana associate head coach Mike DeBord announced this week his retirement after a 37-year career. DeBord posted an 80-33 (.708) overall record, including a 47-27 (.635) conference mark, in his nine years as an FBS offensive coordinator.
“Coach (Lloyd) Carr told me many years ago I would know when it was time to retire,” DeBord said. “I didn’t understand it at the time, but I do now. I am really looking forward to spending more time with my family and my grandkids.”
DeBord spent the last two seasons on head coach Tom Allen‘s staff as associate head coach, offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.
“These last two years have been unbelievable,” DeBord said. “Tom is building this thing the right way, so it will last over a long period of time. That’s the only thing I am going to miss, because it is definitely going to happen. There’s a great culture at IU and I’ve had a lot of fun. I love Tom, I love the program he is putting together, and I was so glad to be a small part of the first couple years in what will be a long and successful career for Tom Allen.”
Allen has known DeBord for 40 years and jumped at the opportunity to bring him to Bloomington.
“I want to congratulate Mike DeBord on an amazing coaching career,” Allen said. “I have been fortunate to know him for many years and have the utmost respect for him, firstly as a man and secondly as a coach. You won’t find a more loyal, more hard-working or better individual with a bigger heart for people. It was a privilege to work alongside him the last two seasons and I wish him nothing but the very best in his retirement.”
A veteran of 16 bowl games, DeBord served as head coach at Central Michigan University (2000-03), and offensive coordinator at the University of Michigan (1997-99, 2006-07) and the University of Tennessee (2015-16). He also was an assistant coach in the NFL with the Chicago Bears (2010-12) and the Seattle Seahawks (2008-09).
Five quarterbacks he mentored as a coordinator – Tom Brady (Michigan), Joshua Dobbs (Tennessee), Brian Griese (Michigan), Chad Henne (Michigan) and Drew Henson (Michigan) – reached the NFL.
DeBord coached 53 overall players who moved on to the NFL, including former Hoosier and current Carolina Panthers tight end Ian Thomas.
The 2016 Volunteers, one of four teams to end the year in the top half of the SEC in scoring, passing, rushing and total offense, ranked 24th nationally (2nd in the SEC) with 36.4 points per game and 35th in red zone offense (87.8 percent).
Dobbs became only the third quarterback in SEC history with 15 passing scores and 10 rushing touchdowns in multiple seasons (Tim Tebow and Dak Prescott). He (32) joined Gene McEver (37) and James Stewart (35) as the only players in school history with 30-plus career rushing TDs.
Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd collected All-SEC honors in 2015 and the 18th 1,000-yard season in program history (1,288). The Volunteers recorded the second-best rushing total in school history with 2,908 rushing yards (3,068 in 1951).
In his first campaign as Michigan’s coordinator, the Wolverines won the national championship and DeBord was named Sporting News National Assistant Coach of the Year.
From 1997-99, U-M won three straight New Year’s Day bowl games and in his five years as coordinator, Michigan posted a 52-11 (.825) mark.
The Wolverines played in a bowl game in each of his 12 seasons on staff.
A Muncie, Ind., native, DeBord was an honorable mention All-American on the offensive line at Manchester College and a 2005 Indiana Football Hall of Fame inductee. He received his master’s from Ball State University in 1981.
DeBord and his wife, Deb, have two sons, Tyler (Carla – wife; Anthony, Taylor and Gabe – children) and Kyle (Alyssa – wife; Tommy and Jackson – children).
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