Al Borges
Encyclopedia
Alan Borges is an American
college football
coach and the offensive coordinator
of the University of Michigan
football team
. Borges is known for quarterback
development having mentored Cade McNown
and Jason Campbell
, both first round NFL draft
picks. Borges has been described as "one of the best offensive coordinators I've ever seen," by former Auburn head coach Pat Dye
.
. Borges began his college coaching career at California
as a part-time assistant in 1982 and 1983. He then moved on to his first full-time collegiate job at Diablo Valley College
from 1983 to 1985. He split time with Diablo for two years in 1984 and 1985 as a defensive assistant with the USFL
's Oakland Invaders
.
From 1986 to 1992 he was the offensive coordinator for Division II Portland State University
where he coached three All-American quarterbacks. In 1993, he moved up to then Division I-AA Boise State University
where his offense reached the Division I-AA championship game in 1994. In a single season as offensive coordinator at Oregon
in 1995, his team lead the Pac-10 in passing offense with 263.8 yards per game. The Ducks also averaged 406.3 yards and 29.1 points per game. His quarterback that season, Tony Graziani, led the Pac-10 in both total offense and passing.
. Over that five-year period, UCLA averaged 31.9 points a game as well as reaching season averages over 40 points per game in 1997 (40.7 ppg) and 1998 (40.5 ppg). He is also credited with developing Cade McNown from an average quarterback into a first-team AP
All-American and first round NFL Draft pick and personally considers McNown his biggest turnaround.
where he coached for two seasons until Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville
called in early 2004.
(SEC) team to finish ranked in the top 15 each of those seasons. Borges is credited with much of the success of the 2004 Auburn Tigers football team
which recorded a perfect 13-0 season under his "Gulf Coast Offense" scheme. Borges resigned from Auburn December 10, 2007, after a steady decline in the team's offensive production, before the team's appearance in the New Year's Eve Chick-Fil-A Bowl
.
(new head coach at San Diego State
) hired Borges as offensive coordinator for the Aztecs
.
, the new head coach at University of Michigan
, hired Borges for the same position that he had held under Hoke
at San Diego State.
Borges also contributed a chapter on strategy using the I formation
for the American Football Coaches Association
-published book, Football Offenses & Plays (ISBN 0-7360-6261-0) published in 2006.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach and the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
football team
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
. Borges is known for quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
development having mentored Cade McNown
Cade McNown
Cade B. McNown is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League...
and Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, both first round NFL draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
picks. Borges has been described as "one of the best offensive coordinators I've ever seen," by former Auburn head coach Pat Dye
Pat Dye
Patrick Fain Dye is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at East Carolina University , the University of Wyoming , and Auburn University compiling a career college football record of 153–62–5...
.
Early career
Borges began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Salinas High School from 1975 to 1978, followed by a stint as an assistant at Pleasant Valley HS from 1979 to 1980. He earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in 1981 from California State University, ChicoCalifornia State University, Chico
California State University, Chico is the second-oldest campus in the twenty-three-campus California State University system. It is located in Chico, California, about ninety miles north of Sacramento...
. Borges began his college coaching career at California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
as a part-time assistant in 1982 and 1983. He then moved on to his first full-time collegiate job at Diablo Valley College
Diablo Valley College
Diablo Valley College is a two-year community college in Pleasant Hill in Contra Costa County, California.DVC is one of three publicly supported two-year community colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District , and was first opened in 1949...
from 1983 to 1985. He split time with Diablo for two years in 1984 and 1985 as a defensive assistant with the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
's Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders was a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League from 1983 through 1985.-In reaction to the Raiders relocating to Los Angeles:...
.
From 1986 to 1992 he was the offensive coordinator for Division II Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
where he coached three All-American quarterbacks. In 1993, he moved up to then Division I-AA Boise State University
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
where his offense reached the Division I-AA championship game in 1994. In a single season as offensive coordinator at Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
in 1995, his team lead the Pac-10 in passing offense with 263.8 yards per game. The Ducks also averaged 406.3 yards and 29.1 points per game. His quarterback that season, Tony Graziani, led the Pac-10 in both total offense and passing.
UCLA
Borges was the offensive coordinator for five years (1996–2000) at UCLA under head coach Bob ToledoBob Toledo
Bob Toledo is a former American football coach and player. Toledo served as the head coach at University of California, Riverside , the University of the Pacific , the University of California, Los Angeles , and Tulane University...
. Over that five-year period, UCLA averaged 31.9 points a game as well as reaching season averages over 40 points per game in 1997 (40.7 ppg) and 1998 (40.5 ppg). He is also credited with developing Cade McNown from an average quarterback into a first-team AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-American and first round NFL Draft pick and personally considers McNown his biggest turnaround.
California and Indiana
In January 2001, Borges left UCLA for a $50,000 raise and two-year contract for the same position at California. After a losing season in which the entire California staff was replaced, Borges accepted the offensive coordinator position at IndianaIndiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
where he coached for two seasons until Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville
Tommy Tuberville
Thomas Hawley Tuberville is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas Tech University, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
called in early 2004.
Auburn
Borges joined the Auburn staff in 2004. Auburn went 41-9 in the four seasons Borges was the offensive coordinator. Auburn was the only Southeastern ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) team to finish ranked in the top 15 each of those seasons. Borges is credited with much of the success of the 2004 Auburn Tigers football team
2004 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2004 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. Auburn compiled a record of 13–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship and finishing the season ranked #2 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll...
which recorded a perfect 13-0 season under his "Gulf Coast Offense" scheme. Borges resigned from Auburn December 10, 2007, after a steady decline in the team's offensive production, before the team's appearance in the New Year's Eve Chick-Fil-A Bowl
Chick-fil-A Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly called the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and before that simply called the Peach Bowl, is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. The first three Peach Bowls were played at Grant Field on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta....
.
San Diego State
On December 24, 2008, Brady HokeBrady Hoke
Brady Hoke is the head football coach at the University of Michigan. He is in his first season. He grew up in Ohio and attended Ball State University where he played linebacker from 1977 to 1980...
(new head coach at San Diego State
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
) hired Borges as offensive coordinator for the Aztecs
San Diego State Aztecs football
The San Diego State football team represents the San Diego State Aztecs in college football. The Aztecs, a Division I FBS team and a member of the Mountain West Conference, play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The field is natural grass and has a maximum capacity of...
.
University of Michigan
On January 11, 2011, Brady HokeBrady Hoke
Brady Hoke is the head football coach at the University of Michigan. He is in his first season. He grew up in Ohio and attended Ball State University where he played linebacker from 1977 to 1980...
, the new head coach at University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, hired Borges for the same position that he had held under Hoke
Brady Hoke
Brady Hoke is the head football coach at the University of Michigan. He is in his first season. He grew up in Ohio and attended Ball State University where he played linebacker from 1977 to 1980...
at San Diego State.
Awards and honors
- Rivals.com Offensive Coordinator of the Year, 2005
- Finalist - Frank Broyles Assistant Coach of the Year Award, 1997 and 1998
- Football Coach Quarterlys Offensive Coordinator of the Year,1997.
Instruction
Borges and his brother Keith, an assistant with him at California in 2001, collaborated on a book titled Coaching the West Coast Quarterback (ISBN 1-58518-341-5) as well as a series of instructional videos by the same name.Borges also contributed a chapter on strategy using the I formation
I formation
The I formation is one of the most common offensive formations in American football. The I formation draws its name from the vertical alignment of quarterback, fullback, and running back, particularly when contrasted with the same players' alignments in the T formation.The formation begins with...
for the American Football Coaches Association
American Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
-published book, Football Offenses & Plays (ISBN 0-7360-6261-0) published in 2006.