Doug Kay
Encyclopedia
Doug Kay is a former Arena Football League coach
for the Columbus Destroyers
. In his first season at the helm, Kay guided the Destroyers to their best record in franchise history, while setting a franchise record for road wins in the process. He also guided the club to four home victories, which tied a franchise record. Kay has more than 40 years of football experience including 12 seasons in the Arena Football League. Overall Kay’s teams made the postseason in 10 of his 13 AFL seasons.
His AFL experience began in 1993 as defensive coordinator
of the ArenaBowl VII
champion Tampa Bay Storm
. Four years later, Kay was once again defensive coordinator of a championship team, helping the Arizona Rattlers
capture ArenaBowl XI
in 1997.
Kay was head coach
of the Charlotte Rage
in 1995 and returned to Charlotte as the head coach of the Carolina Cobras
in 2000 and 2001. Prior to the AFL, Kay spent four seasons in the United States Football League
with Boston/New Orleans Breakers
and Tampa Bay Bandits
.
Kay’s coaching career began in 1960 at his alma mater, Western Illinois University
, as the quarterback
s and wide receiver
s coach. In 1961, Kay took over at Deerfield (Ill.) High School
and coached there through the 1966 season.
From 1967-1969 Kay served as the defensive coordinator at Indiana State University
. Kay was then named the head coach of Olivet (Mich.) College
in 1970. He spent the next six seasons with Olivet before taking over as the offensive coordinator
at San José State University
in 1976.
Kay moved to UCLA in 1977 where he was an assistant coach, working mainly with the linebackers and defensive line. In 1980, he took over at the University of Hawaii
as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator for three seasons.
A native of Chicago
, Kay served in the U.S. Army for two years between 1954 and 1956. He received a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Western Illinois in 1961 where he played both football
and baseball
.
On the gridiron
, he played under the tutelage of Lou Saban
as a quarterback
, defensive back
, tight end
and punter. Kay earned a master’s degree in physical education
at Indiana State
in 1966. He and his wife Dawn have two children, Kimber and Bart.
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
for the Columbus Destroyers
Columbus Destroyers
The Columbus Destroyers were an Arena Football League team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team was founded in as the Buffalo Destroyers, based in Buffalo, New York, and relocated to Columbus in . They folded along with the original incarnation of the AFL following the 2008 season, after a total of...
. In his first season at the helm, Kay guided the Destroyers to their best record in franchise history, while setting a franchise record for road wins in the process. He also guided the club to four home victories, which tied a franchise record. Kay has more than 40 years of football experience including 12 seasons in the Arena Football League. Overall Kay’s teams made the postseason in 10 of his 13 AFL seasons.
His AFL experience began in 1993 as defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
of the ArenaBowl VII
ArenaBowl VII
ArenaBowl '93 was the Arena Football League's seventh Arena Bowl. The game featured the #3 Tampa Bay Storm of the National Conference against the #1 Detroit Drive of the American Conference...
champion Tampa Bay Storm
Tampa Bay Storm
The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....
. Four years later, Kay was once again defensive coordinator of a championship team, helping the Arizona Rattlers
Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers are a professional arena football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Conference in the Arena Football League . The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team. They play their home games at US Airways Center...
capture ArenaBowl XI
ArenaBowl XI
ArenaBowl XI was the Arena Football League's eleventh ArenaBowl. The game featured two American Conference teams, the #2 Iowa Barnstormers against the #1 Arizona Rattlers...
in 1997.
Kay was head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the Charlotte Rage
Charlotte Rage
The Charlotte Rage was a team in the Arena Football League.-History:They competed in the 1992-1996 seasons. They played their home games at the Charlotte Coliseum, then also home of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association....
in 1995 and returned to Charlotte as the head coach of the Carolina Cobras
Carolina Cobras
Not to be confused with the Los Angeles Cobras, who played in the 1988 AFL season.The Carolina Cobras were an expansion franchise in the Arena Football League...
in 2000 and 2001. Prior to the AFL, Kay spent four seasons in the United States Football League
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...
with Boston/New Orleans Breakers
Portland Breakers
The Portland Breakers were a professional American Football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. Before moving to Portland, Oregon, the franchise was previously in Boston, Massachusetts as the Boston Breakers and New Orleans, Louisiana as the New Orleans...
and Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay Bandits
The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season....
.
Kay’s coaching career began in 1960 at his alma mater, Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
, as the 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...
s and wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
s coach. In 1961, Kay took over at Deerfield (Ill.) High School
Deerfield High School (Illinois)
Deerfield High School, or DHS, is a public four-year high school in Deerfield, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Township High School District 113, which also includes Highland Park High School....
and coached there through the 1966 season.
From 1967-1969 Kay served as the defensive coordinator at Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
. Kay was then named the head coach of Olivet (Mich.) College
Olivet College
Olivet College is a coeducational, liberal arts college located in Olivet, Michigan, United States, south of Lansing and west of Detroit. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, and accredited by the North Central...
in 1970. He spent the next six seasons with Olivet before taking over as 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...
at San José State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
in 1976.
Kay moved to UCLA in 1977 where he was an assistant coach, working mainly with the linebackers and defensive line. In 1980, he took over at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator for three seasons.
A native of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Kay served in the U.S. Army for two years between 1954 and 1956. He received a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Western Illinois in 1961 where he played both 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...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.
On the gridiron
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
, he played under the tutelage of Lou Saban
Lou Saban
Louis Henry Saban was an American football player and coach. Saban played for Indiana University in college and as a pro for the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference...
as a 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...
, defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
, tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
and punter. Kay earned a master’s degree in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
at Indiana State
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
in 1966. He and his wife Dawn have two children, Kimber and Bart.
Coaching Year By Year
- 2001 - Coach Kay led the Carolina Cobras to their first non losing season in their 5 year franchise at a 7-7 record.
- 2006 - Coach Kay led the Columbus Destroyers to their first non losing season in their 8 year franchise at an 8-8 record.
- 2007 - Coach Kay wins three playoff games and leads the Destroyers to an appearance in ArenaBowl XXIArenaBowl XXIArenaBowl XXI was the 2007 championship game of the Arena Football League and was played at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, July 29, 2007. It was the third-ever neutral site title game in league's history and the first held in the state of Louisiana...
.