Most Games Coached, NCAA History (PDF)

Morning Call feature (Oct. 12)
USA Today feature (Oct. 13)
Associated Press feature (Oct. 14)

Photo Galleries through the years:
Denny Douds  I  ESU Football Media Guides

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University head football coach Denny Douds will tie the NCAA Division II record for most games coached when the Warriors host C.W. Post on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. at Eiler-Martin Stadium. (COMPLETE GAME NOTES)

Douds, the school's head coach since 1974, will lead the Warriors onto the field for the 393rd time, matching Jim Malosky of Minnesota-Duluth (1958-97) for the most in the division's history.

Douds brings a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference record 230 wins into this Saturday's game and will set the Division II record for most games coached next Saturday as ESU hosts PSAC East rival Millersville at 3:05 p.m.

An assistant coach under Charlie Reese for eight seasons from 1966 to 1973, Douds took over as head coach at the age of 33. Thirty-eight years later, the Warriors have won nine PSAC championships, made four NCAA Division II Playoffs and claimed the 2005 Northeast Region title. There have been at least four head coaches at the other 15 PSAC schools since 1974.

Over the last 38 falls, Douds has mentored 23 AP Little All-Americans, five AFCA All-Americans and five finalists for the Harlon Hill Award, including quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger, who won the award in 2005. He has coached 176 first team All-PSAC selections and 776 letterwinners. An additional 151 players earned letters during his eight seasons as an assistant coach and well over 1,000 players have been part of the Warriors football program during Douds' 46 years in the Poconos.

Under Douds' direction, the Warriors captured solo first-place finishes in the PSAC East in 1975, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1983 and 1991 and ties for the top spot in 1980, 2002 and 2003. Before the PSAC championship game was eliminated in 1987, the Warriors won overall conference crowns in 1975, 1978 and 1982 and tied for the title in 1976.

ESU made the first of four NCAA Playoff trips in 1991, quarterbacked by Bret Comp. Terwilliger led the Warriors to their first postseason win in 2004 and the Northeast Region crown in 2005, and Matt Marshall guided his team to the playoffs in 2009.

Mike Terwilliger, Jimmy's father who was a four-year starter from 1974-77 and the quarterback of the Warriors' 1975 and 1976 championship teams, has been a player or coach for Douds in every game since he took over as head coach.

Six other father-son combinations, including Brian and Matt Marshall and Chris and redshirt junior defensive tackle Sam Hull, have also lettered for the Warriors under Douds. Matt Soltes, a freshman quarterback, is the son of former Warrior quarterback Andy Soltes, and two other Warriors – sophomore wide receiver Dusty Reed and redshirt freshman cornerback Andrew Coyle – have relatives who were standouts under Douds. Reed's uncle, Pat Flaherty, was an All-America center in 1976, and Coyle's father is the cousin of Tim Bishop, an All-East wide receiver in 1984.

Douds ranks fourth among all active college football coaches in the number of games coached behind John Gagliardi (St. John's, Minn.) with 624, Joe Paterno (Penn State) with 545 and Bob Ford (Albany) with 427.

He will tie Malosky and Bud Elliott for 16th on the all-division list this weekend, and move into 15th when the Warriors host Edinboro in their season finale on November 12.