Football
Former Lafayette Jeff, Purdue QB Doug Downing inducted into Indiana Football Hall of Fame
WEST LAFAYETTE — Football took Doug Downing from Indiana to Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and Michigan.
All those moves are why Doug’s father, former Lafayette Jeff football coach Bob Downing, joked he never sent mail.
“They had a lot of zip codes,” Bob Downing said while inducting his son Doug into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame on June 9.
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With all the moves Doug Downing’s coaching career has taken him on, home was always Lafayette.
It’s why he returns for Lafayette Jeff’s annual Birdie Bash athletics fundraiser and why it was special, not just that Downing was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame, but that the induction happened at the Purdue University, where Downing was once the starting quarterback for the Boilermakers.
More: New Indiana Football Hall of Famer Clayton Richard shares vision for Lafayette’s future
“In college coaching, you’re traveling so much, you’re moving so much that you don’t get back,” Doug Downing said at Purdue Memorial Union after his induction. “Even Purdue, it was 21 years before I was even back on campus. But in college, you’re always coaching and always moving. That whole process is to be able to get back and participate and help and the program where your roots came from.”
While playing for his father at Lafayette Jeff, Downing was the top-ranked high school quarterback in the nation and named an All-American by Parade magazine after throwing for 4,130 career yards and 50 touchdowns.
Downing played quarterback at Purdue from 1984-87 and threw for nearly 2,000 career yards and 12 touchdowns before falling into the coaching profession.
“I enjoy coaching. I enjoy the aspects of analyzing and just making people better and making kids better,” Doug Downing said. “One of the happiest days all year for me is Father’s Day and Christmas because of all the texts I get from former players.
“That connection with kids and people is really what it is about. Making sure you give them the tools to make their lives better. It’s why I do what I do.”
Downing began his career as a graduate assistant at Purdue, then spent nine seasons at Western Illinois University, two seasons at Southwest Missouri State, eight seasons at Toledo, a year at Findlay and four seasons at Eastern Michigan before following in his father’s footsteps, by becoming a high school coach at Northview High School in Sylvania, Ohio.
“As a dad, what I appreciate most about Doug from his football playing and coaching, he shows great leadership compassion to all athletics and students on a daily basis,” Bob Downing said during his induction speech. “He is genuine in helping them achieve their goals and achieve a positive attitude about life.”
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
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