COLUMBUS, OH — East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University head football coach Denny Douds went out in style last Saturday.
The 77-year-old college coach, at the time the active leader in NCAA games coached in any division, called a timeout in the waning seconds of his team's 48-35 loss to fellow Division II school Ohio Dominican — and unexpectedly announced his retirement after 45 seasons at the helm of the program.
"I nudged the official in front of me and I said, 'Sir, we are going to call a fourth timeout. I know that is illegal, you're going to penalize it, but that's OK. I am retiring,’” Douds told the Pennsylvania TV station WNEP. “I called timeout with four seconds to go, blew the whistle, the kids came in and I told them this is what we are doing."
The penalty caused by the fourth timeout ended in a run-off, and the game was called.
Douds added of his unique exit from college football: "I told my wife when I leave the stadium, I am going to tip my hat and say, 'I love ya.' I tipped my hat, walked to the car, and smiled all the way home."
Counting his days as an assistant, Douds was with the university for 53 seasons. As a head coach, he compiled 264 career wins. Dodds is the all-time leader in D-II football for games coached (471), which is seventh overall in college football history — in any division.
Associate head coach Jimmy Terwilliger will lead the Warriors for the final two games of the 2018 campaign. Douds still plans on teaching and fundraising for the school.
