detroit lions vs. st. louis rams the season begins consistency up front ...

BURKE’S BACKGROUND
Detroit Lions .......................................................................... 2009-
Linebackers ..................................................................................................2009-
Tennessee Titans .................................................................2004-08
Defensive asst. /Quality Control......................................................... 2006-08
Administrative Asst. .............................................................................. 2004-05
Harvard ...................................................................................2003
Asst. Secondary/Cornerbacks ....................................................................2003
Boston College ................................................................... 2000-02
Graduate Assistant ................................................................................ 2000-02
Bridgton Academy (Maine) ...................................................1998-99
Secondary ................................................................................................ 1998-99
TODD
DOWNING
Quarterbacks
Years with Lions: 4
Years in NFL: 10
Todd Downing enters his fourth season with the Lions and his third
working with quarterbacks. He spent his fi rst season with Detroit as
an off ensive quality control coach. Before joining the Lions, he coached
three seasons with St. Louis as an assistant secondary/defensive
quality control coach (2008) and a defensive assistant coach/assistant
special teams coach (2006-07).
LIONS COACHING HIGHLIGHTS:
Downing coaches a quarterback corps led by QB Matthew Staff ord
who has emerged as one of the top young quarterbacks in the NFL.
Staff ord set franchise passing records for yards (5,038), touchdowns
(41), completions (421) and attempts (663).
He also established the team’s all-time best single-season
completion percentage (63.5) and passer rating (97.2). Based on
NFL qualifi er of minimum 244 attempts.
Staff ord’s numbers also ranked among the best in NFL history:
4th quarterback to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single
season; 5th most yards (5,038); 7th most touchdowns (41); 5th
most completions (421) and 3rd most attempts (663).
Staff ord was one of three NFL quarterbacks, along with Saints
QB Drew Brees and Patriots QB Tom Brady, to fi nish 2011 in the
top fi ve of all six major passing categories: 3rd in yards (5,038);
3rd in touchdown passes (41); 5th in quarterback rating (97.2):
5th in completion-percentage (63.5); 1st in attempts (663); 2nd
in completions (421).
Despite injuries at the Lions quarterback spot in 2010, all three
of the team’s signal callers maintained production throughout
the season and all three have led the Lions to victory. In all, the
Lions started Staff ord (3 games), QB Shaun Hill (10 Games) and
QB Drew Stanton (3 games), and the team ranked third in the NFL
in completions (383), third in attempts (633), 12th in gross passing
yards (4,001) and were tied for 11th in touchdown passes (26).
The 2010 quarterback unit also produced 26 touchdown passes
and 16 interceptions for a +10 diff erence. The last team to fi nishethe
season having three quarterbacks start three games and
fi nish with a +10 TD to Int ratio was the Philadelphia Eagles in
1993 (+10, 23 TD to 13 Int; Randall Cunningham, Bubby Brister
and Ken O’Brien).
Downing originally entered the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings,
spending three years on the Vikings coaching staff as the Off ensive
Quality Control Coach (2005) and football systems analyst (2003-04),
helping the Vikings to a Top 5 Off ense in all three years and a playoff
appearance in 2004. During the summers from 2000-02, Downing
played quarterback for a semi-pro team, the Minnesota Maulers.
Before entering the NFL ranks, Downing began his coaching career
with Eden Prairie High School in Minneapolis (1999-2000). In 2000,
he helped his alma mater to the Minnesota Class 5-A state title.
A native of Eden Prairie, Min., Downing studied Business
Communications at the University of Minnesota (1999-2002) and now
resides in Michigan with his wife Julie.
DOWNING’S BACKGROUND
Detroit Lions .......................................................................... 2009-
Quaterbacks .................................................................................................2012-
Assistant Quarterbacks ........................................................................ 2010-11
Off ensive Quality Control ............................................................................2009
St. Louis Rams ....................................................................2006-08
EXECUTIVES & COACHING
Detroit<strong>lions</strong>.com
Media.Detroit<strong>lions</strong>.com
Assistant Secondary/Defensive Quality Control ...................................2008
Defensive Assistant /Assistant Special Teams .............................. 2006-07
Minnesota Vikings .............................................................. 2003-05
Off ensive Quality Control ............................................................................2005
Football Systems Analyst ................................................................... 2003-04
Eden Prairie High School ..........................................................1999
Assistant Coach .............................................................................................1999
SAM
GASH
Running Backs
Years with Lions: 6
Years in NFL: 8
Sam Gash enters his sixth season with the Lions, his fi h as
running backs coach. He came to Detroit prior to the 2007 season as
assistant special teams coach.
LIONS COACHING HIGHLIGHTS
Gash leads a running backs unit that looks to generate explosive plays
inside and out with the combination of third-year RB Jahvid Best and
2011 second-round pick RB Mikel Leshoure.
Last season, Best had tallied 677 total yards and three touchdowns
in six games before his season ended due to a concussion.
In 2010, Best fi nished the season as the team’s leading rusher
(555); he was second among all NFL rookies in receptions (58)
and fourth in rushing yards.
Overall, Best tallied 1,042 total yards from scrimmage and became
the sixth rookie in team history with 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
Before joining the Lions, Gash spent two seasons (2005-06) as
the New York Jets’ assistant running backs and assistant special
teams coach. He entered the NFL coaching ranks following a 12-year
playing career with the New England Patriots (1992-97), Buff alo Bills
(1998-99, 2003) and Baltimore Ravens (2000-02).
As a player, Gash earned a reputation as one of the most physical
fullbacks in the league and was named to two Pro Bowls (1999-2000).
In 1999, he became the fi rst back ever selected to the Pro Bowl without
recording a rushing attempt.
Gash was an eighth-round dra choice (205th overall) of the New
England Patriots in the 1992 NFL Dra out of Penn State. He recorded
177 regular season games and also appeared in 11 postseason games.
Gash carried the ball 121 times, scored two rushing touchdowns
and added 169 receptions for 1,347 yards for an 8.0 average and 13
touchdowns. He was also active on various protection and coverage
units throughout his career.
At Penn State, Gash was the top fullback as a junior and senior.
He served as off ensive captain as a senior and had a career-high 391
rushing yards and three touchdowns on 87 carries. As a junior, Gash
started every game and posted 315 yards and fi ve scores on 95 carries.
He earned his undergraduate degree in liberal arts with an emphasis
in speech communication, marketing and management. He and his
wife, Alicia, have a daughter, Samantha, and sons Kolby, Elijah, Isaiah,
Caleb, Samson and Gideon.
GASH’S BACKGROUND
Detroit Lions .......................................................................... 2007-
Running Backs .............................................................................................2008-
Assistant Special Teams .............................................................................2007
New York Jets .................................................................... 2005-06
Asst. Special Teams/Asst. Running Backs ....................................... 2005-06