Detroit Lions vs atLanta faLcons JOHNSON'S Mega-PURSUIT 2012 ...
Detroit Lions vs atLanta faLcons JOHNSON'S Mega-PURSUIT 2012 ...
Detroit Lions vs atLanta faLcons JOHNSON'S Mega-PURSUIT 2012 ...
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BURKE’S BACKGROUND<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>Lions</strong> .......................................................................... 2009-<br />
Linebackers ..................................................................................................2009-<br />
Tennessee Titans .................................................................2004-08<br />
defensive asst. /Quality control......................................................... 2006-08<br />
administrative asst. .............................................................................. 2004-05<br />
Harvard ...................................................................................2003<br />
asst. secondary/cornerbacks ....................................................................2003<br />
Boston College ................................................................... 2000-02<br />
graduate assistant ................................................................................ 2000-02<br />
Bridgton Academy (Maine) ...................................................1998-99<br />
secondary ................................................................................................ 1998-99<br />
toDD<br />
DoWning<br />
Quarterbacks<br />
Years with <strong>Lions</strong>: 4<br />
Years in NFL: 10<br />
todd downing enters his fourth season with the <strong>Lions</strong> and his third<br />
working with quarterbacks. he spent his first season with detroit as<br />
an offensive quality control coach. Before joining the <strong>Lions</strong>, he coached<br />
three seasons with st. Louis as an assistant secondary/defensive<br />
quality control coach (2008) and a defensive assistant coach/assistant<br />
special teams coach (2006-07).<br />
LIONS COACHING HIGHLIGHTS:<br />
downing coaches a quarterback corps led by QB Matthew stafford<br />
who has emerged as one of the top young quarterbacks in the nFL.<br />
¾ stafford set franchise passing records for yards (5,038), touchdowns<br />
(41), completions (421) and attempts (663).<br />
¾ he also established the team’s all-time best single-season<br />
completion percentage (63.5) and passer rating (97.2). Based on<br />
nFL qualifier of minimum 244 attempts.<br />
¾ stafford’s numbers also ranked among the best in nFL history:<br />
4th quarterback to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single<br />
season; 5th most yards (5,038); 7th most touchdowns (41); 5th<br />
most completions (421) and 3rd most attempts (663).<br />
¾ stafford was one of three nFL quarterbacks, along with saints<br />
QB drew Brees and Patriots QB tom Brady, to finish 2011 in the<br />
top five of all six major passing categories: 3rd in yards (5,038);<br />
3rd in touchdown passes (41); 5th in quarterback rating (97.2):<br />
5th in completion-percentage (63.5); 1st in attempts (663); 2nd<br />
in completions (421).<br />
¾ despite injuries at the <strong>Lions</strong> quarterback spot in 2010, all three<br />
of the team’s signal callers maintained production throughout<br />
the season and all three have led the <strong>Lions</strong> to victory. in all, the<br />
<strong>Lions</strong> started stafford (3 games), QB shaun hill (10 games) and<br />
QB drew stanton (3 games), and the team ranked third in the nFL<br />
in completions (383), third in attempts (633), 12th in gross passing<br />
yards (4,001) and were tied for 11th in touchdown passes (26).<br />
¾ the 2010 quarterback unit also produced 26 touchdown passes<br />
and 16 interceptions for a +10 difference. the last team to finishethe<br />
season having three quarterbacks start three games and<br />
finish with a +10 td to int ratio was the Philadelphia Eagles in<br />
1993 (+10, 23 td to 13 int; Randall cunningham, Bubby Brister<br />
and Ken o’Brien).<br />
downing originally entered the nFL with the Minnesota vikings,<br />
spending three years on the vikings coaching staff as the offensive<br />
Quality control coach (2005) and football systems analyst (2003-04),<br />
helping the vikings to a top 5 offense in all three years and a playoff<br />
appearance in 2004. during the summers from 2000-02, downing<br />
played quarterback for a semi-pro team, the Minnesota Maulers.<br />
Before entering the nFL ranks, downing began his coaching career<br />
with Eden Prairie high school in Minneapolis (1999-2000). in 2000,<br />
he helped his alma mater to the Minnesota class 5-a state title.<br />
a native of Eden Prairie, Min., downing studied Business<br />
communications at the university of Minnesota (1999-2002) and now<br />
resides in Michigan with his wife Julie.<br />
DOWNING’S BACKGROUND<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>Lions</strong> .......................................................................... 2009-<br />
Quaterbacks .................................................................................................<strong>2012</strong>assistant<br />
Quarterbacks ........................................................................ 2010-11<br />
offensive Quality control ............................................................................2009<br />
St. Louis Rams ....................................................................2006-08<br />
executives & coaching<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
Media.<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
assistant secondary/defensive Quality control ...................................2008<br />
defensive assistant /assistant special teams .............................. 2006-07<br />
Minnesota Vikings .............................................................. 2003-05<br />
offensive Quality control ............................................................................2005<br />
Football systems analyst ................................................................... 2003-04<br />
Eden Prairie High School ..........................................................1999<br />
assistant coach .............................................................................................1999<br />
sam<br />
gash<br />
Running Backs<br />
Years with <strong>Lions</strong>: 6<br />
Years in NFL: 8<br />
sam gash enters his sixth season with the <strong>Lions</strong>, his fifth as<br />
running backs coach. he came to detroit prior to the 2007 season as<br />
assistant special teams coach.<br />
LIONS COACHING HIGHLIGHTS<br />
gash leads a running backs unit that looks to generate explosive plays<br />
inside and out with the combination of third-year RB Jahvid Best and<br />
2011 second-round pick RB Mikel Leshoure.<br />
¾ Last season, Best had tallied 677 total yards and three touchdowns<br />
in six games before his season ended due to a concussion.<br />
¾ in 2010, Best finished the season as the team’s leading rusher<br />
(555); he was second among all nFL rookies in receptions (58)<br />
and fourth in rushing yards.<br />
¾ overall, Best tallied 1,042 total yards from scrimmage and became<br />
the sixth rookie in team history with 1,000 yards from scrimmage.<br />
Before joining the <strong>Lions</strong>, gash spent two seasons (2005-06) as<br />
the new York Jets’ assistant running backs and assistant special<br />
teams coach. he entered the nFL coaching ranks following a 12-year<br />
playing career with the new England Patriots (1992-97), Buffalo Bills<br />
(1998-99, 2003) and Baltimore Ravens (2000-02).<br />
as a player, gash earned a reputation as one of the most physical<br />
fullbacks in the league and was named to two Pro Bowls (1999-2000).<br />
in 1999, he became the first back ever selected to the Pro Bowl without<br />
recording a rushing attempt.<br />
gash was an eighth-round draft choice (205th overall) of the new<br />
England Patriots in the 1992 nFL draft out of Penn state. he recorded<br />
177 regular season games and also appeared in 11 postseason games.<br />
gash carried the ball 121 times, scored two rushing touchdowns<br />
and added 169 receptions for 1,347 yards for an 8.0 average and 13<br />
touchdowns. he was also active on various protection and coverage<br />
units throughout his career.<br />
at Penn state, gash was the top fullback as a junior and senior.<br />
he served as offensive captain as a senior and had a career-high 391<br />
rushing yards and three touchdowns on 87 carries. as a junior, gash<br />
started every game and posted 315 yards and five scores on 95 carries.<br />
he earned his undergraduate degree in liberal arts with an emphasis<br />
in speech communication, marketing and management. he and his<br />
wife, alicia, have a daughter, samantha, and sons Kolby, Elijah, isaiah,<br />
caleb, samson and gideon.<br />
GASH’S BACKGROUND<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>Lions</strong> .......................................................................... 2007-<br />
Running Backs .............................................................................................2008assistant<br />
special teams .............................................................................2007<br />
New York Jets .................................................................... 2005-06<br />
asst. special teams/asst. Running Backs ....................................... 2005-06