Paul Darragh was named head coach of Bloomsburg University on December 6, 2013 after being appointed interim head coach in February, 2013. Overall, he will be starting his 22nd season with the Huskies in 2018 and his sixth as head coach.
Darragh begins his sixth season in 2018. He holds a 41-17 record as the head coach of the Huskies.Â
The Huskies went 7-4 and 4-3 in the PSAC East in 2017. Nine Huskies were named All-PSAC East including defensive tackle Jake Klinger, who was an All-Region selection by two different organizations and also a Don Hansen first team All-American.Â
Darragh entered the 2017 campaign with a 34-13 overall record (.723). The 34 victories over his first four seasons marks the most wins in the first four years of a coaching career at Bloomsburg while his .723 winning percentage is the second-best mark during the first four years of a coaching tenure (Robert Redman went 30-4 (.882) from 1947 to 1950). With Darragh on the Huskies’ staff, dating back to his first season as defensive coordinator in 1997, Bloomsburg has compiled an overall record of 175-57 (.754).
In 2016, the Huskies saw their streak of 17 consecutive seasons of at least seven victories come to an end but, Bloomsburg did extend its consecutive winning season streak to 18 straight as the team went 6-5 overall and finished in a tie for third place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division with a 4-3 mark. The Huskies have not had a losing record since going 5-6 during the 1998 season - Darragh’s second year on the staff.
Six players earned All-PSAC East First or Second Team nods with redshirt sophomore defensive lineman, Chris Gary, also earning Second Team All-American accolades from Don Hansen. Gary finished the season with a PSAC-leading 12.5 sacks - one shy of tying the school record of 13.5 set by Larry Webster in 2012. Bloomsburg’s defense, in particular, was good last season as it finished second in the conference in passing yards allowed per game (193.2) and was fifth in points allowed per contest (23.7).
The 2015 edition saw the Huskies finish fourth in the PSAC in rushing offense (228.7), aided by Lawrence Elliott, Jr., who finished as the league’s leading rusher in yards per game (131.5). Bloomsburg also finished second in the conference in scoring defense (19.7) and second in total defense (320.8). At year’s end, Bloomsburg had nine players named to the All-PSAC East First or Second Teams with Elliott, Jr. also capturing All-Region Second Team honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners’ Association (D2CCA).
The first two seasons of the Darragh Era will go down as two of the strongest in Huskies history. Darragh posted a 21-4 overall record, back-to-back PSAC East titles, two NCAA Playoff berths, and a PSAC Championship (2013) while being named PSAC East Coach of the Year in both 2013 and 2014. He also became the fastest Huskies’ head coach to reach 20 victories. Following the 2014 season, he was honored as the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Super Region One Coach of the Year.
The 2014 squad won its first ten games on the way to an 11-2 record, clinching the PSAC East crown and the second seed in the Super Region One playoff bracket. Bloomsburg reached the regional championship game, after a second round playoff win over Virginia State, to remain as one of the final eight teams in the nation left playing. Darragh guided a team that excelled on both sides of the ball - the offense recorded over 220 yards of rushing and nearly 34 points per game. Defensively, Bloomsburg ranked first in the PSAC and sixth in the nation in scoring defense while surrendering just 15.4 points per game. The Huskies also led Division II in turnovers generated, recording a school record 43, and led the country in turnover margin at +30. A PSAC-best 14 players were named All-Conference following the year including senior middle linebacker Justin Shirk who earned PSAC East and Daktronics Super Region One Defensive Player of the Year honors.
During the 2013 season, Darragh led the Huskies to a 10-2 record, a PSAC championship, and a berth in the NCAA Playoffs as part of the best season for any first-year head coach in Bloomsburg history. He was named the PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year. The Huskies took home numerous awards following the season including having four All-Americans and the 2013 Harlon Hill Award winner in running back Franklyn Quiteh. Darragh also coached All-American defensive end Larry Webster, who was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, and offensive lineman Matt Feiler who was signed to the practice squad of the Houston Texans. Feiler is now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization.
Prior to taking over the reins as the head coach, Darragh served as the Huskies’ defensive coordinator for 16 years under legendary head coach, Danny Hale. Under Darragh’s leadership, the Huskies’ defense ranked in the top-half of the PSAC in total defense in seven of his last 11 seasons in the role, including back-to-back second-place finishes in 2000 and 2001 and a second-place ranking in 2009. The Huskies also ranked among the best in the PSAC in run defense, finishing first or second five times.
The 2009 Huskies led the PSAC, and finished third nationally, in scoring defense (13.36/game). Bloomsburg also led the conference in sacks, ranking 14th nationally (3.09 per game). In 2010, the Huskies were eighth in Division II in rushing defense (85.38 yards per game). Under Darragh’s leadership as the defensive coordinator, the Bloomsburg defense finished in the top-15 in NCAA Division II six times from 2000 to 2012.
While serving as the defensive coordinator, Darragh also coached 57 First Team All-PSAC performers, ten All-Americans, and three PSAC East Defensive Players of the Year in Justin Shirk (2014), Anthony Smith (2009) and Mike Varanavage (2010).
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Prior to Bloomsburg, Darragh worked for two years at Indiana (PA) as the linebackers coach. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Temple from 1987-89. From there, Darragh coached the linebackers at Northeastern and Gannon before being promoted to defensive coordinator at Gannon.
He moved from Gannon to the defensive coordinator post at William Paterson College before joining the Indiana (PA) staff. A three-year starter and captain for Temple, he graduated in 1985 after earning All-East honors as an inside linebacker.
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Darragh and his wife, Yelena, live in Bloomsburg and are the parents of three children Sasha, 30, Lemuel, 27, and Gabriel, 17.
YEAR-BY-YEAR AT BLOOMSBURG
| HEAD COACH |
|
|
|
|
| YEAR |
W |
L |
PCT |
POSTSEASON |
| 2017 |
7 |
4 |
.636 |
|
| 2016 |
6 |
5 |
.545 |
|
| 2015 |
7 |
4 |
.636 |
|
| 2014 |
11 |
2 |
.846 |
PSAC East Champions / NCAA Quarterfinalist |
| 2013 |
10 |
2 |
.833 |
PSAC Champions / NCAA Second Round |
|
|
|
|
|
| DEF. COORD. |
|
|
|
|
| 2012 |
10 |
2 |
.833 |
NCAA First Round |
| 2011 |
9 |
2 |
.714 |
|
| 2010 |
10 |
3 |
.769 |
PSAC East Champions / NCAA Second Round |
| 2009 |
8 |
3 |
.727 |
|
| 2008 |
11 |
2 |
.846 |
NCAA Quarterfinalist |
| 2007 |
7 |
3 |
.700 |
|
| 2006 |
12 |
2 |
.857 |
PSAC East Champions / NCAA Northeast Region Champions / National Semifinalist |
| 2005 |
11 |
1 |
.917 |
PSAC East Champions / NCAA Second Round |
| 2004 |
7 |
3 |
.700 |
|
| 2003 |
7 |
4 |
.636 |
PSAC East Co-Champions |
| 2002 |
8 |
2 |
.800 |
PSAC East Co-Champions |
| 2001 |
9 |
2 |
.818 |
PSAC East Champions / NCAA First Round |
| 2000 |
12 |
3 |
.800 |
PSAC East Champions / NCAA Northeast Region Champions / National Runner-Up |
| 1999 |
7 |
4 |
.636 |
|
| 1998 |
5 |
6 |
.455 |
|
| 1997 |
8 |
2 |
.800 |
PSAC East Champions |
