David Duggan enters his second season as the Red Wolves’ assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2020.
Duggan’s first year at A-State saw the program complete the 2019 season with an 8-5 overall record with victories in four of its last five games, including a 36-24 win over Florida International in the Camellia Bowl.
The Red Wolves’ proved to have an opportunistic defense under Duggan in 2019, posting 19 turnovers gained that ranked second in the Sun Belt and 48th in the nation. The unit turned three of those turnovers into touchdowns, which ranked third in the league and 12th in the country. The Red Wolves’ recorded 12 interceptions that ranked second in the conference and 31st in FBS, while they also added seven fumble recoveries.
Duggan molded a defense that thrived when backed up near its own end zone, ranking second in the Sun Belt and 24th in the nation in red zone defense. The Red Wolves also ranked fourth in the Sun Belt in third-down defense (.379), and they compiled a 134.3 pass efficiency defense rating that was good for third in the league.
Defensive end William Bradley-King was a First Team All-Sun Belt selection who led the team in both sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (13.5), helping A-State rank fourth in the league in both statistical categories. Bradley-King was one of six defensive players for the Red Wolves’ to earn all-conference honors, also including first team-choice and defensive back Darreon Jackson.
The Duggan-coached linebackers had two players land on the all-conference squad. Tajhea Chambers was a third-team selection and Caleb Bonner an honorable mention choice after both enjoyed the best seasons of their careers.
Duggan responded with great character and leadership to challenging circumstances early in his first year with the Red Wolves when he was named A-State’s Interim Head Coach on Aug. 19, 2019. He was elevated to the role just before Wendy Anderson, head coach Blake Anderson’s wife, passed away following her courageous battle with cancer.
Duggan remained in the role until Anderson returned for the UNLV game, A-State’s second of the season. Not only did Duggan provide stability and help lead the Red Wolves’ through a difficult time, the team dropped a narrow 37-30 decision in its season opener against an SMU team that ended the year receiving votes in both the Associated Press and Coaches Top 25 Polls.
Duggan came to Arkansas State from Western Michigan, where he served as the Broncos’ linebackers coach the previous three seasons and also the special teams coordinator since 2017.
During his time with the Broncos, he helped lead the program to a pair of bowl games, a Mid-American Conference championship and a combined 26-13 record. His initial year with the program saw Western Michigan post an undefeated 13-0 regular-season record, a final No. 12 ranking and a berth in the Cotton Bowl, where it dropped a narrow 24-16 decision to Wisconsin.
He was part of a 2018 coaching staff that directed Western Michigan to a 7-6 overall record and an appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
During his time with the Broncos, he coached a pair of All-MAC linebackers in Robert Spillane and Asantay Brown, who was a two-time selection. They each signed NFL free agent contracts following the 2017 season. Duggan also saw four of his special teams players tabbed All-MAC, including the league’s Special Teams Player of the Year in kickoff and punt returner Darius Phillips.
Duggan spent two different stints with Southern Miss prior to Western Michigan, the last from 2013-16 as the Golden Eagles defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. While there, he was part of one of the best turn-arounds in the FBS in 2015 as Southern Miss went from a 3-9 record in 2014 to a 9-5 mark, a berth in the Conference USA championship game and an appearance in the Heart of Dallas Bowl the following year. His defense ranked third in C-USA along with the top ranked player in interceptions as Kalan Reed had four.
Prior to returning to Southern Miss, Duggan was at North Carolina in 2012 as the outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator with the Tar Heels. He helped lead the team to an 8-4 finish, the best winning percentage for the program since 1997. The team blocked three punts and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
His first stop in Hattiesburg from 2008-11 had the Golden Eagles set an NCAA record for most interceptions returned for touchdowns with 12. He coached eventual NFL draft pick Jamie Collins, who went to the New England Patriots. He took over the defensive coordinator role in Hattiesburg in 2011, while also coaching linebackers all four seasons.
Aside from his college days, Duggan was the head coach of the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe from 2006-07. His defense ranked No. 1 in the overseas league both seasons. He spent a total of six seasons in NFL Europe with Cologne, along with the Berlin Thunder. He was also a member of the staff that won the World Bowl in 2001 and 2002 with Berlin.
Duggan also had multiple stops in the northeast, coaching at Brown, Col-gate, Holy Cross, New Hampshire and Alleghany College. He earned his bachelor’s degree from New Hampshire in 1986, where he played from 1982-86.
Duggan and his wife, Lynne, have two daughters Olivia and Grace.
