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Doug Socha (born c. 1975) is an American football coach. He is the head football coach for Lenoir–Rhyne University, a position he has held since 2024. Socha led the Keiser Seahawks to back-to-back NAIA Football National Championship title games in 2022 and 2023: winning in 2023.

Playing career and education

Socha played college football for Los Angeles Valley College and Mesa State as a defensive back. In 1999, he graduated from California State University, Northridge.

Coaching career

In 1997, Socha was an assistant football coach for Grand Junction High School. From 1998 to 1999 Socha was the defensive backs coach for the College of the Canyons. In 2000, Socha joined Buffalo as a graduate assistant before becoming the team's wide receivers coach from 2001 to 2005.

Socha spent four years—2006 to 2009—as the offensive coordinator for American Heritage School in Delray Beach, Florida, before being promoted to head football coach in 2010. In August 2012, Socha was hired as the inaugural head football coach for Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida. He held that position until 2015 when his contract with the school expired.

In 2016, Socha coached for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL) as an offensive analyst.

in 2017, Socha was hired as the first head football coach for Keiser.

In the team's first varsity season in 2018, Socha led the team to a 6–4 record and third in the Mid-South Conference's (MSC) Sun Division. From 2019 to 2021 he led the team to three-consecutive nine-win seasons and three-consecutive Sun Division championships. In 2019, the team went 9–1, made their first-ever appearance in the NAIA playoffs, and received a final ranking of nine in the NAIA poll. The following season, in 2020, he led the team to another 9–1 record including a trip to the NAIA semifinal and a final ranking of four. Despite the season being shortened to six weeks due to COVID-19, Socha's Seahawks had not lost a conference game since his first season. In 2021, the team went 9–3 and made it to the quarterfinal in the playoffs. Prior to the 2022 season, Keiser announced that it was transitioning conferences and would now compete in the Sun Conference (TSC). In their first season, he led the team to a 9–4 record and a perfect 6–0 record in the conference. The team made their deepest playoff push in school history as they made it to the 2022 NAIA Football National Championship. They ultimately lost to Northwestern (IA) 35–25. The following year the team bounced back and finished with a program-best 12–2 record with their two losses coming against NCAA Division II teams. The team once again won TSC and made their second-straight NAIA Championship appearance. This time, they won and defeated Northwestern (IA) 31–21. After the season, Socha resigned and ended his tenure with a 54–15 record overall and five division or conference championships in six total seasons.

In 2024, Socha was hired as the head football coach for Lenoir–Rhyne, an NCAA Division II program.

Head coaching record

College

High school

References

1. Garcia, Irene (September 25, 1994). "Valley Takes Break From Tradition in 20-0 WSC Victory Over Glendale". The Los Angeles Times. p. 76. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
2. Arnold, Patti (October 29, 1995). "Mavs stampede Highlands, break losing streak". The Daily Sentinel. p. 36. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
3. "Doug Socha - Head Football Coach - No. 3 Football Coaches". Keiser University Athletics. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
4. Webmaster (January 19, 2017). "Keiser University Announces Football Coach". Keiser University. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
5. "Buffalo Bills Add Doug Socha as Offensive Assistant". BuffaLowDown. September 3, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
6. Porter, Matt; Greer, Jeff (June 26, 2012). "Heritage football coach resigns". The Palm Beach Post. West Palm Beach, Florida. p. 2C. Retrieved December 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
7. Greer, Jeff (August 23, 2012). "Socha chosen as first football coach". The Palm Beach Post. West Palm Beach, Florida. p. 3C. Retrieved December 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
8. Luciano, Joseph. "Veteran coach to take helm of Oxbridge's first football program". Palm Beach Daily News. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
9. Wagner, Jodie. "Football: Coach Doug Socha, athletic director Craig Sponsky let go". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
10. Dusenbury, Wells (August 26, 2016). "Former Oxbridge coach Doug Socha takes coaching position with Buffalo Bills". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
11. Lichtenstein, Adam. "Doug Socha welcomes challenge of building Keiser football program". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
12. "2018 No. 3 Football Schedule". Keiser University Athletics. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
13. "PHOTOS: Best of Keiser football from 2019". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
14. Peterman, Alex. "Keiser University football prepares for shortened football season amid "new normal"". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
15. "2021 No. 3 Football Schedule". Keiser University Athletics. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
16. LaLiberte, Jeff (December 17, 2023). "Keiser University Seahawks Battle Northwestern Red Raiders for NAIA Football Championship". Keiser University. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
17. "2023 No. 3 Football Schedule". Keiser University Athletics. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
18. McCreery, Suzi (December 18, 2023). "Keiser University Claims NAIA Football National Championship". Keiser University. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
19. "Doug Socha Named Lenoir-Rhyne Football Head Coach". Lenoir-Rhyne University Athletics. January 29, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
20. Lusk, Eric (February 6, 2024). "Lenoir-Rhyne football worked quickly to land new coach Doug Socha - NCFootballNews". Retrieved May 15, 2024.

External links

• Lenoir–Rhyne profile
• Keiser profile

• 1970s births
• Living people
• American football defensive backs
• Buffalo Bills coaches
• Buffalo Bulls football coaches
• College of the Canyons Cougars football coaches
• Colorado Mesa Mavericks football players
• Keiser Seahawks football coaches
• Los Angeles Valley Monarchs football players
• High school football coaches in Colorado
• High school football coaches in Florida
• California State University, Northridge alumni
• People from North Tonawanda, New York
• Coaches of American football from New York (state)
• Players of American football from New York (state)