Adrian College

Jim Deere, a 1989 graduate of Adrian College and four-year letter winner for the Bulldogs’ football program, is set to embark on his twelfth season as its head coach.

Since taking the reins in November of 2009, Deere has posted an overall record of 64-45, including 40 conference wins within the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).
In addition to his bounty of wins, Deere has also led Adrian to two MIAA championships, the first of which coming in 2012 before adding his second in 2014.

Many school records, both team and individual have been set or tied during Deere’s tenure, including four-time All-MIAA First Team running back Emmanuel Stewart’s establishment of numerous Adrian rushing benchmarks for a single-game, season and a career.

An impressive total of 94 all-conference citations have been garnered under Deere’s leadership, including 45 first-teamers. Furthermore, scores of student-athletes have received academic All-American accolades, as well as MIAA weekly honors. It is also worth noting that eighteen of the Bulldogs’ MIAA-record 37 D3football.com Team of the Week national awards have come under Deere’s watch.

In 2017, senior kicker was named a D3football.com All-American, marking the first student-athlete to receive such recognition under Deere’s tenure.

In 2012, Adrian tied the school record with nine wins and went unblemished in conference action, outscoring opponents 147-40.

The Bulldogs closed the 2012 campaign ranked number 25 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) NCAA Division III poll and hosted the school’s first NCAA playoff game against Franklin College (Ind.).

In the final 2012 NCAA statistical rankings, Adrian’s defense listed seventh in total yards, 10th in scoring, 14th in passing and 25th in rushing.

Deere’s second season--in 2011--saw the Bulldogs finish 8-2 overall and 4-2 in the MIAA.

That team finished third in the league standings and lost both games by only 17 points combined, including one of those losses in overtime on the road at Hope College.

The Bulldogs started 2011 with a 7-0 record and were ranked as high as 16th nationally by the AFCA.

The team’s first win of the season saw Adrian travel to Husson University, setting a school record for points in a 77-7 victory on Sep. 2, 2011. The team also had two very exciting road wins: 17-14 at Augustana on a last-second field goal and snapping a long losing streak against conference rival Trine with a 26-7 triumph against the 17th-ranked Thunder in Angola, Ind.

Adrian led the MIAA in scoring offense (32.5 points per game) and scoring defense (14.2 ppg) in 2011. Also, the defensive unit led the MIAA in five different statistical categories.
Deere’s 2011 defense was once again stellar by ranking seventh nationally in pass efficiency (89.28). The team allowed 124.9 yards per game on the ground and ranked 15th nationally in total defense (263.10 ypg). The aggressive nature of the defense was also highlighted by finishing sixth nationally in tackles for loss per game (8.8). 

Deere’s first season as head coach featured one of the strongest schedules in school history and the Bulldogs went 5-5 overall and finished in a second-place tie in the MIAA with a 4-2 league mark in 2010. 

That season, Adrian had four first-team All-MIAA players and five more make the second team all-conference.

The team ranked second in MIAA total defense yielding 308.2 yards per game. The Bulldogs also ranked second in turnover margin (+4) and rushing defense (124.5 ypg). Deere’s first win came on Sep. 11, 2010, with a 40-14 triumph over Defiance College. Deere’s defense also pitched a shutout on Oct. 9 at Olivet (41-0).

Prior to taking on the head coaching position for the Bulldogs, Deere served as Adrian’s defensive coordinator for three seasons from 2007 to 2009. As the defensive coordinator the Bulldogs quietly became one of the more feared defensive units in Division III and the statistics tell the story. In 2009, Adrian finished first in the MIAA in five different categories including scoring defense (16.2 ppg), passing defense (162.3 ypg), total defense (281.6 ypg), pass efficiency defense (94.0) and sacks (26 for minus 158 yards).

In addition, AC was 16th nationally in pass efficiency defense, 28th in scoring defense and 17th in tackles for loss.

In 2008, Adrian finished fourth in Division III in total defense limiting its opponents to 239 yards per game. In addition, Deere’s crew ranked fourth in scoring defense (12.4), seventh in rushing defense (71.2 ypg) and fourth in tackles for loss (9.1 per game).

The Bulldog defense finished 2007 as one of the best in school history. The defense ranked first in the MIAA in nine different statistical categories and finished the year ranked sixth in total defense in Division III. The 'Dogs allowed just 74.6 yards per game on the ground (10th nationally) and 14.4 points per game (12th nationally).

Along with his experience at AC, Deere coached at Sterling Heights Stevenson High School in 1993 and 1994 and Morenci High School in 1996.

Coach Deere's Career Record at Adrian