Army West Point Athletics
Darren Paige Joins Football Coaching Staff
January 17, 2023 | Football
WEST POINT, NY – Army Head Coach Jeff Monken has announced the hiring of running backs coach Darren Paige on Wednesday. Paige spent the last two seasons (2021-22) as the running backs coach at the University of Cincinnati.
"I am proud to welcome Darren Paige and his family to the Army Football Brotherhood. Darren is a servant-minded leader who will be a fantastic fit for our culture. He has a wide variety of experience as a coach including a history-making tenure with Cincinnati, competing in the College Football Playoff in 2021. I know that he will make an immediate impact in the development of our young men." -- Head Coach Jeff Monken
This past season, Paige helped Cincinnati to a 9-4 record and an appearance in the Fenway Bowl. Cincinnati rushed for 1,686 yards, led by 849 yards and seven touchdowns from Charles McClelland.
In his first year leading the Bearcats running back's room in 2021, he aided in the development of then junior Jerome Ford, who had one of the best seasons ever for a Cincinnati running back as the Bearcats tallied a 13-1 record for the first time in school history, won the American Athletic Conference Championship and secured a spot in the 2021 College Football Playoff.
Ford was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 156 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
He rushed for 1,319 yards and a school-record-tying 19 touchdowns in 2021. He collected 2021 AAC Championship Game MVP honors after rushing for 187 yards with touchdowns of 79 yards and 42 yards in the 35-20 win over Houston.
As a unit, the UC rushing attack averaged 5.2 yards per carry – second in the AAC and the 18th-best mark in the country. Cincinnati led the AAC with 34 rushing touchdowns and finished fourth in the league with 172.6 rushing yards per game.
Overall, the UC offense broke the school records for touchdowns (70) and points scored (516).
"I am very excited to be a part of the Army Brotherhood. My family and I are so grateful for Coach Monken and his staff for extending this opportunity to us. I am looking forward to building relationships with the current cadet-athletes and to hit the road to find more great young men and educating them on how great of an opportunity Army Football is. I can't wait to get started!" -- Running Backs Coach Darren Paige
Prior to Cincinnati, he coached wide receivers at Eastern Michigan in 2019 and 2020.
In 2019, the EMU offense set the program record for touchdowns in a season (49), touchdown passes in a season (27), and passes completed in a season (313). Additionally, EMU's 285 first downs, 379 points, and 5,271 total yards of offense ranked second all-time in program history.
Paige has also made coaching stops at Midwestern State (2013-16, wide receivers/recruiting coordinator), Holy Cross (2017, wide receivers), and Stony Brook (2018, wide receivers).
The former collegiate standout also enjoyed a two-year professional career (2008-09) with the Peoria Pirates of the Arena Football League 2, seeing action in 20 games. In his second season, he hauled in 63 passes for 663 yards and nine touchdowns while returning 34 kickoffs for 678 yards and another score.
The Rossford, Ohio native graduated from Findlay in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in social work and completed his master's degree at Kent State in 2013.
Paige and his wife, Amanda, have a son, Brandon (Zek), and a daughter, Aniyah.
COACHING CAREER
YEAR: SCHOOL – POSITION
2009: Haines City (Fla.) HS – Co-Offensive Coordinator/QBs
2011: Gannon – Wide Receivers
2012: Kent State – Graduate Assistant
2013: Midwestern State – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator
2014: Midwestern State – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator
2015: Midwestern State – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator
2016: Midwestern State – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator
2017: Holy Cross – Wide Receivers
2018: Stony Brook – Wide Receivers
2019: Eastern Michigan – Wide Receivers
2020: Eastern Michigan – Wide Receivers
2021: Cincinnati – Running Backs
2022: Cincinnati – Running Backs
2023: Army West Point – Running Backs
BOWLS COACHED IN
YEAR: SCHOOL - BOWL
2012: Kent State - GoDaddy.com
2019: Eastern Michigan – Quick Lanes
2021: Cincinnati – Cotton (CFP Semifinal)
2022: Cincinnati - Fenway Bowl
"I am proud to welcome Darren Paige and his family to the Army Football Brotherhood. Darren is a servant-minded leader who will be a fantastic fit for our culture. He has a wide variety of experience as a coach including a history-making tenure with Cincinnati, competing in the College Football Playoff in 2021. I know that he will make an immediate impact in the development of our young men." -- Head Coach Jeff Monken
This past season, Paige helped Cincinnati to a 9-4 record and an appearance in the Fenway Bowl. Cincinnati rushed for 1,686 yards, led by 849 yards and seven touchdowns from Charles McClelland.
In his first year leading the Bearcats running back's room in 2021, he aided in the development of then junior Jerome Ford, who had one of the best seasons ever for a Cincinnati running back as the Bearcats tallied a 13-1 record for the first time in school history, won the American Athletic Conference Championship and secured a spot in the 2021 College Football Playoff.
Ford was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 156 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
He rushed for 1,319 yards and a school-record-tying 19 touchdowns in 2021. He collected 2021 AAC Championship Game MVP honors after rushing for 187 yards with touchdowns of 79 yards and 42 yards in the 35-20 win over Houston.
As a unit, the UC rushing attack averaged 5.2 yards per carry – second in the AAC and the 18th-best mark in the country. Cincinnati led the AAC with 34 rushing touchdowns and finished fourth in the league with 172.6 rushing yards per game.
Overall, the UC offense broke the school records for touchdowns (70) and points scored (516).
"I am very excited to be a part of the Army Brotherhood. My family and I are so grateful for Coach Monken and his staff for extending this opportunity to us. I am looking forward to building relationships with the current cadet-athletes and to hit the road to find more great young men and educating them on how great of an opportunity Army Football is. I can't wait to get started!" -- Running Backs Coach Darren Paige
Prior to Cincinnati, he coached wide receivers at Eastern Michigan in 2019 and 2020.
In 2019, the EMU offense set the program record for touchdowns in a season (49), touchdown passes in a season (27), and passes completed in a season (313). Additionally, EMU's 285 first downs, 379 points, and 5,271 total yards of offense ranked second all-time in program history.
Paige has also made coaching stops at Midwestern State (2013-16, wide receivers/recruiting coordinator), Holy Cross (2017, wide receivers), and Stony Brook (2018, wide receivers).
The former collegiate standout also enjoyed a two-year professional career (2008-09) with the Peoria Pirates of the Arena Football League 2, seeing action in 20 games. In his second season, he hauled in 63 passes for 663 yards and nine touchdowns while returning 34 kickoffs for 678 yards and another score.
The Rossford, Ohio native graduated from Findlay in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in social work and completed his master's degree at Kent State in 2013.
Paige and his wife, Amanda, have a son, Brandon (Zek), and a daughter, Aniyah.
COACHING CAREER
YEAR: SCHOOL – POSITION
2009: Haines City (Fla.) HS – Co-Offensive Coordinator/QBs
2011: Gannon – Wide Receivers
2012: Kent State – Graduate Assistant
2013: Midwestern State – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator
2014: Midwestern State – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator
2015: Midwestern State – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator
2016: Midwestern State – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator
2017: Holy Cross – Wide Receivers
2018: Stony Brook – Wide Receivers
2019: Eastern Michigan – Wide Receivers
2020: Eastern Michigan – Wide Receivers
2021: Cincinnati – Running Backs
2022: Cincinnati – Running Backs
2023: Army West Point – Running Backs
BOWLS COACHED IN
YEAR: SCHOOL - BOWL
2012: Kent State - GoDaddy.com
2019: Eastern Michigan – Quick Lanes
2021: Cincinnati – Cotton (CFP Semifinal)
2022: Cincinnati - Fenway Bowl
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