USD Football 2008

"He is a student of the game, elite class of coach, very knowledgeable,great recruiter,develops play– ers, motivated, competitor, great family man, high character and integrity.These are the qualities you seek in a head coach and we have found them in Ron Ca ragher.He has had access to some ofthe best minds in coaching in Terry Donohue, Bob Toledo and Rich Brooks. He has been a winner his whole life and we expect that will continue at USD." Prior to being hired at USD,Caragher,(pronounced "CARE-ah-ger"), spent four seasons (2003-2006) at the University of Kentucky as an assistant coach under Rich Brooks. He was the running backs coach all four years, and starting in 2005 served as Kentucky's Head Recruiting Coordinator. In 2006 Kentucky finished 8-5 overall, and 4-4 in the Southeast Conference Eastern Division, good for a tie for third place and the program's best league mark since 1993. The 8 wins is also the program's best win total sincetheir9-3campaign back in 1984. The Wildcats finished off the 2006 season in fine fashion as they upset Clemson, 28-20, in the Music City Bowl on December 29th.It was Kentucky's first bowl appearance since 1999, and the program's first bowl win in 22 years.

Head Coach Ron Caragher enters his second season at the helm of the Torero football pro– gram. His first season was outstanding as he guided the Toreros to a 9-2 overall mark and 6- 1 Pioneer Football League record,good for a share of first place. It marked the third straight season that the Toreros were crowned PFL Champions. USD finished ranked second in the final Sports Network FCS Mid-Major poll. Seven Toreros were named Sports Network FCS All-Americans, while eleven players were tabbed Mid-Major All-Americans by the same outlet. Senior quarterback Josh Johnson was drafted by the Tampa Bay Bucaneers in the 5th round, and three other players received looks by NFLclubs.Johnson,who passedfor43 touchdowns with just one interception, was a _ ____ Walter Payton Award Finalist.Senior defensive

Ca rag her also has Southern California ties.He spent nine seasons (1994-2002) on UCLA's staff where he

end Eric Bakhtiari, who led the nation in sacks, was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award.

Under Caragher's guidance as Offensive Coor– dinator, the Toreros ranked first in the nation among Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams in scoring (44.36 points per game) and passing efficiency (197.35 rating). The 44 points per game average is a new USD single season record.Additiona Ily,theToreros ranked 3rc;J in the nation in total offense (483. 1 yards per game). The University of San Diego introduced Ron Caragher as its new head football coach on January 9,2007.Caragher became the Toreros' 12th head football coach at USD and replaced Jim Harbaugh who was hired as Stanford's head coach. "As Italked to people around the country,! kept hearing the same things about Ron Ca ragher," said Ky Snyder, Executive Director of Athletics.