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Doug Socha

Doug Socha wrapped up his sixth season as the Head Football coach at Keiser University in 2023. The Seahawks are coming off the program’s first NAIA National Championship after reaching the National Championship Game for the second consecutive year. Socha was named the 2023 AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year and 2023 Sun Conference Coach of the Year (his fourth conference Coach of the Year award – SUN Coach of the Year in 2022 and 2023, and MSC Sun Division Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2020).

The Socha File
  • Keiser is 55-15 overall and 33-3 in conference games in six seasons
  • Guided Keiser to five NAIA Playoff appearances, winning the National Championship in 2023.
  • Led Keiser to the National Championship Game in back-to-back season (2022 and 2023)
  • Piloted the Seahawks to five consecutive conference championships - Sun Conference Championship in 2022 and 2023, and the Mid-South Sun Division Championships in 2019, 2020, and 2021
  • Back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in 2019 and 2020
  • Named conference Coach of the Year four times (SUN Coach of the Year in 2022 and 2023, and MSC Sun Division Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2020) 
  • Coached 76 all-conference players, 13 NAIA All-America honorees, and 12 AP All-Americans
  • Coached 14 conference major award winners with two Defensive Players of the Year, two Offensive Players of the Year, two Defensive Freshman of the Year, one Back of the Year, one Receiver of the Year, one Offensive Lineman of the Year, one Linebacker of the Year, on Defensive Back of the Year, one Freshman of the Year, one Special Teams Player of the Year, and one Champion of Character.
  • Claimed the program’s first Red Banner with a 31-21 win over No. 1 Northwestern (Iowa) in 2023
  • Defeated No. 11 College of Idaho as the Seahawks hosted the NAIA Semifinals for the first time in program history in 2023
  • In 2022, the Seahawks became the first team in NAIA history to defeat the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 seeds in the same playoffs
  • Made the program's first appearance in the NAIA National Championship Game in 2022
  • Downed No. 1 Morningside (Iowa), 29-28, in 2022 for the team's first win over the top-ranked team in the nation
  • Opened the 2022 FCS Playoffs with the program's first win over a Top 5 team, defeating No. 4 Bethel (Tenn.), 27-17
  • Upended No. 12 Arizona Christian, 63-21 for the first NAIA Playoff win on Apr. 17, 2021
  • The Seahawks made their first-ever NAIA playoff appearance in 2019, falling to No. 10 University of Cumberlands, 28-24 at home
  • Defeated the University of Pikeville in their inaugural game, 24-17 in overtime
  • Claimed the first home win on Sept. 29, 2018 against Edward Waters by a final score of 27-23
  • Off the field, the Seahawks received 123 Academic All-Conference awards, 59 NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 19 CSC Academic All-District selections, and three CSC Academic All-Americans

2023
  • Led Keiser to its first NAIA National Championship
  • Awarded the AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year (the second of his career)
  • Finished the year with a school-record 12 victories
  • Keiser made the NAIA Football Championship Series for the fifth straight season
  • Named the Sun Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
  • Keiser claimed its second straight Sun Conference title, going a perfect 7-0 in league action this season.
  • The conference crown was the second Sun Conference title for KU and the program's fifth straight league title (2019, 2020, and 2021 MSC Sun Division Champions).
  • Led Keiser to a perfect 7-0 league record, marking the fourth time the Seahawks ran the table in league play (2019, 2020, 2022, 2023).
  • Coached a school-record 18 all-conference honorees as well as the SUN Offensive Lineman of the Year, SUN Defensive Back of the Year, SUN Linebacker of the Year, SUN Special Teams Player of the Year, SUN Freshman of the Year and the SUN Champion of Character.
  • Coached three AFCA NAIA All-Americans and four AP NAIA All-Americans
  • Offensively, Keiser registered a school-record 3,169 yards on the ground with 47 rushing touchdowns (most in Keiser history).
  • The Seahawks defense limited the 10 of the team’s 14 opponents to under 100 yards rushing while recording a school-record 46 sacks and 24 forced fumbles

2022
  • Garnered the school's first Sun Conference Coach of the Year honor
  • Earned his third conference Coach of the Year award (MSC Sun Division Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2020).
  • Guided the Seahawks to a perfect conference record (6-0) and the 2022 Sun Conference title
  • The conference crown was the first Sun Conference title for KU and the program's fourth straight league title (2019, 2020, and 2021 MSC Sun Division Champions)
  • Helped the Seahawks to their third perfect record in conference play (2019, 2020, 2022)
  • Coached 13 all-conference honorees as well as the SUN Offensive Player of the Year, SUN Back of the Year, and SUN Receiver of the Year
  • Had four Seahawks named AP NAIA All-Americans and three student-athletes receive AFCA All-America honors
  • Advanced to the NAIA Football Championship Series for the fourth time in program history, the FCS Quarterfinals for the third time, the FCS Semifinals for the second time and the FCS National Championship for the first time
  • Wrapped up the 2022 season with a 10-4 record – the first 10-win season in program history

2021
  • Guided the Seahawks to a 9-3 record with a 5-1 mark in conference 
  • Earned a third straight trip to the NAIA Playoffs, advancing to the quarterfinals
  • Aided his first Mid-South Sun Division Offensive Player of the Year
  • Instructed 11 players to All-Conference honors, including six on the first team
  • Garnered two NAIA All-American awards with both on the first team
  • 25 players earned Mid-South All-Academic honors 

2020*
  • Led KU to their second straight perfect regular season, finishing with a 9-1 overall record
  • Made their second straight appearance in the NAIA Playoffs, advancing to the semifinals
  • Notched the programs first playoff victory, defeating No. 12 Arizona Christian at home, 63-21
  • Named Sun Division Coach of the Year for consecutive seasons
  • Coached his second Mid-South Sun Division Defensive Player of the Year
  • Aided in the Seahawks bringing in a conference-best 16 All-Conference awards
  • Yielded two NAIA All-Americans with one on the first team
  • The Seahawks achieved their then-highest ranking in program history, No. 4
  • Off the field, 26 players received Mid-South All-Academic honors

***The season took place during the fall and spring due to COVID-19

 
2019
  • Claimed the programs first Sun Division Championship with a 6-0 record
  • Completed the first perfect regular season with a 9-0 mark
  • Advanced to the programs first NAIA playoffs, falling to No. 10 University of Cumberlands at home, 28-24
  • Named the AFCA East Region Coach of the Year and Sun Division Coach of the Year
  • Keiser went 4-1 against teams ranked inside the NAIA Top 25 poll
  • Netted two NAIA All-Americans with one on the First Team and Second Team
  • Had 10 All-Conference players, including five on the first team and five on the second team
  • Coached Sage Chen-Young to Mid-South Sun Division Defensive Player of the Year honors
  • Led the Seahawks to its highest ranking of seventh during the regular season, finishing the year in ninth
  • In the classroom, 24 players received Academic All-Conference recognition while 17 garnered NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors
 
2018
  • Led the Seahawks to a 6-4 overall record and 4-2 mark in Mid-South play during their inaugural season
  • Boasted a 3-1 record in home games including a win against No. 23 Webber
  • Coach nine All-Conference players and one NAIA All-American
  • Aided in Sage Chen-Young garnering Mid-South Freshman of the Year honors
  • Chen Young ranked third in the NAIA for interceptions per game and was eighth in total interceptions (6)
  • Off the field, the Seahawks received 19 Academic All-Conference awards
  • The Seahawks twice received votes and were ranked as high as No. 25 in the NAIA poll
  • The offense averaged 21 points per game in year one. In addition, the Seahawks averaged 148 yards on the ground and 165 through the air
 
Pre-Keiser
Socha brings 20 years of coaching experience to Keiser with stints at the high school, college, and NFL levels.  In total, Socha has won six Coach of the Year awards, five District Titles, two Individual Championships, and one State Championship.

Prior to Keiser, Socha spent a season with the Buffalo Bills of the NFL as an Offensive Assistant and Quality Control coach. Before the NFL, Socha was the Head Coach of Oxbridge Academy for four seasons. As the first head coach, Socha built the program from the ground up in 2012 and accumulated a 28-6 record with two Independent Championships and a District Title. He also spent eight seasons at American Heritage, five as the Offensive Coordinator and three as the Head Coach.

Socha got into the college ranks in 2000 as a Defensive Graduate Assistant/Inside Linebackers Coach for the University of Buffalo before becoming a Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach for five seasons.

Personal
Socha received his Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology from California State University-Northridge. He has been chosen as a national speaker for the Glazier Clinic, Nike COY Clinic, and QBD clinic.

Socha Year-By-Year
Keiser – Head Coach
Year Record Pct. Conference 
Record		 Finish Postseason
2023 12-2 .857 7-0 1st NAIA National Champions
2022 10-4 .714 6-0 1st NAIA National Championship Game
2021 9-3 .750 5-1 1st NAIA Quarterfinals
2020* 9-1 .900 5-0 1st NAIA Semifinals
2019 9-1 .900 6-0 1st NAIA First Round
2018 6-4 .600 4-2 3rd n/a
55-15 .786 33-3