Doug Nussmeier is completing his first season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama after joining the Crimson Tide in February 2012 after three seasons at the University of Washington.
In this first year at the helm of the Alabama offense, the Crimson Tide is on track for one of the most proficient offensive seasons in school history. UA has set records for rushing/passing touchdowns scored (62), total points (500) and passing touchdowns (27). His tutelage of junior quarterback AJ McCarron has resulted in one of the best seasons by a quarterback in school history. McCarron holds the record for single-season touchdowns (26), while throwing for 2,669 yards and completing 66.8 percent of his passes and throwing just three interceptions while leading the nation in passing efficiency. Nussmeier built a balanced offense that proved to be explosive at the same time. The Tide has rushed for 2,920 yards while throwing for 2,788 and accounting for 124 plays of 15-yards or more (70 passing and 54 rushing).
Despite replacing a first-round pick at quarterback, Nussmeier's offense at Washington had a very successful campaign in 2011 and the unit improved statistically in each of his three seasons. Washington's offense scored 57 touchdowns and 434 points in 2011, the second-highest totals in school history (behind only the 1991 national championship team). The 2011 season marks for passing yards (3,322) and total offense (5,328) also were second in the UW record book. Nussmeier helped guide sophomore quarterback Keith Price to one of the top individual seasons at Washington, as the first-year starter broke records for passing touchdowns (33), completion percentage (.669) and passing efficiency (161.9). That efficiency rating was seventh nationally and second in the Pac-12 behind only Andrew Luck of Stanford. The Huskies scored 30 or more points in nine of 13 games and also featured an outstanding ground game led by Chris Polk, who ranked 16th nationally with an average of 114.5 rushing yards per game.
In 2010, Nussmeier oversaw a balanced attack that finished the season with 2,238 rushing yards and 2,475 passing yards. The offense was led by Polk, whose 1,415 rushing yards were second-most in UW single-season history. Nussmeier also mentored quarterback Jake Locker, who finished his career ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in nearly every major quarterbacking category. Locker was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, selected by Tennessee Titans.
In his first season at Washington, Nussmeier's offense made tremendous strides over the previous season. The Huskies scored 26.1 points per game, nearly doubling their average from the previous year while total offense was up more than 110 yards per game over the 2008 average. Nussmeier also spent his first season coaching Locker, who had one of the most productive seasons in Huskies history. Locker passed for 2,800 yards, the third-highest total in school history, while the offense boasted a 1,000-yard rusher in Polk.
Nussmeier came to the UW after one season as the offensive coordinator at Fresno State. He joined the Fresno State staff after spending two seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the St. Louis Rams on the staff of head coach Scott Linehan. Nussmeier coached Marc Bulger, who was named to his second Pro Bowl in 2006, finishing with 4,301 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.
Before his time with the Rams, Nussmeier was the quarterbacks coach at Michigan State for three seasons. In 2005, MSU quarterback Drew Stanton passed for a school-record 3,415 yards, breaking a record set by another Nussmeier pupil, Jeff Smoker, who threw for 3,395 yards in 2003. Smoker also set MSU records for completions (302) and passing touchdowns (21).
Nussmeier, who played in both the NFL and the Canadian Football League, began his coaching career in the CFL. In 2001, he was the quarterbacks coach for the British Columbia Lions and then served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Ottawa Renegades in 2002.
During his outstanding collegiate career at Idaho, Nussmeier passed for 10,824 yards and averaged 309.1 yards per game in total offense for his career. Along with Steve McNair, Daunte Culpepper and Colin Kaepernick, he is one of only four quarterbacks in NCAA history to total 10,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing during his career. Nussmeier set Idaho school records for TD passes (91), passing efficiency (154.4), completion percentage (.609) and total offense (12,054 yards). In 1993, he won the Walter Payton Award, Division I-AA's version of the Heisman Trophy. That year, he led Idaho to an 11-3 record and set a school record with 33 TD passes. He also was the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year in 1992, when the Vandals went 9-3 and won the conference crown. Nussmeier was inducted into the University of Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
In 1994, Nussmeier was drafted in the fourth round by the New Orleans Saints. He played four years (1994-97) with the Saints and one with the Indianapolis Colts (1998). In 2000, he helped the BC Lions win the Grey Cup Championship.
The Oswego, Ore., native attended Lakeridge High School and earned his bachelor's degree in business and marketing from Idaho in 1994. He and his wife Christi have two sons, Garrett and Colton, and a daughter Ashlynn.
