Former Southeast Missouri starting quarterback Jeromy McDowell begins his seventh year as the Redhawks offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
McDowell started his first NCAA Division I coaching job on Dec. 12, 2017.
In 2023, McDowell’s offense produced three First-Team Big South-OVC Association honorees in running back Geno Hess, wide receiver Ryan Flournoy and center Zack Gieg. Flournoy became the second NFL Draft pick in McDowell’s tenure as offensive coordinator and Hess completed his career as SEMO’s all-time leading rusher with over 5,000 yards.
McDowell has Paxton DeLaurent returning for his third season as SEMO’s starting quarterback. DeLaurent ranks among the school’s all-time career leaders in passing yards (7th 4,476), pass completions (369), pass completion percentage (1st, 62.4), pass attempts (10th, 591), touchdownh passes (t5th, 30), pass efficiency percentage (2nd, 140.1), average yards per pass (3rd, 7.6) and total offense (7th, 4,839).
McDowell’s offense broke single-season school records in total yards (5,618) and yards per game (468.2) during the 2022 season which resulted in SEMO winning its third Ohio Valley Conference title. SEMO also led the OVC in rushing (225.6 ypg) and had the fewest turnovers (10) of any team in the league.
For the second time in his SEMO career, McDowell coached an OVC Offensive Player of the Year (Hess). His offense had three All-Americans (Hess, Gieg, DeLaurent) and seven All-OVC selections (Hess, Gieg, DeLaurent, Flournoy, Johnny King, Nate Korte, Will Weidemann).
In 2021, SEMO led the Football Championship Subdivision in red zone offense. The Redhawks scored 23 touchdowns and made a perfect 10-of-10 field goals, converting on all 33 of their chances inside the 20-yard line. SEMO had the OVC’s second-best rushing offense (195.1 ypg) and ranked third in the league in both scoring (27 ppg) and total offense (360.6 ypg).
The Redhawks ranked second in the OVC in scoring offense with 27.6 points per game in 2020. SEMO again boasted league’s second-best rushing offense with 147.5 yards per contest.
In 2019, SEMO had the second-best red zone offense in the OVC scoring on all but six of its chances.
McDowell developed an up-tempo offense that broke four single-season records during the 2018 campaign, including points scored (482), points per game (37.1), touchdowns (63) and total plays (891) during his first year as SEMO’s offensive coordinator.
The Redhawks had the league’s second-best scoring offense and rated fourth in rushing offense (177.3 ypg) that season, as well.
McDowell’s first SEMO offense produced four All-OVC selections, including OVC Offensive Player of the Year Marquis Terry, First-Team quarterback Daniel Santacaterina and offensive tackle Drew Forbes, and Second-Team center Lucas Orchard. Terry and Forbes landed a spot on multiple All-America teams, while Forbes was later selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Kristian Wilkerson (First-Team), Elijah Swehla (First-Team) and Hess (All-Newcomer) garnered 2019 All-OVC accolades.
Wilkerson and Santacaterina each ended their careers with record-breaking 2019 campaigns. Wilkerson, who later signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans and is now with the New England Patriots, broke SEMO’s all-time career records in receiving yards (3,540) and receiving touchdowns (33). Santacaterina broke the school’s all-time career record in passing touchdowns (46).
Four more players from McDowell’s offense secured All-OVC accolades during the 2020 campaign. Hess, Zack Smith and Jaden Rosenthall claimed first-team honors, while Shyron Rodgers was a second-team pick.
Hess, also named a HERO Sports Sophomore All-American, led the FCS with 12 rushing touchdowns. He ranked first in the OVC and eighth nationally with nine points per game.
Smith was the Redhawks top receiver with 38 catches for 403 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 10.6 yards per catch and ranked fifth in the conference in receptions per game (4.8).
Meanwhile, Rosenthall started seven games at left guard and Rodgers made eight starts at center.
McDowell returned to SEMO after working four years at NCAA Division II member Colorado Mesa. He spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons as the Mavericks offensive coordinator.
McDowell was on the Colorado Mesa staff with Russ Martin, Mike Chavez and Willie Ponder. Martin was the offensive coordinator, Chavez was offensive line coach and Ponder was a star wide receiver when McDowell was the Redhawks quarterback.
In 2017, McDowell led a Colorado Mesa offense that ranked second in the nation in scoring with 46.4 points per game. The Mavericks also finished seventh nationally in rushing offense (257.8 ypg) and eighth in total offense (489.3 ypg). Colorado Mesa compiled an overall record of 9-2 and 9-1 in conference play en route to its third consecutive Rocky Mountain Conference title. The Mavericks went a combined 27-7 overall and 25-4 in the Rocky Mountain Conference over the last three seasons.
Prior to his college coaching career, McDowell served as a high school coach for 10 years, including his last five as head coach at North County High School in Bonne Terre, Missouri. He led the Raiders to back-to-back conference championships in 2012 and 2013.
McDowell played quarterback at SEMO from 2001-03. He completed 219-of-389 passes for 2,651 yards and 17 touchdowns in his career. McDowell ranks among the school’s all-time career leaders in pass efficiency (8th, 119.2). He also rates among Southeast’s all-time single-season leaders in passing yards per game (7th, 186.5 ypg, 2001), touchdown passes (t9th, 13, 2001), pass attempts (t10th, 288, 2001), pass completion percentage (2nd, 64.6, 2003) and passing yards (10th, 2,051, 2001). Additionally, McDowell threw for 391 yards in a 24-5 victory over Southern Illinois on Sept. 8, 2001, third-most in a single game at Southeast.
McDowell graduated with a degree in business education from Central Methodist University.
He and his wife, Julie, have a daughter (Kendall) and two sons (Kai and Cru).
