Don Bailey joins the Hawai‘i coaching staff for his first season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2015. He comes to UH from Idaho State, where he spent four seasons as associate head coach, with similar coordinator and position coaching responsibilities.
Over his tenure in Pocatello, Bailey molded the ISU Bengals’ attack into one of the best in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), netting him
Football Scoop’s FCS Coordinator of the Year Award in 2014. Under Bailey’s guidance, ISU transformed from one of the lowest-rated offensive teams to the national elite. Before his arrival, ISU ranked 114th (of 117) in total offense and 108th in scoring offense. In 2014, the Bengals finished with the nation’s second-best total offense (562 yards per game), sixth-best scoring offense (40.3 points per game) and scored more than 50 points four times. In addition, ISU led the FCS in passing, with 348 yards-by-air per game, spearheaded by Walter Payton award finalist and third-team All-America quarterback Justin Arias, who led the nation in passing with 4,076 yards and 38 touchdowns—also making his place in the record books with 322 completions for 3,547 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2013. The 2014 ISU squad finished with a No. 25 national ranking for the first time in over a decade, earning the most wins since 2003.
Bailey was also instrumental in revitalizing the Bengal running game in 2013. ISU rushed for 1,130 yards, the most since 2007, more than doubling up with an NCAA 23rd-best 2,567 yards and 25 TDs in 2014—breaking a school record that had stood since 1957.
Also shining in Bailey’s offense, quarterback Kevin Yost left ISU ranked third in passing yards (6,663) and sixth in touchdowns with 39, while wide receiver Rodrick Rumble earned four All-America honors in 2011, with first-team all-Big Sky honors in 2011 and ‘12 with a school and Big Sky record 112 receptions and 1,348 yards as a senior. Rumble finished his career as the top receiver in ISU and Big Sky history as he caught 223 passes for 2,863 yards and 18 TDs.
Before joining ISU, Bailey was passing game coordinator at South Dakota State, where he coached Ryan Berry to first-team Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) honors after leading the league in passing with 3,106 yards and 30 TDs. Berry set season SDSU records for completions, yards and attempts, leading the 2008 SDSU offense to set nine records. On the receiving end, Bailey also coached first-team all-MVC receiver Jaron Harris, who paced the Jackrabbits with 70 catches for 966 yards and 11 touchdowns, while teammate Glen Fox tallied 66 catches for 792 yards and 10 touchdowns for second-team all-MVC honors.
Prior to SDSU, Bailey coached wide receivers at Weber State (2007-08) and was offensive coordinator, quarterbacks and wide receivers coach under Mike Kramer at Montana State from 2001-06. At MSU, he aided the Bobcats to 2002, 2003 and 2005 Big Sky Championships, tutoring four-year quarterback Travis Lulay, who ranks second all-time in Big Sky total offense with 12,205 yards. Lulay ranked second in FCS total offense in 2004, ninth in 2005. He also helped four receivers earn all-conference honors. During Bailey’s time at Montana State, his offensive teams broke a total of 109 individual and team offensive records.
Bailey also spent time at Cal Poly (1999-2000) as offensive coordinator and coached at Shepherd College and Cheyney, first joining mentor Pokey Allen’s staff at Portland State from 1991-93 and at Boise State from 1993-96. At BSU, he helped the Broncos to the 1994 DI-AA National Championship game. While coaching at PSU, Bailey was a part of a team that went to the playoffs each year. Bailey graduated from Portland State in 1991 with a degree in speech communications, playing two seasons (1989-90) at quarterback for the Vikings.
Bailey and his wife, Lisa, have three sons—Cooper, Dalton and Wyatt—and a daughter—Izabell.
The Bailey FilePersonalYears at UH: 1st season
Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.
Alma Mater: Portland State (1991)
Playing Experience1989-90, Portland State
Coaching Experience2015-: Hawai‘i: Assistant (Offensive Coordinator)
2011-14: Idaho State: Assistant (Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2008-10: South Dakota State: Assistant (Passing Game Coordinator)
2007: Weber State: Assistant (Wide Receivers)
2001-06: Montana State: Assistant (Offensive Coordinator)
1999-2000: Cal Poly: Assistant (Offensive Coordinator)
1998: Cheyney (Pa.): Assistant (Offensive Coordinator)
1997: Shepherd (W.V.) College: Assistant (Quarterbacks/Receivers)
1993-96: Boise State: Assistant (Wide Receivers)
1991-92: Portland State: Assistant (Wide Receivers)
