Paul Haynes '87

St. Francis DeSales Athletic Hall of Fame
Class of 2023 -
Basketball / Football / Track

Stallion Profile:

  • Standout athlete in football, basketball, and track and field

  • Starting running back as a sophomore on the 1985 football team that won the school’s first-ever State Championship

    • Rushed for 151 yards on 17 carries and scored a touchdown in the championship game

  • Starter on the 1987 basketball team that won the State Championship

    • First DeSales athlete to start on two state championship team

1987 State Champions

Kent State Profile:

  • Walked on at Kent State University in 1987 and played four years of college football

  • Led team in interceptions as a freshman

  • Led team in tackles as a sophomore

  • Finished career with 440 tackles (7th in Kent State history)

Coaching Profile:

  • Began coaching career at St. Francis DeSales in 1993 as an assistant coach

  • Assistant coaching positions held at:

    • Bowling Green

    • Ferris State

    • Northern Iowa

    • Kent State

    • Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL)

  • Defensive backs coach at Ohio State University (2005–2011)

    • Helped team win multiple Big Ten championships

    • Coached in two national championship games

  • Coaching positions also held at:

    • Louisville

    • Michigan State

    • Arkansas

    • Minnesota

    • Wisconsin (joined fellow DeSales alumnus Luke Fickell)

  • Head football coach at Kent State University (2013–2017)

    • Coached 17 All-Mid-American Conference players

      • 7 First-Team All-MAC selections

      • At least 3 all-league players in each season

      • 5 All-MAC in both 2013 and 2016, 4 in 2017, and 3 in 2014