Sparky McEwen

Last updated
Sparky McEwen
Davenport Panthers
Position: Head coach
Personal information
Born: (1968-04-28) April 28, 1968 (age 55)
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school: Grand Rapids (MI) Creston
College: Ferris State
Undrafted: 1991
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards
Career Arena statistics
Comp. / Att.:34 / 62
Passing yards:477
TDINT:4–4
Passer rating:69.09
Rushing TDs:6
Head coaching record
Regular season:64–91 (.413)
Postseason:0–2 (.000)
Career:64–93 (.408)
Player stats at ArenaFan.com

Charles "Sparky" McEwen (born April 28, 1968) is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach for Davenport University, a position he has held since 2017. McEwen played professionally as a quarterback for one season with the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football at Ferris State University and attended Creston High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. [1] He was also head coach of the Grand Rapids Rampage and Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz.

Contents

College career

McEwen played for the Ferris State Bulldogs from 1987 to 1990. He was redshirted in 1987. He played quarterback for the Bulldogs from 1988 to 1989. McEwen recorded 2,183 career yards and 17 touchdowns on 155 of 297 pass attempts. He converted to wide receiver in 1990, recording 18 receptions for 259 yards and one touchdown. [2]

Professional career

McEwen played for the Grand Rapids Rampage of the AFL in 1998, appearing in five games and recording four touchdowns on 477 passing yards. He had a 2–1 record as a starting quarterback. [3]

Coaching career

McEwen was head coach of the Creston High School Polar Bears of Grand Rapids, Michigan from 1996 to 2003. [2] The Polar Bears won three City League titles from 2000 to 2002. In 1999, he helped the Polar Bears to the team’s first winning season since 1978 as well as the school’s first appearance in the state championship game. [1]

McEwen first served as an offensive assistant and scout for the Grand Rapids Rampage in 2000. McEwen was later offensive coordinator for the Rampage from 2001 to 2003. [2] He was assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of the af2 in 2004. [2] He was head coach and director of football operations for the Grand Rapids Rampage from 2005 to 2007. [2] The Rampage attained a record of 13–35 during his tenure. [4] McEwen was head coach of the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz from 2008 to 2010. [2] The Yard Dawgz were promoted to the AFL in 2010 and finished the season with a 6–10 record. [4]

McEwen became wide receivers coach of the Ferris State Bulldogs in 2012. [2] In February 2017, he was named the head coach of the Davenport Panthers of Davenport University. [5]

Head coaching record

Arena Football League

TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
GRR 2005 412.2504th in Central00.000
GRR 2006 511.3134th in Central00.000
GRR 2007 412.2505th in Central00.000
GRR Total1335.27100
OKC 2010 610.3752nd in Southwest00.000
OKC Total610.37500.000
Total1945.29700.000

Arena Football 2

TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
OKC 2008 55.5004th in Central00.000
OKC 2009 79.4382nd in Central01.000Lost to Tulsa Talons in first round
Total1214.50001.000

Note: McEwen took over after six games after Gary Reasons resigned, the Yard Dawgz finished 6–10 overall. [6]

College

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs AFCA#
Davenport Panthers (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)(2017–present)
2017 Davenport1–100–910th
2018 Davenport6–53–5T–5th
2019 Davenport5–53–5T–5th
2020–21 Davenport2–0
2021 Davenport3–82–5T–5th
2022 Davenport 8–34–23rdL NCAA Division II First Round 20
2023 Davenport8–24–23rd
2024 Davenport0–00–0
Davenport:33–3316–28
Total:33–33

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Rapids Rampage</span> Arena football team

The Grand Rapids Rampage was an arena football team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The team began play in 1998 in the Arena Football League as an expansion team. They were last coached by Steve Thonn. Their home arena was the Van Andel Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz</span> Arena football team

The Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz were an arena football team. The team began play as a 2004 expansion team of the Arena Football League's minor league af2 before becoming a member of the AFL in 2010. Formerly a tenant of the Ford Center from 2004 until 2008, the Yard Dawgz were forced out when the National Basketball Association's Oklahoma City Thunder moved into town; starting in 2009, the Yard Dawgz played across the street at the Cox Convention Center. On October 25, 2010 Yard Dawgz owner Phil Miller announced that he decided not to play in the Arena Football League for the 2011 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ArenaBowl XV</span> 2001 edition of the Arena Football Leagues championship game

ArenaBowl XV was the 2001 edition of the Arena Football League's championship game, pairing the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Central Division with the Nashville Kats of the Southern Division. The Grand Rapids offense, led by quarterback Clint Dolezel and MVP Terrill Shaw, was able to outmatch the Nashville defense, and Grand Rapids won the game, 64–42.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clint Dolezel</span> American football player and coach (born 1970)

Clint Dolezel is an American football coach and former professional arena football player in the Arena Football League (AFL).

Corey Pullig is a former quarterback for Texas A&M University who went on to play professionally for the Arena Football League (AFL)'s Grand Rapids Rampage and Buffalo Destroyers.

Creston High School opened in 1923 as Creston Junior High School, with its first class graduating in 1927. This school was one of the five high schools in Grand Rapids, Michigan. At its peak, it housed around one thousand students and over fifty teachers making the teacher to student ratio about 1:20. The school mascot was the polar bear. The colors were blue and gold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rickey Foggie</span> American gridiron football player (born 1966)

Rickey Foggie is an American former gridiron football quarterback. Foggie was the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Golden Gophers for four seasons, before going on to play professionally in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and Arena Football League (AFL). Foggie is currently a head football coach in high school football in Red Wing, Minnesota.

John Fitzgerald is a former American football quarterback. He last played for the Kansas City Brigade of the Arena Football League (AFL). He was previously the head coach of af2's Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz where he compiled a 7-9 record in his one season .

The 2010 Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz season is the 7th season for the franchise, and the first in the Arena Football League, coming from the AF2, which dissolved following the 2009 season. The team was coached by Sparky McEwen and played their home games at the Cox Convention Center. The Yard Dawgz did not qualify for the postseason after finishing with a 6–10 record and placing 6th in the American Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Rowley</span> American football player (born 1979)

Kyle Rowley is an arena football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He also played in the former af2. He played college football at Brown.

Thomas Grady is a former American football quarterback who primarily played in the Arena Football League (AFL).

Justin Allgood is a former American football quarterback who played two seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Tulsa Talons and Philadelphia Soul. He played college football at Trinity Valley Community College and Central Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Loots</span> American gridiron football player (born 1970)

Jeff Loots is a former American football quarterback who played eight seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Milwaukee Mustangs, Minnesota Fighting Pike, Albany Firebirds, Oklahoma Wranglers, Chicago Rush, Buffalo Destroyers and Grand Rapids Rampage. He played college football at Southwest Minnesota State.

Aaron Sparrow is a former American football quarterback who played three seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Nashville Kats, Grand Rapids Rampage and Carolina Cobras. He played college football at Norfolk State University. He was also a member of the Calgary Stampeders, Augusta Stallions, Buffalo Destroyers, Norfolk Nighthawks and Wichita Stealth.

Anthony Buich is a former American football quarterback who played one season with the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football at Eastern Illinois University. He was also a member of the Iowa Barnstormers, Tulsa Talons, Tampa Bay Storm, Wichita Stealth, Nashville Kats and San Diego Riptide.

Ryan Van Dyke is a former American football quarterback who played two seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Los Angeles Avengers and Grand Rapids Rampage. He played college football at Michigan State University and attended Marshall High School in Marshall, Michigan. He was also a member of the Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants and Cologne Centurions.

James MacPherson is a former American football quarterback who played two seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Georgia Force and Grand Rapids Rampage. He played college football at Wake Forest University. He was also a member of the Indianapolis Colts, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Colorado Crush, Philadelphia Soul and Green Bay Blizzard.

Robert Kent is an American football quarterback for the North Texas Bulls of the National Arena League (NAL). He played college football at Jackson State. He has also been a member of the Tennessee Titans, Montreal Alouettes, Birmingham/Alabama Steeldogs, Lubbock Renegades, Toronto Argonauts, Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz, Abilene Ruff Riders, Houston Stallions, Corpus Christi Fury, San Antonio Talons, St. Louis Attack, Texas Revolution, Dallas Marshals, Monterrey Steel, Massachusetts Pirates, and Duke City Gladiators. He also was the head coach of the Duke City Gladiators in the Indoor Football League (IFL) for the remainder of the 2021 season.

The 2009 Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz season was the sixth season for the franchise in the af2. The team was coached by Sparky McEwen and played their home games at the Cox Convention Center. The Yard Dawgz finished the regular season 7–9 and made the playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history.

The 2022 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football season was the season of college football played by the seven member schools of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) as part of the 2022 NCAA Division II football season.

References

  1. 1 2 "Sparky's Total Athlete Factory". sparkystotalathletefactory.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Sparky McEwen Returns To Bulldog Football". ferrisstatebulldogs.com. April 12, 2012. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. "Charles 'Sparky' McEwen". arenafan.com. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Sparky McEwen". arenafan.com. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  5. Wallner, Peter J. (February 15, 2017). "Source: Ferris State's Sparky McEwen to be next Davenport football coach". mlive.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. Martin, Ray (May 12, 2008). "Reasons Steps Down as Yard Dawgs coach". The Oklahoman. Retrieved September 5, 2020.