One-Time Indiana Football Assistant Coach Mike DeBord Dead At 69

Mike DeBord, a Muncie, Ind. native who was the offensive coordinator for Tom Allen’s initial seasons at Indiana, died on Wednesday. He was 69.

DeBord died due to complications from a stroke he suffered in 2021.

DeBord joined Allen’s staff as offensive coordinator in 2017. Indiana went 5-7 in both of the seasons DeBord was offensive coordinator, but the seeds were planted on a turnaround shortly after DeBord retired after the 2018 season. Many of the stars of the 2019-20 teams that reached bowl games, such as quarterback Michael Penix, were recruited when DeBord was on Allen’s staff.

“I was Blessed to be mentored by and coach with Mike DeBord. He was one of the best men that I know in the coaching profession! #LEO,” Allen said in an X post on Tuesday evening.

DeBord had a long career in both the college ranks and in the NFL. DeBord graduated from Wes-Del High School in Gaston, Ind. and played four seasons at Manchester College as an offensive lineman in the late 1970s.

DeBord’s coaching career began at Franklin College in 1982 and it began an odyssey in which DeBord made 20 different stops before his career ended in 2021.

DeBord was an offensive line coach at Franklin, Fort Hays State, Eastern Illinois, Ball State, Colorado State, Northwestern and Michigan. He ascended to offensive coordinator at Michigan in 1997. He was on Lloyd Carr’s national title-winning staff at Michigan in 1997.

DeBord became head coach at Central Michigan from 2000-03. He had a 12-34 record with the Chippewas.

He returned to Michigan from 2004-07 before he moved up to the NFL. He eventually became the Tennessee Titans’ offensive coordinator in 2015 and 2016.

DeBord’s retirement from Indiana after the 2018 season didn’t last long. He was with the AAF San Diego Fleet in 2019. DeBord returned to Michigan one last time in 2020 before he finished his career at Kansas as offensive coordinator in 2021, but he never coached a game as head coach Les Miles was fired a month after DeBord was hired and DeBord was not retained on the next staff.