Rey Dempsey
| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born | September 20, 1936 |
| Playing career | |
| 1955–1957 | Geneva |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1973–1974 | Youngstown State |
| 1975 | Detroit Lions (ST) |
| 1976–1983 | Southern Illinois |
| 1984–1985 | Memphis State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 73–57–3 |
Rey Dempsey (born September 20, 1936) is a former college football coach at Youngstown State University, Southern Illinois University, and the University of Memphis. From 1973 to 1974, he coached at Youngstown State, where he compiled a 12–8 record. In 1975, he was a special teams coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). From 1976 to 1983, he coached at Southern Illinois, where he compiled a 54–37 record. In 1983, his SIU team went 13–1, the best record in school history, winning an NCAA Division I-AA national championship. From 1984 to 1985, he coached at Memphis, where he compiled a 7–12–3 record. From 1991 to 2002, he served as Senior Pastor of Christ the King Church.
Southern Illinois
Rey Dempsey was the 14th head football coach for the Southern Illinois Salukis in Carbondale, Illinois and he held that position for eight seasons, from 1976 until 1983. His overall coaching record at SIU was 54 wins, 37 losses, and 0 ties. This ranks him second at SIU in terms of total wins and first at SIU in terms of winning percentage.[1]
Team Focus
Rey Dempsey now works alongside Mike Gottfried with the Team Focus program: a leadership camp for fatherless boys. He has been involved in the program since its founding in 2000 and continues to act as the camp Pastor and director of spiritual development, providing lectures and sermons on Biblical manhood and godly character.[2]