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Jason Couch will enter his sixth season as the Alma College Head Football Coach in 2023.
Couch, a 1997 graduate of Alma College and co-head coach and offensive coordinator at Romeo (Mich.) High School since 2003, was named the head football coach at Alma College in January 2018. Couch is the 30th head coach in the history of the program, which dates back to 1894.
Couch played for the Scots from 1993-96, serving as the starting center for three seasons and anchoring the offensive line for the top offense in NCAA Division III during his senior year in 1996. For his efforts, Couch received All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association First Team accolades and was named an honorable mention All-American. He was also the recipient of the team's Al Borgman Award as the top offensive lineman.
2022 saw Couch's squad post a record shattering season. Alma completed a 10-0 regular season, were crowned MIAA Champions, and won the program's first NCAA Playoff game. Alma hosted Albion in the final regular season game of the season, with both teams at 9-0. Alma notched the first 10 win season in program history, and broke countless records along the way. The Scots defeated Mount St. Joseph in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament to notch the first NCAA Playoff win in program history, and earn the teams record 11th win in a single season. Alma's season ended at the hands of Aurora University in the second round of the playoffs.
The 2019 season saw the Scots improve their win total from two the previous year to six. The Scots 6-4 record saw them defeat defending MIAA Champion Trine and earn a homecoming victory over Rockford University. Five Scots landed on the All-MIAA teams. Zeke Ramirez and Chase Hinkle were named to the First Team. Jacob Headlee, Max Kretzschmar, and Jacob Wildenhaus were named to the Second Team. Ramirez earned his second straight First Team All-MIAA honor. Hinkle led the conference in punt returns (17), punt return yards (216) and punt return touchdowns (two). His longest was a 77-yarder in the season finale against Finlandia. Also, Steven Sowa was honored with the Morley Fraser Award from the Michigan Chapter of the National Football Foundation. The Morley Fraser Award is given to a collegiate football player who demonstrates academic achievement, football ability and leadership.
In his first season leading the Scots, Couch coached three players to All-MIAA honors. Zeke Ramirez was named to the First Team while Alex Szajko and Dakota Jelinek were named to the Second Team.
In his 15 seasons as co-head coach at Romeo with Curt Rienas, the Bulldogs made an appearance in the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs 14 consecutive years, winning the MHSAA Division 1 championship in 2015 and advancing to the state semifinals in 2016. The duo also guided Romeo to five Macomb Area Conference titles and helped the school ascend into the MAC's Red Division, the top grouping in the conference.
Couch and Reinas were named the Macomb Area Conference Coach of the Year four times – 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2016 – and also received regional coach of the year honors on six occasions (2005, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017). After winning the state title in 2015 with a 41-27 victory over Detroit Cass Tech, the pair was honored as the Detroit Lions Coach of the Year and the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Division 1 Football Coach of the Year.
The duo was also honored by the MHSFCA with the Steve Spicer Memorial Leadership Award four times (2009, 2012, 2014, 2017) for their service to the community. In addition to service hours the team has contributed to the Romeo community, the "Watchdog" cancer awareness games, hosted by Romeo High School for the past nine seasons, have raised nearly $450,000 for cancer charities.
Couch also taught social studies at Romeo High School since 2001 and was a nominee for the 2010 State of Michigan Teacher of the Year. In 2011, he was named Macomb County's Most Outstanding High School Teacher.
Prior to being named the co-head coach at Romeo, Couch spent two seasons (2001-02) as an assistant varsity coach with the Bulldogs. He was also an assistant varsity football coach at Troy High School during the 1999 and 2000 campaigns and served on the Merrill High School varsity staff in 1997 and 1998.
Couch graduated from Alma College in 1997 with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and earned his Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Saginaw Valley State University in 2003.
Couch and his wife Rebecca, have three sons: JB, Sam, and Cooper.