Football
Owings, Derek
vs
Michigan State
Oct 18 (Sat)
TBA
Derek Owings
- Title:
- Director of Athletic Performance, Football
- Email:
- football@iu.edu
Derek Owings is in his second season at Indiana as the program’s director of athletic performance, and his sixth working for head coach Curt Cignetti since joining his staff in 2020.
Overall, Owings has helped his programs to a 49-9 overall record in his five seasons and trained 23 All-America selections and 27 first-team all-conference picks.
Owings helped the Hoosiers reach the College Football Playoff in his first season on campus and three pupils earned All-America honors. Linebacker Aiden Fisher earned first-team All-America accolades, while defensive lineman Mikail Kamara and defensive back D’Angelo Ponds both earned second-team honors.
During his tenure with James Madison, Owings helped five student-athletes win player of the year awards – Todd Centeio (2022; Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year), Jalen Green (2023; Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year), Mike Greene (2021; CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year), Cole Johnson (2021; CAA Offensive Player of the Year) and Jordan McCloud (2023; Sun Belt Player of the Year).
He developed defensive lineman Mike Greene reach finalist status for the Buck Buchanan Award – FCS national defensive player of the year – in 2020, and quarterback Cole Johnson finish No. 4 in the voting for the Walter Payton Award – FCS national player of the year – in 2021.
Owings spent two seasons at Texas Tech (2019-20) as the associate strength & conditioning coach for the Red Raider football team. Prior to TTU, he spent one year as assistant director of sports performance with football at UCF (2018).
Owings was lead strength coach for the wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, defensive backs, and linebackers at Texas Tech. While at UCF, he oversaw the receivers, running backs, defensive backs, and specialists.
In his role, Owings creates and utilizes position specific workouts, beginning with the demands of on-field performance. He also coordinated all GPS data both for the Red Raiders and Golden Knights.
In his career, he has assisted in return-to-play protocols for injured athletes and integrated methods to maximize movement efficiency, injury prevention, and rapid recovery.
Before his time at UCF, he was a graduate assistant for three seasons at Utah State (2016-18) and served as an intern at Mercer and Michigan, as well as at Barwis Methods in Plymouth, Michigan.
Owings was a wide receiver/tight end as a student-athlete at Mercer (2014-15), where he was an Academic All-SoCon selection. He began his career at Eastern Michigan (2012-13).
He earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Mercer in 2016 and his master’s in physical and sport education at Utah State in 2018.
Owings holds numerous certifications, which includes CSCS-NSCA, USAW-Level 1, Running Mechanics Professional Level 1 and 2, Metabolic Analytics Practitioner, FRCms, Precision Nutrition Level 1, Body Type Nutrition as well as CPR and AED - ARC.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Utah State University
2016-18: Graduate Assistant
University of Central Florida
2018: Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach – Football
Texas Tech University
2019-20: Associate Director of Strength & Conditioning – Football
James Madison University
2020-23: Director of Strength & Conditioning – Football
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Eastern Michigan University
2012-13: Wide Receiver
Mercer University
2014-15: Tight End
Overall, Owings has helped his programs to a 49-9 overall record in his five seasons and trained 23 All-America selections and 27 first-team all-conference picks.
Owings helped the Hoosiers reach the College Football Playoff in his first season on campus and three pupils earned All-America honors. Linebacker Aiden Fisher earned first-team All-America accolades, while defensive lineman Mikail Kamara and defensive back D’Angelo Ponds both earned second-team honors.
During his tenure with James Madison, Owings helped five student-athletes win player of the year awards – Todd Centeio (2022; Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year), Jalen Green (2023; Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year), Mike Greene (2021; CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year), Cole Johnson (2021; CAA Offensive Player of the Year) and Jordan McCloud (2023; Sun Belt Player of the Year).
He developed defensive lineman Mike Greene reach finalist status for the Buck Buchanan Award – FCS national defensive player of the year – in 2020, and quarterback Cole Johnson finish No. 4 in the voting for the Walter Payton Award – FCS national player of the year – in 2021.
Owings spent two seasons at Texas Tech (2019-20) as the associate strength & conditioning coach for the Red Raider football team. Prior to TTU, he spent one year as assistant director of sports performance with football at UCF (2018).
Owings was lead strength coach for the wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, defensive backs, and linebackers at Texas Tech. While at UCF, he oversaw the receivers, running backs, defensive backs, and specialists.
In his role, Owings creates and utilizes position specific workouts, beginning with the demands of on-field performance. He also coordinated all GPS data both for the Red Raiders and Golden Knights.
In his career, he has assisted in return-to-play protocols for injured athletes and integrated methods to maximize movement efficiency, injury prevention, and rapid recovery.
Before his time at UCF, he was a graduate assistant for three seasons at Utah State (2016-18) and served as an intern at Mercer and Michigan, as well as at Barwis Methods in Plymouth, Michigan.
Owings was a wide receiver/tight end as a student-athlete at Mercer (2014-15), where he was an Academic All-SoCon selection. He began his career at Eastern Michigan (2012-13).
He earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Mercer in 2016 and his master’s in physical and sport education at Utah State in 2018.
Owings holds numerous certifications, which includes CSCS-NSCA, USAW-Level 1, Running Mechanics Professional Level 1 and 2, Metabolic Analytics Practitioner, FRCms, Precision Nutrition Level 1, Body Type Nutrition as well as CPR and AED - ARC.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Utah State University
2016-18: Graduate Assistant
University of Central Florida
2018: Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach – Football
Texas Tech University
2019-20: Associate Director of Strength & Conditioning – Football
James Madison University
2020-23: Director of Strength & Conditioning – Football
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Eastern Michigan University
2012-13: Wide Receiver
Mercer University
2014-15: Tight End
FB: Aiden Fisher - at Iowa Postgame Press Conference (09/27/25)
Saturday, September 27
FB: Fernando Mendoza & Elijah Sarratt - at Iowa Postgame Press Conference (09/27/25)
Saturday, September 27
FB: Pat Coogan - at Iowa Postgame Press Conference (09/27/25)
Saturday, September 27
FB: Week 5 (at Iowa) - Curt Cignetti Post Game Press Conference
Saturday, September 27
