Ameer Ismail, a 2006 All-American and Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year at Western Michigan University, joined the Albion College football coaching staff in 2019 to oversee the outside linebackers.
At Western Michigan, Ismail led the nation with 17 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss during the 2006 season. He graduated as the school and MAC single-season sack record holder. He holds the NCAA Division I record for sacks in a game with six in a 41-27 win over Ball State University.
Ismail’s senior season the Western Michigan defense, led by coach Scott Shafer, was ranked first in the NCAA in sacks (46) and interceptions (24), finished third in the nation forcing 34 turnovers and ranked sixth in rush defense yielding only 2.6 yards per carry and 76 yards per game. Western finished the season 8-4 and qualified for the International Bowl, its first bowl game in 18 years.
As a professional player, Ismail had an opportunity in the National Football League as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs under the direction of head coach Herm Edwards.
Ismail began his coaching career in 2011 as the defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix High School where he helped improve the team to its best record since 2003. In 2012, Ismail took the defensive coordinator position at his alma mater, West Ottawa in Holland Mich., where he improved their defense on all fronts advancing to No. 1 in the conference and a top five ranked defense in the state. West Ottawa had an 8-3 record which was a school best at the time.
As the defensive coordinator of the Cedar Rapids Titans in 2014, Ismail's defense was ranked No. 1 and led the league in forced fumbles and was second in sacks. Their 11-3 record was a team franchise best, earning them the Franchise of the Year award in the Indoor Football League.
Ismail returned to Western Michigan in 2015 as an assistant defensive coach. The Broncos advanced to the Bahamas Bowl, defeating Middle Tennessee for the only bowl victory in program history.
Ismail was hired as defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach of the Tri-Cities Fever under head coach Adam Shackleford in 2015. The Fever defense rose to No. 1 one in the conference. Tri-Cities were named Franchise of the Year that season as well.
Ismail moved on to become the defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach of the Spokane Empire, an IFL expansion franchise, in 2016. The team earned the No. 1 seed and conference championship with a 12-4 record, reaching the United Bowl championship game before falling to Sioux Falls, the five-time defending champion. Ismail’s defense was ranked second overall, leading the league in interceptions and takeaways.
Ismail was the head coach of the Bloomington Edge in 2017. As a rookie head coach he finished 7-5 with the team advancing to the Champions Indoor Football playoffs. Ismail’s defense was ranked first in the league in sacks.
Ismail led the Massachusetts Pirates, an expansion team in the National Arena League in 2018, to a league best 11-5 record which is also the league record for most regular season wins, earning him Coach of the Year honors. He built the Massachusetts defense that led the National Arena League with 11 defensive touchdowns, a league-best 43 turnovers caused, and was No. 1 in holding opponents to just 27 percent when attempting fourth down conversions and No. 1 in yards per play at 4.8. The defense was second in the league in yards per game allowed; fumble recoveries, interceptions, and turnover margin.
He also recruited and constructed an offense that made the Pirates the highest scoring team in the league. Ismail began with an offensive line that allowed the fewest sacks in the NAL (11) which allowed quarterback Sean Brackett to ultimately earn league MVP honors. That unit was led by two all-NAL selections: Fred Ruff who played for Ismail in 2014 in Cedar Rapids and Cornelius Lewis.
Born in Lansing, Ismail is a 2002 graduate of West Ottawa High School. He was an All-State running back who rushed for a school-record 1,544 yards and 25 touchdowns during his sophomore season and graduated as school’s all-time leader with 2,920 rushing yards and 44 touchdowns. He achieved all-conference status as a power forward in basketball and track and field where he was a conference champion in the 110 hurdles and the shot put where he qualified for the Michigan High School Athletic Association Championships, as well. The former conference athlete of the year was inducted into West Ottawa High School Hall of Fame in 2011.
Ismail earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science and physiology as well as a master’s degree in sports management & administration.
