Jason Couch will enter his 8th season as the Alma College Head Football Coach in the Fall of 2025.
Through seven seasons, Couch has compiled a record of 45-22, with a 25-16 mark in MIAA play. Under Couch, the Scots have won two MIAA championships, and been to the NCAA tournament two times, making it past the first round on both occasions, and going as far as the quarterfinals. He has coached a total of 54 All-MIAA honorees, 23 All-Region selections, and five All-Americans. Coach Couch has been named as an AFCA Regional Coach of the Year two times, a d3football.com Regional Coach of the year once, and MIAA Coach of the Year once.
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.
He 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.
2024 saw the Scots post an 8-2 record, finishing 6-1 in MIAA play. Alma earned 14 All-MIAA selections, six d3football.com all-region selections, and one d3football.com all-american in Abrahm Evans. This marked the second straight season that the Scots featured an all-american. Under his watch, Carter St. John became Alma College's all-time leading touchdown passer, and Devon Frenchko became the all-time leading touchdown receiver. Alma ranked 6th in all of Division III in total offense, 12th in turnover margin, 12th in passing efficiency, 13th in scoring offense, and 19th in red zone offense. Carter St. John finished 4th in total offense among DIII players, and 6th in passing yards per game.
2023 was another memorable season for the Scots. Alma went 13-1, completing back-to-back perfect regular seasons, winning the MIAA Conference Championship and giving them another berth to the NCAA Tournament. During the tournament, Alma knocked off #21 DePauw University and #2 Mount Union before having their season cut short to eventual national champion #11 SUNY Cortland. The 2023 Scots featured 16 All-MIAA selections, 12 d3football.com All-Region selections, and 4 d3football.com All-American selections. This included Odin Soffredine, who was named First Team All-American by both d3football.com, and the Associated Press. Couch was also named MIAA Coach of the Year, AFCA Region IV Coach of the Year, and d3football.com Region IV Coach of the Year.
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 2022 Scots featured 14 All-MIAA Selections, and 5 d3football.com All-Region selections. Couch was named AFCA Region IV Coach of the Year in addition to being named d3football.com Region IV Coach of the Year.
In 2021, Alma registered a 5-5 record. Highlights included a 51-2 victory over Anderson University (IN), which was part of a 4 game win streak during the season for Alma. The Scots had 2 All-MIAA selections.
In 2020, Alma posted a 1-1 record during a covid shortened season.
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. 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 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 reside in Alma, and have three sons: JB, Sam, and Cooper.
