▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁A ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁Ge or get own ▁College , ▁Dow ling ▁co ached ▁for ▁over ▁ 3 0 ▁years ▁on ▁the ▁colleg iate ▁level . ▁His ▁co aching ▁Family ▁tree ▁includes ▁Mike ▁Ay ers ▁of ▁W off ord ▁College . ▁ ▁Both ▁coach ▁Ay ers ’ ▁son ▁Tra vis ▁Dow ling , ▁and ▁his ▁grand son ▁Ez ra ▁Dow ling ▁are ▁named ▁for ▁Co ach ▁Dow ling . ▁ ▁Play ing ▁career ▁Dow ling ▁played ▁football ▁for ▁Ge or get own ▁College ▁serving ▁as ▁co - capt ain ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁team . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁won ▁the ▁K I AC ▁championship ▁in ▁the ▁shot ▁put ▁while ▁compet ing ▁for ▁the ▁track ▁team . ▁ ▁Co aching ▁career ▁Dow ling ▁began ▁his ▁colleg iate ▁co aching ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁at ▁his ▁al ma ▁mater , ▁Ge or get own ▁College . ▁ ▁After ▁four ▁successful ▁seasons ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁third ▁head ▁coach ▁at ▁Liber ty ▁Bapt ist ▁College ▁( now ▁called ▁Liber ty ▁University ). ▁ ▁He ▁led ▁the ▁Fl ames ▁in ▁their ▁transition ▁from ▁NA IA ▁to ▁NCAA ▁Division ▁II ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁After ▁Liber ty , ▁he ▁moved ▁on ▁to ▁start ▁the ▁football ▁program ▁at ▁C umber land ▁College ▁( now ▁called ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁C umber lands ) ▁in ▁Williams burg , ▁Kentucky . ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁Dow ling ▁later ▁served ▁as ▁commission er ▁of ▁the ▁Mid - S outh