American football coach
Ken Swearingen (born c. 1934 ) is an American former college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at El Camino College in Alondra Park, California from 1962 to 1975, Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California from 1975 to 1994, and the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, California from 2004 to 2005, compiling a career junior college football head coaching record of 253–76–6. His 253 wins are the most of any junior college football coach. Swearingen led his teams to three national titles, at El Camino in 1968, and Saddleback in 1985 and 1992. His 1971 El Camino team also won the California state large division championship.
Swearingen played football at El Camino in 1952 and 1952 and then at the College of the Pacific—now known as the University of the Pacific —in Stockton, California . He returned to El Camino in 1957 as an assistant coach and succeeded Doug Essick as head coach following the 1961 season.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
Head coaching record
Year
Team
Overall
Conference
Standing
Bowl/playoffs
El Camino Warriors (Metropolitan Conference ) (1962–1975)
1962
El Camino
7–2
5–2
3rd
1963
El Camino
6–3
4–3
4th
1964
El Camino
6–3
3–3
T–3rd
1965
El Camino
5–3–1
2–3–1
4th
1966
El Camino
5–2–2
3–2–2
4th
1967
El Camino
8–1
6–1
2nd
1968
El Camino
10–1
7–0
1st
L California JC large division semifinal
1969
El Camino
7–2
5–1
2nd
1970
El Camino
6–3
4–2
T–2nd
1971
El Camino
11–1
6–0
1st
W California JC large division championship
1972
El Camino
7–1–1
4–1
2nd
1973
El Camino
6–3
4–1
T–1st
1974
El Camino
8–1–1
4–1
2nd
1975
El Camino
6–4
2–4
T–5th
El Camino:
98–30–5
59–24–3
Saddleback Gauchos (Mission Conference ) (1976–1994)
1976
Saddleback
6–3
6–1
3rd
1977
Saddleback
10–1
7–0
1st
W Mission Bowl
1978
Saddleback
9–2
7–0
1st
L Mission Bowl
1979
Saddleback
10–1
6–1
T–1st
W Mission Bowl
1980
Saddleback
9–1
5–1
1st
W Mission Bowl
1981
Saddleback
11–0
6–0
1st
W Pony Bowl
1982
Saddleback
9–2
5–1
T–1st
L Orange County Bowl
1983
Saddleback
9–1–1
5–0–1
T–1st
L Santa Ana Bowl
1984
Saddleback
9–2
8–0
1st
L Pony Bowl
1985
Saddleback
11–0
8–0
1st
W Pony Bowl
1986
Saddleback
5–5
5–4
T–4th
1987
Saddleback
9–2
8–1
1st
W Pony Bowl
1988
Saddleback
8–3
7–2 / 4–1
2nd (Central)
L Pony Bowl
1989
Saddleback
1–9
1–8
6th (Central)
1990
Saddleback
6–4
3–2
T–2nd (Central)
1991
Saddleback
10–1
8–1 / 5–0
1st (Central)
W Orange County Bowl
1992
Saddleback
11–0
9–0 / 5–0
1st (Central)
W Orange County Bowl
1993
Saddleback
5–5
3rd (Central)
1994
Saddleback
1–7–2
1–3–2
6th (Central)
Saddleback:
143–37–1
Desert Roadrunners () (2004–2005)
2004
Desert
6–5
5–3
L U.S. Bank Beach Bowl
2005
Desert
6–4
5–3
Desert:
12–9
10–6
Total: 253–76–6
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth
[ 4] [ 5] [ 6]
References
^ "Ken Swearingen New Warrior Grid Coach" . Gardena Valley News and Imperial-Hollypark News . Gardena, California . December 3, 1961. p. 8. Retrieved April 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com ^ Carr, Al (May 13, 1976). "Saddleback, Coach Like Change" . Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California . p. 11, part III. Retrieved April 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com ^ Carr, Al (May 13, 1976). "Saddleback's Ken Swearingen (continued)" . Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California . p. 13, part III. Retrieved April 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com ^ "All-Time Yearly Game-By-Game Results" (PDF) . El Camino College . Retrieved April 30, 2024 .^ "Program History" . Saddleback College Athletics. Retrieved April 30, 2024 .^ "Archive" . College of the Desert Athletics. Retrieved April 30, 2024 .
