Doug Plank

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Doug Plank

Date of birth:	March 4, 1953 (1953-03-04) (age 55)
Place of birth:	Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Career information
Position(s):	Safety
College:	Ohio State
NFL Draft:	1975 / Round: 12 / Pick: 291
Organizations
As player:
1975-1982 1983	Chicago Bears Chicago Blitz (USFL)
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Douglas Walter Plank (born March 4, 1953 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania) is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He spent his entire eight year career with the Chicago Bears. He attended Ohio State University, and Norwin School District in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. He was named the head coach of the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League in 2005 and 2007, following a tenure as the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Rattlers under Danny White. Plank was named the AFL's Coach of the Year in 2005 as he led Georgia to ArenaBowl XIX in his first year at the helm.

Plank was a favorite of Bears defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan for his hard hitting and aggressive style. Ryan named his defense the "46 defense" after Plank's jersey number.^[1] Plank was considered one of the hardest hitting safeties in the game. That effort took a physical toll, and he retired before the Bears reached their peak in 1985. Plank and Gary Fencik were dubbed "The Hit Men", a fact referenced by Fencik in 1985's The Super Bowl Shuffle.

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Current Head Coaches of the Arena Football League

American Conference

Central Division	Mike Hohensee (Chicago) • Mike Dailey (Colorado) • Steve Thonn (Grand Rapids) • Kevin Porter (Kansas City)

Western Division	Kevin Guy (Arizona) • Ed Hodgkiss (Los Angeles) • Darren Arbet (San Jose SaberCats) • Danny White (Utah)

National Conference

Eastern Division	Mike Wilpolt (Cleveland) • Doug Kay (Columbus) • Will McClay (Dallas) • Weylan Harding (New York) • Bret Munsey (Philadelphia)

Southern Division	Doug Plank (Georgia) • Mike Neu (New Orleans) • Jay Gruden (Orlando) • Tim Marcum (Tampa Bay)