Official Site of College of the Desert Athletics

Bio

Jack E. Steptoe is a veteran of the NFL as a pro receiver and played with teams like: San Francisco Forty-Niners, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, the Canadian league and the USFL before retiring in 1984.

Since 2014, Desert has accumulated 41 wins under the leadership of Coach Steptoe, which included participating in Back-to-Back Bowl games for the first time since 2007 and 2008 seasons. The 2023 Southern California Bowl at Santa Ana and the 2022 Beach Bowl at Santa Barbara City, which garnered Steptoe another Coach of the Year honor, his second since 2016.

In Coach Steptoe's term he has had 19 players sign to four-year schools, a number which grows at the conclusion of every season and in 2023, Football had 18 All-Conference selections and four All-State selection. Since 2014, Coach Steptoe has had 81 All-Conference selections and 16 All-State selections.

Coach Steptoe has been coaching in the desert for more than 17 years. He coached with College of the Desert in 1984-1987, winning the Foothill Conference and the Southern California Bowl in 1986. From there he went to Palm Desert High School and coached there from 1994-1997, winning their first DVL championship in 1997. He rejoined College of the Desert in 2003, and in 2005 returned to Palm Desert High School and helped them to another DVL championship and a 10-0 season; the best record in school history, finishing with an overall record of 12-1.

Coach Steptoe works to develop players athletically and academically, preparing these young men to transfer on to four-year colleges. His coaching skills have allowed him the joy of coaching many All-Conference receiving and All-State recipients over the years.

As head coach, Steptoe emphasizes good football fundamentals, the importance of education, self-discipline and playing the game with enthusiasm.

He stresses education and wants his players to leave COD with more than just football skills to compete at the four-year level. He wants each player to have an academic background to compete and excel academically.

Now back at College of the Desert, Coach Steptoe participated in the roadrunners' 2007 best season ever, winning the foothill conference with a record of 9-1 and best record in school history. This qualified them for a bowl bid against #1 ranked Bakersfield in the Golden Empire Bowl. And while his impressive accomplishment is unmatched at COD, he feels his greatest success is getting his sophomores placed at the university level or professional level.

Coach Steptoe is married and has three children: Diondre, Eric, and daughter Alyssia. He is extremely happy to be a part of an outstanding staff and to be a Roadrunner once again.

— Bio current as of November 2023