Trent Steelman was chosen as EKU’s quarterbacks coach in January 2020.
In his third season at EKU, Steelman helped guide quarterback Parker McKinney to a record-setting season. McKinney set every single-season and career passing mark in EKU's record book as the Colonels ranked third in the nation in passing offense, eight in completion percentage, and 11th in team passing efficiency. EKU set a school record with 434 points scored and posted at least 40 points in six games.
McKinney was named ASUN Co-Offensive Player of the Year, Phil Steele's Offensive Player of the Year, and a Third-Team Stats Perform FCS All-American. He led the ASUN in every passing category en route to being named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award. McKinney ranked third nationally in passing yards, passing yards per game (329.7), and total offense per game (359.2), fourth in points responsible for (258) and points responsible for per game (21.5), fifth nationally in passing touchdowns, seventh in completions per game (26.25) and ninth in completion percentage (.686) and passing efficiency (161.3).
In 2021, McKinney set a school record with 229 pass completions. Eastern Kentucky boasted the fourth-best red-zone offense in the country, scoring on 31 of its 33 trips (93.9 percent) inside in the red zone. The Colonels scored 30 points in six different games.
McKinney ranked 20th nationally in completions per game (20.8) and 25th in points responsible for (150). He also became just the second player in EKU history to account for 3,000 total yards of offense in a season, passing for 2,429 yards and rushing for 596.
In his first season, Steelman helped an offense that concluded the fall third in the nation in passing offense (247.4 yards per game) and fourth in the country in total offense (376.4 yards per game). The Colonels ran up a season-high 590 yards of offense against Western Carolina in the 2020 Opportunity Bowl. The unit totaled 400 yards or more of offense in six of the final seven games of the season.
Quarterback Parker McKinney was chosen as the national player of the week during the 2020 season. He was among the nation’s passing leaders for much of the season before missing the final three and a half games due to an injury. McKinney still ranked fourth in passing touchdowns.
Steelman utilized three different starting quarterbacks during the 2020 season. McKinney started the first six games but suffered a season-ending injury just before halftime against No. 11 Central Arkansas. Dakota Allen came on and led the team on a last minute, game-winning touchdown drive to beat the nationally ranked Bears. Allen would start the next two games. Isaiah Velz was called on to make his first collegiate start in the season finale. He threw for 310 yards while leading EKU to a 49-17 win in the Opportunity Bowl.
“I got to know Trent when I was at Western and he was a quarterback at Bowling Green High School,” head coach Walt Wells said. “I followed his career at Army where he was a renowned player. He has turned himself into a very good young coach. It’s good to have him working with our quarterbacks. Having had success as a coordinator, he brings a lot into our offensive room.”
During his collegiate career, Steelman was the first freshman to ever start at quarterback for Army. He set program records for career rushing touchdowns, single season rushing touchdowns and rushing yards by a quarterback. He is also the only Army quarterback to throw for 2,000 yards in a career. He concluded his career in 2012 ranked 15th in NCAA history for rushing yards by a quarterback.
As a senior, Steelman was selected for the Black Lion Award, the most prestigious award for an Army football player. It is given to the player that most demonstrated the leadership characteristics of an Army officer.
Following the conclusion of his collegiate career, Steelman was selected to play in the 2013 East-West All-Star Shrine Game. He signed a free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens in 2015.
As an Army officer, he served at Fort Lee in Virginia (October 2013 to February 2014) and at the Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia (April 2014 to January 2015).
Steelman served as the offensive coordinator at Jacksonville University during the 2019 season. He joined the staff at Jacksonville in 2016 as the wide receivers coach. In 2017 he added special teams coordinator to his responsibilities. During those two seasons, he coached an all-conference wide receiver, an honorable mention all-conference receiver and an all-conference long snapper.
In 2018, Steelman switched to coaching the quarterbacks and fullbacks while maintaining his duties as special teams coordinator. He tutored a first team all-conference and FCS Freshman All-America fullback, and a quarterback who earned honorable mention all-conference recognition.
As the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and fullbacks coach in 2019, Steelman saw his quarterback and running back earn first team all-conference honors. The JU offense ranked fifth in the nation with 274.6 rushing yards per game and second with 18.57 yards per completion.
The Bowling Green, Kentucky native earned a degree in engineering management from the United States Military Academy in 2013 and completed a master’s in business administration at Jacksonville in 2020.
He and his wife Elise have two sons – Brady and Camden.
