Eric Caler is entering his first season as the running backs coach/co-special teams coordinator of the Storm football program in 2023.
Caler comes to Lake Erie following a short stint as an Area College Scout for National Scouting Report after previously graduating from Alabama A&M University with a master’s degree in Kinesiology and concluding an Offensive Graduate Assistant position working with the quarterbacks including an All-SWAC and 2x SWAC Offensive player of the year, with the offensive staff being awarded Minority Offensive Staff of the Year in 2021 at the AFCA Convention.
Prior to attending Alabama A&M, Eric served as the Wide Receiver Coach at Highland Community College where he guided one of his players to All-American Honorable Mention honors in the spring season of 2021.
Caler made his start in collegiate coaching after having served as Offensive Coordinator for Advance Prep Academy (APA) in 2019. Prior to his time as a coach at APA, Caler was the Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receiver Coach at Westside High School in Jacksonville, Florida where again he was able to guide someone in his position group to All-Conference honors.
Eric has also coached at Firestone High School (Akron, Ohio), where in 2015 the Falcons appeared in the City Series Conference Championship game. There he would lead one of his players to All-Conference honors and was chosen to coach in the Summit County Turkey Day All-Star game. In 2015 at Theodore Roosevelt High School (Kent, Ohio), again with a talented position group culminating with an All-Conference player.
Eric’s first season working at the high school level was at Field High School, his alma mater, in Brimfield, Ohio, where he began a string of success among his position groups sending his first player to the All-Portage Trail Conference Team and culminating with a conference championship and state playoff appearance in the fall of 2014.
The Kent, Ohio native attended Kent State University earning his bachelor’s degree in educational studies. While at Kent State he interned with the track and field team as an assistant jumps coach. Caler also coached with Ohio Special Olympics for 12 years, coaching basketball, volleyball, and track and field for Summit County, Ohio Special Olympics.
Coach Caler began his coaching career in 2000 working with Field Youth Football in Portage County as head coach for five seasons, before moving onto Kent Youth Football serving in the same capacity.
Caler is a proud military veteran, having been a member of the Ohio Army National Guard from 2002-2008. As a Specialist, Caler served with the Military Police for a 12-month tour in Iraq as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom 3 earning the Army Accommodation Medal, along with a Combat Action Badge.
Eric comes from a family with football coaching in their veins. His brother Brian Caler being a successful Head Football Coach in the German Football League, appearing in the German Bowl and European Championship in 2018. Eric has a 24-year-old son Elisha of Kent, Ohio and is a devout Muslim.
