[4] In 2014, Dougherty earned his first full-time opportunity at the Division 1 level when he returned to Ball State as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator.
[2] Over the course of Dougherty’s time at the Muncie, Indiana University, he developed over 20 all-conference players, helped guide the Cardinals to their first Mid-American Conference title inover 20 years, achieve their first ever bowl victory, and their first ever year-ending rankings in the AP and coaches polls.
[2] Dougherty's special teams on the 2020 championship squad ranked second in the MAC in kickoff average, featured all-conference return specialist Justin Hall and punter Nathan Snyder, and registered a blocked field goal in the MAC Championship Game and blocked punt in the Arizona Bowl.
Dougherty helped kick returner Malik Dunner earn All-MAC honors three straight years in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and guided kicker Morgan Hagee to a new Ball State PAT record in 2018 (129).
[2] Dougherty joined Mike Elko’s inaugural Duke staff as the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach in January 2022.
It would be the first special teams coordinator that the Aggies would have employed since 2018, as they did not have a full time assistant for the position for 5 seasons under former head coach Jimbo Fisher.