Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to the deposition of coatings onto substrates via combustion deposition. An aqueous precursor solution is used in connection with combustion deposition for the deposition of coatings onto a substrate. In certain example embodiments, the aqueous precursor solution may be an organic salt (e.g., of titanium, such as titanium (IV) bis(ammonium lactate)dihydroxide (aq)), an oxalic acid salts of titanium (e.g., potassium titanyl oxalate (e.g., K2TiO(C2O4)2.2 H2O or other suitable stoichiometry) and Ti2(C2O4)3.10 H2O), a water soluble salts of titanium acetate and titanium citrate, etc., which may enable a titanium oxide (e.g., TiO2 or other suitable stoichiometry) coating to be deposited onto a glass substrate. The deposited TiO2 coating may be of high refractive index and may possess photocatalytic and/or super-hydrophilic properties. Thus, certain example embodiments advantageously may be used for the inexpensive, easy to handle, and environmentally friendly production of, for example, multilayer AR (MLAR) designs and low maintenance glass applications.