College Football Coach. Born in the Midwest, he was the head football coach at the University of Washington from 1974 to 1992. Known affectionately in Husky circles as the "Dawgfather," he compiled a record of 153 wins, 58 losses and 2 ties during his 18-year coaching tenure at Washington. He arrived in Seattle in 1974, replacing legendary Husky coach Jim Owens. He led the Huskies to six Pacific-10 conference Rose Bowl appearances, a win over Oklahoma in the 1985 Orange Bowl, 15 major bowl appearances and a co-national championship in 1991. Prior to assuming the head coaching position at Washington he served as assistant coach at Kansas, Florida State, Michigan and Colorado. From 1971 to 1974 he was the head football coach at Kent State University, where he won 25 games and lost 19. While at Kent State, he led the Golden Flashes to the Mid-American Conference title in 1972. He attended the University of Miami as a player setting five school passing records and earned a Master's degree in Education from the University of Kansas. He was named National Coach of the Year for the years 1977, 1984 and 1991 and winner of the Paul "Bear" Bryant coaching award. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame and the Husky Hall of Fame in 1994, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. He died from complications of pancreatic cancer.
College Football Coach. Born in the Midwest, he was the head football coach at the University of Washington from 1974 to 1992. Known affectionately in Husky circles as the "Dawgfather," he compiled a record of 153 wins, 58 losses and 2 ties during his 18-year coaching tenure at Washington. He arrived in Seattle in 1974, replacing legendary Husky coach Jim Owens. He led the Huskies to six Pacific-10 conference Rose Bowl appearances, a win over Oklahoma in the 1985 Orange Bowl, 15 major bowl appearances and a co-national championship in 1991. Prior to assuming the head coaching position at Washington he served as assistant coach at Kansas, Florida State, Michigan and Colorado. From 1971 to 1974 he was the head football coach at Kent State University, where he won 25 games and lost 19. While at Kent State, he led the Golden Flashes to the Mid-American Conference title in 1972. He attended the University of Miami as a player setting five school passing records and earned a Master's degree in Education from the University of Kansas. He was named National Coach of the Year for the years 1977, 1984 and 1991 and winner of the Paul "Bear" Bryant coaching award. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame and the Husky Hall of Fame in 1994, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. He died from complications of pancreatic cancer.
Bio by: Nils M. Solsvik Jr.
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