American Football Database
Advertisement
Joe Yukica
Sport(s)Football
Biographical details
Born (1931-05-27) May 27, 1931 (age 93)
Playing career
1949–1952Penn State
Position(s)Tight end
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1954–1960
1961–1965
1966–1967
1968–1977
1978–1986
Central Dauphin HS (PA)
Dartmouth (OL)
New Hampshire
Boston College
Dartmouth
Head coaching record
Overall111–93–4 (college)
Statistics
College Football Data Warehouse
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 Ivy (1978–1979, 1981)

Joe Yukica (born May 27, 1931) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of New Hampshire (1966–1967), Boston College (1968–1977), and Dartmouth College (1978–1986), compiling a career college football record of 111–93–4. Yukica played at Pennsylvania State University from 1949 to 1952.

Lawsuit[]

Yukica was terminated by Edward Leland, the athletic director for Dartmouth College, after back-to-back disappointing seasons in 1984 and 1985. Although Yukica was offered standard compensation for the remaining 18 months of his contract, he instead chose to file suit against Leland in New Hampshire Superior Court for breach of contract. Based on various procedural irregularities regarding Yukica's dismissal, Judge Walter Murphy, a former football coach, issued two temporary injunctions against Leland and Dartmouth College. With the case gaining increased press, partly due to testimony at preliminary hearings by coach Joe Paterno of Pennsylvania State University, and college football recruitment already under way, Dartmouth settled out of court and Yukica went on to coach Dartmouth for another season before resigning.

Although the case never went to trial, Yukica v. Leland has been hailed by the American Football Coaches Association and others as setting an important precedent in sports law. The case also affected how coaching contracts were written, particularly at the college level.[1]

Head coaching record[]

College[]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
New Hampshire Wildcats (Yankee Conference) (1966–1967)
1966 New Hampshire 2–6 1–4 6th
1967 New Hampshire 5–3 2–3 4th
New Hampshire: 7–9 5–7
Boston College Eagles (NCAA University Division / Division I Independent) (1968–1977)
1968 Boston College 6–3
1969 Boston College 5–4
1970 Boston College 8–2
1971 Boston College 9–2
1972 Boston College 4–7
1973 Boston College 7–4
1974 Boston College 8–3
1975 Boston College 7–4
1976 Boston College 8–3
1977 Boston College 6–5
Boston College: 68–37
Dartmouth Big Green (Ivy League) (1978–1986)
1978 Dartmouth 6–3 6–1 1st
1979 Dartmouth 4–4–1 4–3 T–4th
1980 Dartmouth 4–6 4–3 T–3rd
1981 Dartmouth 6–4 6–1 T–1st
1982 Dartmouth 5–5 5–2 T–1st
1983 Dartmouth 4–5–1 4–2–1 T–3rd
1984 Dartmouth 2–7 2–5 T–6th
1985 Dartmouth 2–7–1 2–4–1 6th
1986 Dartmouth 3–6–1 3–3–1 4th
Dartmouth: 36–47–4 36–24–3
Total: 111–93–4
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title

References[]

  1. Mather, Lynn. Contemplating Courts, Lee Epstein ed. (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 1995)

External links[]

Advertisement