| Woody Widenhofer | |
| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born | January 20, 1943 Butler, Pennsylvania |
| Playing career | |
| 1961–1964 | Missouri |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1969–1970 1971 1972 1973-1983 1984 1985–1988 1989–1992 1993–1994 1995–2001 2003–2004 2005–2007 2009–2010 | Michigan State (DL) Eastern Michigan (LB) Minnesota (LB) Pittsburgh Steelers (LB/DC) Oklahoma Outlaws Missouri Detroit Lions (DC) Cleveland Browns (LB) Vanderbilt (DC/HC) SE Louisiana (DC) New Mexico State (DC) Alabama Blackbirds |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 27–71–1 (college) |
| Statistics College Football Data Warehouse | |
Robert "Woody" Widenhofer (born January 20, 1943) is a former college football head coach and longtime NFL assistant. He has been announced as the head coach of the Alabama Blackbirds of the United National Gridiron League, a new minor league that was scheduled to begin play in February 2009, but whose debut has been delayed indefinitely.
Widenhofer is best known for helping the Pittsburgh Steelers "Steel Curtain" defense that won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. He later served unsuccessful tenures as head coach at Missouri and Vanderbilt University.
Widenhofer attended Riverview High School in Riverview, Michigan and played linebacker at Mizzou from 1961–1964 under coach Dan Devine. He went on to receive a master's degree at Michigan State University.
Coaching career[]
Widenhofer began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State where he coached the defensive line. Widenhofer then moved to Eastern Michigan and Minnesota where he served as linebackers coach. After several years as a college assistant, Widenhofer was hired to coach linebackers for the Steelers in 1973. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1979. By the time he left after the 1983 season, Widenhofer had won four Super Bowls and made the postseason nine times. Many experts believe Widenhofer's defense at Pittsburgh was the greatest in professional football history.
He spent one year as head coach of the short-lived United States Football League team, the Oklahoma Outlaws, before landing an opportunity at his alma mater, bolstered by a much-remembered ad campaign that urged Tigers fans to "climb on Woody's Wagon". While Widenhofer's team showed slow improvements, he only managed a 12–33–1 record in four seasons at Missouri from 1985 to 1988.
Widenhofer returned to the NFL for six years as an assistant coach, serving as defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions under head coach Wayne Fontes, followed by two years as linebackers coach with the Cleveland Browns under head coach Bill Belichick. He then joined friend Rod Dowhower's staff at Vanderbilt to serve as defensive coordinator. When Dowhower was fired after the 1996 season, Widenhofer was promoted to head coach. In 1997, his Vanderbilt team led the SEC in total defense. However, his second tenure as head coach was no easier than the first, as Widenhofer compiled only a 15–37 record in five seasons at the helm for VU. Widenhofer resigned in 2001. While unsuccessful on the field, the NCAA announced that Vanderbilt led the nation in football graduation percentage with a perfect 100% the year he left.
Widenhofer considered retiring, but ultimately joined friend Hal Mumme as an assistant at Southeastern Louisiana University and later New Mexico State University. Widenhofer announced he was retiring from coaching following the season finale game against Fresno State on November 30, 2007.[1]
Personal life[]
Widenhofer has five children: Kim, Stacy, Ryan, Ross, Katlyn and a granddaughter Addison. After his recent retirement from football, Widenhofer now resides in Florida with his wife Sabrina.[2]
Head coaching record[]
College[]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Tigers (Big 8 Conference) (1985–1988) | |||||||||
| 1985 | Missouri | 1–10 | 1–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 1986 | Missouri | 3–8 | 2–5 | 6th | |||||
| 1987 | Missouri | 5–6 | 3–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1988 | Missouri | 3–7–1 | 2–5 | 6th | |||||
| Missouri: | 12–31–1 | 8–20 | |||||||
| Vanderbilt Commodores (Southeastern Conference) (1997–2001) | |||||||||
| 1997 | Vanderbilt | 3–8 | 0–8 | 6th (East) | |||||
| 1998 | Vanderbilt | 2–9 | 1–7 | 5th (East) | |||||
| 1999 | Vanderbilt | 5–6 | 2–6 | 5th (East) | |||||
| 2000 | Vanderbilt | 3–8 | 1–7 | 5th (East) | |||||
| 2001 | Vanderbilt | 2–9 | 0–8 | 6th (East) | |||||
| Vanderbilt: | 15–40 | 4–36 | |||||||
| Total: | 27–71–1 | ||||||||
References[]
- ↑ "Widenhofer Announces Retirement from Football". Nmotsc.com. http://nmotsc.com/articles/widenhofer-announces-retirement-from-football/. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ↑ "Pat Forde kicks off the season by introducing us to the most interesting men in Gridworld - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2008-01-01. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview10/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=5514049. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
External links[]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Perles |
Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Coordinator 1979–1983 |
Succeeded by Tony Dungy |
| Preceded by Unknown |
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator 1989–1993 |
Succeeded by Herb Paterra |
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