jcollingsworth
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Making The List: Earle Bruce
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Football Season has begun. Speaking for myself…I am thrilled. I love this time of the year. Football, we all know, is truly a drug among us that profess to the religion called Scarlet and Gray – of which I am a true Kool-Aid-drinker. Last week we finally addressed Eddie George – indeed well overdue. This week we will acknowledge another well-overdue Buckeye.
Earle Bruce as born March 8, 1931 in Cumberland, Maryland. In high school, he was a powerful fullback that dominated with his blocking abilities. He’d be recruited by then Ohio State coach, Wes Fesler, where he became a member of the freshman team in 1950. In 1951, prior to joining the varsity team Bruce suffered a torn meniscus which would end his football career. Woody Hayes would ask Earle to join the coaching staff in 1953, thus beginning his coaching career.
Bruce first served as Head Coach for the University of Tampa (1972) before heading to Iowa State University (1973-78). Following Woody’s firing, he headed to Columbus where he served as the Head Coach of The Ohio State University from 1979-87. Once the snobby board members got their way, Bruce was released from Columbus where he headed to the University of Northern Iowa (1988). Bruce would then move onto Colorado State University (1989-1992) where he ended his college football coaching career. His 20 year head coaching career culminated with a 154-90-2 record at five universities.
At The Ohio State University, Bruce followed the legendary Woody Hayes following the sad fiasco at the Gator Bowl against Clemson. Bruce would go onto win four Big Ten Championships. College Football acknowledged his worth by inducting him into the Hall of Fame in 2002.
In Bruce’s first year, the Buckeyes went undefeated in the regular season and headed to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl. They would lose the national title by one point to the University of Southern California.
Bruce’s Buckeye coaching history was summarized perfectly on his Wikipedia page:
“The Buckeyes would win nine games in each of the next six years and won 10 games in 1986. However, they would only appear in one more Rose Bowl (after the 1984 season) and would only tally one more top ten finish (in 1986). After being used to contending for a national title every year, the Buckeye fan base would grow dissatisfied with Bruce . In 1987, Bruce was fired just prior to the last game of the season—against Michigan—but was allowed to finish out the year. Reportedly, school president Edward Harrington Jennings made the move out of intrigue over a last-second loss to Iowa that dropped the Buckeyes to 5-4-1, meaning they needed to beat Michigan in order to be bowl-eligible. Bruce was able to defeat Michigan at Ann Arbor. This is something Ohio State would not do again until 2001 under head coach Jim Tressel. After the game, Bo Schembechler told Bruce, “I always mind losing to Ohio State but I didn’t mind so much today.”
At Ohio State, Bruce would finish with a record of 81-26-1.
Personally, I feel Coach Bruce was treated badly by The Ohio State University. He came in during an impossible time to come in. Following Woody’s meltdown and subsequent firing, there just wasn’t anyone that would satisfy the fan base. Earle Bruce did an outstanding job. In today’s College Football world, he would be well-sought after if the Buckeye canned him for the nonsense they did way back when.
Earle Bruce deserves acknowledgement on our list because, to be honest, he earned it. Imagine following Woody Hayes – allow me to repeat that – imagine following Woody Hayes! It is far from an enviable position of any sort. Earle Bruce earned his Buckeye leaves and he should have been treated better. So on behalf of Buckeye Nation – Coach Bruce – please accept our apologies in your treatment from the school we love and represent. Welcome to our list Coach. I pray all is well.
The post Making The List: Earle Bruce appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Football Season has begun. Speaking for myself…I am thrilled. I love this time of the year. Football, we all know, is truly a drug among us that profess to the religion called Scarlet and Gray – of which I am a true Kool-Aid-drinker. Last week we finally addressed Eddie George – indeed well overdue. This week we will acknowledge another well-overdue Buckeye.
Earle Bruce as born March 8, 1931 in Cumberland, Maryland. In high school, he was a powerful fullback that dominated with his blocking abilities. He’d be recruited by then Ohio State coach, Wes Fesler, where he became a member of the freshman team in 1950. In 1951, prior to joining the varsity team Bruce suffered a torn meniscus which would end his football career. Woody Hayes would ask Earle to join the coaching staff in 1953, thus beginning his coaching career.
Bruce first served as Head Coach for the University of Tampa (1972) before heading to Iowa State University (1973-78). Following Woody’s firing, he headed to Columbus where he served as the Head Coach of The Ohio State University from 1979-87. Once the snobby board members got their way, Bruce was released from Columbus where he headed to the University of Northern Iowa (1988). Bruce would then move onto Colorado State University (1989-1992) where he ended his college football coaching career. His 20 year head coaching career culminated with a 154-90-2 record at five universities.
At The Ohio State University, Bruce followed the legendary Woody Hayes following the sad fiasco at the Gator Bowl against Clemson. Bruce would go onto win four Big Ten Championships. College Football acknowledged his worth by inducting him into the Hall of Fame in 2002.
In Bruce’s first year, the Buckeyes went undefeated in the regular season and headed to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl. They would lose the national title by one point to the University of Southern California.
Bruce’s Buckeye coaching history was summarized perfectly on his Wikipedia page:
“The Buckeyes would win nine games in each of the next six years and won 10 games in 1986. However, they would only appear in one more Rose Bowl (after the 1984 season) and would only tally one more top ten finish (in 1986). After being used to contending for a national title every year, the Buckeye fan base would grow dissatisfied with Bruce . In 1987, Bruce was fired just prior to the last game of the season—against Michigan—but was allowed to finish out the year. Reportedly, school president Edward Harrington Jennings made the move out of intrigue over a last-second loss to Iowa that dropped the Buckeyes to 5-4-1, meaning they needed to beat Michigan in order to be bowl-eligible. Bruce was able to defeat Michigan at Ann Arbor. This is something Ohio State would not do again until 2001 under head coach Jim Tressel. After the game, Bo Schembechler told Bruce, “I always mind losing to Ohio State but I didn’t mind so much today.”
At Ohio State, Bruce would finish with a record of 81-26-1.
Personally, I feel Coach Bruce was treated badly by The Ohio State University. He came in during an impossible time to come in. Following Woody’s meltdown and subsequent firing, there just wasn’t anyone that would satisfy the fan base. Earle Bruce did an outstanding job. In today’s College Football world, he would be well-sought after if the Buckeye canned him for the nonsense they did way back when.
Earle Bruce deserves acknowledgement on our list because, to be honest, he earned it. Imagine following Woody Hayes – allow me to repeat that – imagine following Woody Hayes! It is far from an enviable position of any sort. Earle Bruce earned his Buckeye leaves and he should have been treated better. So on behalf of Buckeye Nation – Coach Bruce – please accept our apologies in your treatment from the school we love and represent. Welcome to our list Coach. I pray all is well.
The post Making The List: Earle Bruce appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...