Bill Walsh (football coach)
Bill Walsh (football coach) | |
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Bill Walsh (left), 2007 | |
Position (s): Head Coach , Assistant Coach |
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born November 30, 1931 in Los Angeles, California | |
died on July 30, 2007 in Woodside, California | |
Career information | |
Active : 1960 - 1994 | |
College : College of San Mateo , San José State University | |
Teams | |
Assistant coach
Head coach
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Career statistics | |
Wins: Losses: Tie as NFL Head Coach | 92: 59: 1 |
Play-off victories: defeats as NFL head coach | 10: 4 |
Total status | 102: 96: 1 |
Coaching stats at pro-football-reference.com | |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Pro Football Hall of Fame |
William Ernest "Bill" Walsh (born November 30, 1931 in Los Angeles , California , † July 30, 2007 in Woodside , California) was an American American football coach. Walsh was the longtime head coach of the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL).
Youth / college
Bill Walsh was born in Los Angeles, but grew up in the Bay Area after his parents moved . He visited in Hayward the high school . There he played American football as a running back . After finishing school, he studied sports at the College of San Mateo and played for the San Mateo Bulldogs as quarterback Football . After two years of study, he moved to San José State University , where he played as tight end and defensive end for the San Jose State Spartans . He successfully completed his sports studies and did his military service in the United States Army in Fort Ord before returning to his old college in 1955. In 1957, he took the position of football coach and swimming instructor at a Fremont high school .
Coaching career
Assistant coach
Oakland Raiders
In 1960, Bill Walsh was assistant coach of Marv Levy at the University of California, Berkeley . From 1963 to 1965 he worked in the same capacity at Stanford University . In 1966 he switched to the professional field for the Oakland Raiders . Al Davis , former head coach and acting general manager of the Raiders, was a student of Sid Gillman who, as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, introduced and developed the West Coast offense in professional football. This attack variant, originally from college football , is based on pulling apart the opposing defensive association with short, fast passes in order to create gaps for the running game or for long passes. Walsh received the first contact with this variant of the attack. He should remain loyal to her until the end of his career.
Cincinnati Bengals
Walsh worked under Head Coach John Rauch for a year in Oakland before he moved to the Cincinnati Bengals , coached by Paul Brown , as an assistant as head coach of the San Jose Apaches from the Continental Football League . Walsh developed the West Coast Offense further, with quarterback Ken Anderson and wide receiver Isaac Curtis suitable players were available. In 1973 the Bengals were able to move into the AFC play-offs after ten wins out of 14 games , but where they failed in the divisional play-off game 34:16 at the Miami Dolphins . 1975 get eleven wins in three defeats in the regular season . However, the Bengals could not prevail in the subsequent AFC divisional play-off game against the Oakland Raiders and lost 31:21.
In the course of their professional relationship, the relationship between Paul Brown and Bill Walsh had deteriorated significantly. After the 1975 season, Brown resigned his coaching position and Walsh was not his successor due to his intervention. Walsh later accused Brown of having intentionally blocked his further career, in which case he should also have tried to prevent other club officials from signing his person.
San Diego Chargers
In 1976 Walsh hired as an assistant coach with the San Diego Chargers , where he looked after quarterback Dan Fouts and wide receiver Charlie Joiner as an offensive coordinator . The season was unsuccessful for the Chargers and Walsh switched back to college football.
Head coach
Stanford Cardinal
Before the 1977 season, William Walsh replaced Jack Christiansen as head coach of the Stanford Cardinal , the college football team at Stanford University . The team was based in the Pacific-8 Conference and Walsh won nine of twelve games in his first round. In the following Sun Bowl , the Cardinal won 24:14 against Louisiana State University . Walsh was named the MVP of the Pacific-8 Conference that year . The Cardinals remained successful the following year, winning eight of twelve games in the regular season and defeating the University of Georgia team 25:22 in the Bluebonnet Bowl . Numerous Bill Walsh players such as wide receiver James Lofton found their way into the NFL after completing their studies.
San Francisco 49ers
Bill Walsh was hired as head coach by the San Francisco 49ers in 1979 . The 49ers hadn't been successful in previous years. A situation in which nothing should change in Walsh's first year as coach. The 49ers could only win two of 16 games. However, Walsh succeeded in the next few years with the commitment of later Pro Bowl players such as the quarterback Joe Montana , the running back Roger Craig or the wide receivers Jerry Rice and Dwight Clark to strengthen the offense of the team decisively. His search for suitable players for his West Coast Offense was successful and he succeeded in establishing this attack variant with the 49ers permanently. At the same time, Walsh also managed to strengthen the team's defense . So in 1981 the cornerback Ronnie Lott and in 1986 the defensive end Charles Haley joined the team from California. The from Austria originating kicker Ray Wersching stood by the 49ers since 1977 under contract and should be up in 1987 in the special teams be the 49ers successfully. Bill Walsh succeeded with the San Francisco 49ers to establish the leading football team of the 80s in the NFL.
In 1981 the San Francisco 49ers should achieve their first major success. National sensation caused a move by Joe Montana and Dwight Clark in the play-offs, after the 49ers had previously won 13 of 16 games in the regular season. The 49ers played in the NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys trained by Tom Landry . One minute before the end of the game, the 49ers were 27:21 behind. Montana played a previously rehearsed pass into the end zone of the cowboys which Clark, who had already scored a touchdown in the first half , was able to hold onto with an acrobatic pass catch. The 49ers won 28:27 and moved into the Super Bowl . Clark's passport catch would go down in NFL history as The Catch . Opponents in Super Bowl XVI were the Cincinnati Bengals , who could be defeated with 26:21.
The 1984 season was also extremely successful for Walsh and the 49ers. After a 23-0 win over the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game, Walsh was able to move into his second Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XIX , Montana was able to add 24 of his 35 pass attempts to a space gain of 331 yards . His three thrown touchdowns contributed significantly to the 38:16 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX.
The next few years of play brought the NFL team from San Francisco more wins than losses. But it wasn't until 1988 that the next title should be won. The team won ten of 16 games and met the Chicago Bears again in the NFC Championship Game. The Bears were beaten 28: 3, with Montana throwing three touchdown passes. In Super Bowl XXIII , the 49ers faced the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals were able to make the game evenly for a long time, but ultimately left the field with a 20:16 defeat. Joe Montana, Walsh's right-hand man on the field, was named Super Bowl MVP after all three Super Bowl wins .
Walsh resigned after winning Super Bowl XXIII and left the position of head coach to his previous assistant George Seifert , who won the Super Bowl twice with the 49ers.
Stanford Cardinal
After his resignation as head coach, Bill Walsh worked as a sports commentator for the American television station NBC for three years before he returned to the sidelines in 1992 and again took over the coaching position at the Stanford Cardinals. The first year of the game turned out to be successful for him and the Cardinal. Six of eight games were won in the regular season and in the subsequent Blockbuster Bowl they remained successful with 24: 3 over Pennsylvania State University . The next two game years were unsuccessful for Walsh and the Cardinal. Only two of eight games could be won. Walsh resigned from his coaching position for the last time.
Football official
Walsh returned in 1999 to the 49ers and took over there until 2001 , the offices of the General Manager and the Vice-President. He then worked as a franchise representative for three years . In 2004, he was acting director of sports at Stanford University. In 2005 and 2005, he was an athletic director at San Jose State University and the University of the Pacific .
Significance for football sport
William Walsh established the West Coast Offense , which he developed further, permanently in the NFL. It is still an attack variant that is often practiced today. Many of the assistant coaches he trained then successfully trained NFL teams themselves, Walsh has an impressive coaching tree :
- George Seifert was Walsh's assistant in the 49ers for many years. He won the Super Bowl twice with this team and coached the Carolina Panthers in addition to the 49ers .
- Tony Dungy was a player under Walsh in the 49ers. He won the Super Bowl XLV as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts .
- Mike Holmgren was Walsh's assistant and trained the Seattle Seahawks . With the Green Bay Packers he won the Super Bowl XXXI . His assistants Mike Sherman , Andy Reid , Steve Mariucci and Ray Rhodes were also able to prevail in the NFL.
- Dennis Green , another assistant to Walsh, oversaw the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals . His former assistant Brian Billick won again with the Baltimore Ravens to Super Bowl XXXV .
- Sam Wyche coached the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .
- Jim Fassel was the long-time head coach of the New York Giants . He was temporarily supported by John Fox , who won the AFC Championship Game with the Denver Broncos in 2013 .
Numerous Bill Walsh players such as Joe Montana, James Lofton, Jerry Rice and Ronnie Lott were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after their retirement . Montana and Rice were also accepted into the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team .
Outside the arena
Bill Walsh has published a total of three books on football:
- Building a Champion: On Football and the Making of the 49Ers , 1990, ISBN 9780312049690 .
- Finding the Winning Edge , with Brian Billick , 1997, ISBN 9781571671721 .
- The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership , with Craig Walsh and Steve Jamison, 2009, ISBN 9781591842668 .
Bill Walsh was married and had three children. His son Steve Walsh was an ABC news anchor and died of AIDS at the age of 46 . He fell ill with leukemia - on July 30, 2007 he died of his illness. His body was cremated and the ashes scattered around Monterey .
Honors
William Walsh has been voted NFL Coach of the Year twice . He is a member of the California Sports Hall of Fame , Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, 49ers Hall of Fame, and Stanford University Hall of Fame, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame .
Web links
- Bill Walsh in the database of Find a Grave (English)
- Obituary on the Stanford University website
- Obituary on ESPN's website
- Obituary on the New York Times website
- Bill Walsh in the California Sports Hall of Fame
- Bill Walsh in the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
- Bill Walsh in the San Francisco 49ers
- Bill Walsh in the Stanford University Hall of Fame
source
- John Maxymuk, NFL Head Coaches: A Biographical Dictionary, 1920-2011 , McFarland Verlag, 2012, ISBN 9780786492954
Individual evidence
- ^ Relationship between Bill Walsh and Sid Gillman and Don Coryell
- ^ History of the West Coast Offense
- ^ Annual statistics of the Cincinnati Bengals 1973
- ↑ Statistics AFC Divisional Play-off Game 1973 Miami Dolphins against the Cincinnati Bengals
- ^ Annual statistics of the Cincinnati Bengals 1975
- ↑ Statistics AFC Divisional Play-off Game 1975 Oakland Raiders against the Cincinnati Bengals
- ^ Relationship between Paul Brown and Bill Walsh
- ↑ Statistics Sun Bowl 1977
- ↑ Statistics Bluebonnet Bowl ( Memento from November 30, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Annual statistics of the San Francisco 49ers 1979
- ↑ Annual statistics of the 49ers 1981
- ↑ NFC Championship Game 1981 - Statistics
- ↑ Super Bowl XVI - Statistics
- ↑ Annual statistics of the San Francisco 49ers 1984
- ↑ NFC Championship Game 1984 - statistics
- ↑ Super Bowl XIX - Statistics
- ↑ Annual statistics of the San Francisco 49ers 1988
- ↑ NFC Championship Game 1988 - Statistics
- ↑ Super Bowl XXIII - Statistics
- ↑ Statistics Blockbuster Bowl 1993 ( Memento from October 23, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Walsh, Bill |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Walsh, William Ernest |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American football coach |
DATE OF BIRTH | November 30, 1931 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Los Angeles , California , United States |
DATE OF DEATH | July 30, 2007 |
Place of death | Woodside , California, United States |