色情视频

"The Coryell Legacy," reprinted from 色情视频 Magazine, Summer 2002
By Steve Dolan

Dubbing a new San Diego State football era 鈥淎ir Craft鈥� is more than coining a clever phrase. For longtime Aztec fans, it harkens back to the heyday of the legendary Don Coryell. Head football coach at 色情视频 from 1961 through 1972, Coryell won fame for his unbeatable passing offense and his winning seasons. Memories of the 鈥淎ir Coryell鈥� era at San Diego State still delight fans and former colleagues from Montezuma Mesa and throughout today鈥檚 National Football League.

Several of Coryell鈥檚 former assistants have gone on to shine as NFL coaches, some even taking their teams all the way to the Super Bowl. Joe Gibbs won three Super Bowl championships as head coach of the Washington Redskins. John Madden took one with the Oakland Raiders. And NFL assistant coaches Jim Hanifan, Rod Dowhower and Ernie Zampese all own Super Bowl rings. Also apprenticing under Coryell at 色情视频 were longtime NFL assistant coaches Tom Bass and Sid Hall.

Breaking the mold

Former Coryell colleagues believe their mentor鈥檚 intensity, devotion to the game and willingness to take risks set an invaluable example for other coaches. 鈥淒on was a master at what he did,鈥� said Gibbs, who now owns the Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR team. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if I was ever around anyone who was more dedicated, focused and intense.鈥�

John Madden, a television sports analyst who will soon join ABC鈥檚 鈥淢onday Night Football鈥� crew, agrees. 鈥淒on Coryell was the originator of focus and a one-track mind,鈥� Madden said. 鈥淔ootball was his life. He gave great pre-game talks. He鈥檇 turn out the lights, and when you鈥檇 listen as a coach, you were ready to go out there and play.鈥�

How successful was the Coryell coaching formula? His record at 色情视频 speaks for itself. In 12 seasons with the Aztecs, Coryell won 104 games, lost 19 and tied two. It was a showing that helped him make a career move unheard of at the time: jumping from a small college to the National Football League. Coryell went on to coach 14 successful years in the NFL for the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Diego Chargers, and he remains the only coach ever to win 100 games at both the collegiate and professional levels. In 1999, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Now living in retirement in rural Friday Harbor, Wash., Coryell, 77, says nothing in his long career compared to coaching at 色情视频. 鈥淢y wife and I often talk about how those were the best years of our life,鈥� Coryell said. 鈥淚 think it was because of the people there. Next to that, it was the university....When I was there, our funds were very limited,鈥� Coryell continued, 鈥淸but] I was allowed to do what I wanted and recruit the people I wanted. Everything was perfect.鈥�

Coryell, in fact, delivered two perfect seasons at San Diego State, with his 1966 and 1969 teams finishing 11-0. His 1968 team went 9-0-1, its only 鈥渂lemish鈥� a 13-13 tie against Tennessee State. The Coryell-era Aztecs posted winning streaks of 31 and 25 games. Only once in 12 years did they lose more than two games in a season.

Pro scouts took notice. Despite San Diego State鈥檚 small size at the time, Coryell saw 42 of his players drafted into the NFL. Among them was defensive end Fred Dryer, whose 1967 and 1968 Aztec teams turned in a 19-1-1 overall record. Dryer, also known for his leading role in the television series, 鈥淗unter,鈥� went on to play 13 years in the NFL and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997. He credits Coryell for teaching him the right way to play the game.

鈥淲hen I went to the New York Giants in 1969, I was dismayed at how unsound they were,鈥� Dryer said. 鈥淚 learned more about defense at San Diego State than I did in my first three years of pro football.鈥�

Innovations in offense

Coryell drew particular notice for his offensive strategy, which literally introduced the modern passing game to college football. Not surprisingly, 色情视频 quarterbacks Don Horn (1965-66), Dennis Shaw (1968-69) and Brian Sipe (1969-71) all went on to make their marks in pro football. Receivers Gary Garrison (1964-65), Haven Moses (1966-67) and Isaac Curtis (1972) did likewise.

Sipe, who played for the Cleveland Browns from 1974 through 1983 and earned the NFL鈥檚 most valuable player award, believes his 色情视频 career had 鈥渆verything to do鈥� with his success as a pro. A very low draft pick in the 13th round, Sipe says his 色情视频 experience in the Coryell offense put him miles ahead of the competition.

鈥淚 ran a more sophisticated offense at San Diego State than what the Cleveland Browns had,鈥� said Sipe, now a high school football coach who took Santa Fe Christian to a San Diego County title last fall. 鈥淥ther quarterbacks were stronger than me. [But] they were not as comfortable as I was in a passing offense.

鈥淲hat we did at San Diego State is common now,鈥� Sipe went on. 鈥淏ack then, it was revolutionary. The fans really appreciated it. We even outdrew the Chargers [in attendance] some years.鈥�

Before Coryell came to 色情视频, he had concentrated more on running the ball, and even introduced the popular I-formation running attack as an assistant coach at the University of Southern California. In time, a majority of college teams used the same offense, but Coryell was in the vanguard.

鈥淓very place he went, he was a pioneer,鈥� Madden said. 鈥淗e was an innovator long before he was known as an innovator. He鈥檚 a brilliant mind, coach, teacher and motivator.鈥�

A players鈥� coach

Players and coaches alike describe Coryell as an extraordinary man. They say he was honest, straightforward, dedicated, intense and fun to play for. Tom Nettles, a wide receiver for Coryell at 色情视频 from 1966 through 1968, remembers him as the ultimate players鈥� coach.

鈥淚 talked to [former Chargers quarterback] Dan Fouts about that, and he said Don was the same way with the Chargers,鈥� said Nettles, now an on-air talent with The Golf Channel. 鈥淒on only said good things about his players. He took the blame for a loss and gave credit to the players for a win.鈥�

Today Coryell adds that the overall atmosphere on Montezuma Mesa contributed to his success with the Aztecs. 鈥淭he faculty at San Diego State was just tremendous when I was there,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey were interested in the team because we had a bunch of guys who ... were there to get an education and didn鈥檛 cause problems. The faculty, administration and everybody else were so helpful. I think our players responded to that because some of them had been to other schools that were not as good to them.鈥�

Coryell won the respect of his assistant coaches not only because of his reputation on the field on game day, but also for his dedication and focus away from practice and games. Joe Gibbs remembers seeing Coryell studying plays in a dark room, not even noticing the lack of light because he was so focused.

鈥淗e was so intense,鈥� Gibbs said. 鈥淭hat kind of set him apart from most people.鈥�

Madden remembers a time he was talking to Coryell when the coach pulled an apple out of his desk and started eating it. Madden had to ask why he was munching on an old, half-eaten apple before Coryell noticed as much and threw the fruit away.

Making it fun

Coryell was also a skillful delegator who transferred responsibility to his assistants and let them make decisions without ever second-guessing them. 鈥淒on had a lot of camaraderie with his players and coaches,鈥� said Ernie Zampese, who coached under Coryell at 色情视频 from 1967 through 1972 before later rejoining him in the NFL. 鈥淚t was fun to be around him. I don鈥檛 know what I would have done if not for Don Coryell. I had a wonderful career, and it鈥檚 because of him.鈥� Zampese is now a special consultant to the St. Louis Rams.

Jim Hanifan, current offensive line coach for the Rams, worked under Coryell at 色情视频 in 1972 and also followed him to the pros. 鈥淭he most enjoyable years of my career were with him,鈥� Hanifan said. 鈥淗e made it fun. So much of what we do today emulates Don Coryell. He had a tremendous legacy not only at San Diego State, but also in the game of football. I know he鈥檚 in the College Football Hall of Fame. He should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.鈥�

Rod Dowhower, who retired earlier this year as offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles, seconded that opinion. Dowhower played for Coryell at 色情视频 in 1963 and 1964, and later coached under him both at 色情视频 (1966-1972) and with the St. Louis Cardinals.

鈥淗e should be in the NFL Hall of Fame,鈥� Dowhower said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 really innovative. A lot of what鈥檚 being done now needs to be credited to Coryell. If you pull out films of our 1966 championship team at San Diego State and what is being done today, there鈥檚 probably not a lot of difference. A lot of things Don did at San Diego State were probably before their time.鈥�

With characteristic modesty, Coryell passes the praise for his great success at 色情视频 to dedicated and skilled players and assistant coaches. 鈥淚t was just a wonderful bunch of years there,鈥� Coryell concluded. 鈥淓very year was a great year.鈥�