Charlie Bachman

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Charlie Bachman
Date of birth December 1, 1892
Date of death December 4, 1985
Sport Football
Overall Record 132-80-22
Coaching Stats College Football DataWarehouse
School as a player
1914-1916
1918
University of Notre Dame
Great Lakes Naval Station
Position Guard, Center
Schools as a coach
1919
1920-1927
1928-1932
1933-1942; 1944-1946
Northwestern University
Kansas State
University of Florida
Michigan State
College Football Hall of Fame, 1978

Charlie W. Bachman (December 1, 1892December 14, 1985) was a Hall of Fame college football coach.

Bachman played college football at Notre Dame from 1914 to 1916 alongside Knute Rockne, and was named an All-American at guard in 1916, making Walter Camp's second team. Bachman spent the 1917 season helping to coach the football team at DePauw University. In 1918 – eligiblity requirements being a bit looser in those days – Bachman returned to the field, playing center for the legendary team at Great Lakes Naval Station. This team posted a 7-0-2 record; it beat Navy, Illinois, and Purdue, tied Bachman's former Notre Dame team, and then won the Rose Bowl. His Great Lakes teammates included Paddy Driscoll and George Halas.

[edit] Coaching career

In 1919, at age twenty six, Bachman began his head coaching career at Northwestern University. Bachman brought to Northwestern a number of former players returning from military service, but his team posted a disappointing 2-5 record. Bachman moved on to Kansas State University following this season, and the losing record proved to be an aberration. From 1920 to 1927, Bachman posted a record of 33-23-9 at Kansas State. In 1924, Bachman's K-State team beat the University of Kansas for the first time in eighteen years. Bachman coached Kansas State's first All-American, and under his leadership the school also permanently returned to its former nickname of Wildcats and began using a live bobcat as a mascot.

In 1928, Bachman moved to the University of Florida, where he posted an 8-1 record his first season, the best in school history up to that time. He was at Florida five years, with a 27-18-3 mark. While at Florida he coached Hall of Fame quarterback Dale Van Sickel.

Then came his years at Michigan State University, 1933-1942 and 1944-1946. Similar to the situation he inherited at Kansas State, Michigan State had not beaten the University of Michigan for eighteen years (1916-33), but under Bachman, Michigan State beat Michigan four straight times (1934-37). Bachman's record at Michigan State was 70-34-10. Bachman's Spartan teams were also notable because he outfitted them in gold and black uniforms instead of the official school colors of green and white.

Bachman was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1978.

[edit] External links