Harry W. Hughes

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Harry W. Hughes

Title Head coach Athletic Director
College Colorado State
Sport Football
Born October 9, 1887
Place of birth DeKalb County, Missouri
Died July 26, 1953
Career highlights
Overall 126-92-18
Coaching stats
College Football DataWarehouse
Championships
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 1915, 1916, 1919, 1920, 1925, 1927, 1933T, 1934T
Awards
Helms Football Hall of Fame (1952), Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (1972), Colorado State University Sports Hall of Fame (1988)
Playing career
1904-1907 University of Oklahoma
Position Halfback & Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1911-1941 Colorado State

Harry W. Hughes is a former head coach and Athletic Director of the Colorado State Aggies college football program from 1911-1941.[1] Harry Walker Hughes was born in Missouri to Roland and Lena Walker Hughes and raised in Norman, Oklahoma. He played football for the University of Oklahoma from 1904 to 1907, being coached by Bennie Owen in 1905, 1906 and 1907. Hughes coached the Norman High School Football team in 1907 and returned to the University of Oklahoma as assistant coach under Owen in 1910. He accepted the position of Athletic Director and head football coach at Colorado Agricultural College (Colorado State) in 1911 and turned a winless team in 1911 into conference champions and an undefeated record in 1915. Hughes also helped build Colorado Field, the first sodded football field in Colorado history, replacing Durkee Field (1899-1911). Colorado Field was the home of the Colorado Aggies and Colorado State Rams from 1912 to 1967.

Harry Hughes won eight conference championships in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 1915, 1916, 1919, 1920, 1925, 1927, 1933T and 1934T. He was a member of the NCAA National Rules Committee beginning in 1926 until his retirement in 1953. Hughes coached the Aggies from 1911 to 1941 in football and remained as the Athletic Director until his retirement in 1953. He also coached Baseball (1912-1916), Basketball (1912-1925) and Track (1911 to 1953) at Colorado Aggies during his tenure as Athletic Director. In the early 1930s Hughes was given the nickname "Dean of American Football Coaches" by sportswriters and fellow coaches for his many seasons at one school. He was famously known as one of the most fair and sportsmanlike football coaches in America. He coached football from 1911 to 1941 and after resigning as football coach remained as the school's Athletic Director until 1953. Upon his retirement he was inducted into the Helms Football Hall of Fame on Harry Hughes Day, November 8, 1952.

Known as a tough but fair coach, Hughes was a strict disciplinarian who developed a play in 1914 known as the Million Dollar Play. This triple pass was an end around play based on the single wing formation and helped Hughes lead his teams to national fame. Some of Hughes' greatest players were Ralph "Sag" Robinson (All-American Honorable Mention 1916), Kenneth Hyde (1925 All-American 3rd team) and Glenn Morris (1936 US Olympic Decathlon Gold Medal winner). Hughes broke the color barrier in modern Colorado football in 1939 when he played John Mosley between 1939-1942.

Hughes retired from Colorado A & M College on July 1, 1953 after 42 years as Aggies coach and athletic director but died 25 days later from a massive heart attack. When Colorado State University built their new football stadium in 1968, it was named Hughes Stadium in his honor and today it is known as Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium. Located in Fort Collins, Colorado beneath the massive A moniker on the mountain, Hughes Stadium also has a Harry Hughes Memorial Room dedicated in his memory for alumni to visit before games.

[edit] Head Coaching Record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl Coaches# AP°
1911 Colorado State 0-6-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
1912 Colorado State 4-2-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 3t
1913 Colorado State 3-2-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 3
1914 Colorado State 3-4-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 4
1915 Colorado State 7-0-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 1
1916 Colorado State 6-0-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 1
1917 Colorado State 0-7-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 8
1918 Colorado State 0-2-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 3
1919 Colorado State 7-1-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 1
1920 Colorado State 6-1-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 1
1921 Colorado State 2-3-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 4t
1922 Colorado State 5-2-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 2
1923 Colorado State 5-2-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 2t
1924 Colorado State 4-2-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 2t
1925 Colorado State 9-1-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 1
1926 Colorado State 6-2-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 4t
1927 Colorado State 7-1-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 1
1928 Colorado State 6-2-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 3
1929 Colorado State 5-4-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 8
1930 Colorado State 3-5-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 5t
1931 Colorado State 5-4-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 2t
1932 Colorado State 4-3-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 5
1933 Colorado State 5-1-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 1t
1934 Colorado State 6-2-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 1t
1935 Colorado State 3-4-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 9
1936 Colorado State 4-4-1 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 7
1937 Colorado State 1-7-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 11
1938 Colorado State 1-5-2 Skyline Athletic Conference/Mountain States Conference 7
1939 Colorado State 2-7-0 Skyline Athletic Conference/Mountain States Conference 6
1940 Colorado State 3-4-2 Skyline Athletic Conference/Mountain States Conference 6
1941 Colorado State 4-2-1 Skyline Athletic Conference/Mountain States Conference 4t
Total: 126-92-18
Indicates BCS bowl game. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll of the season.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Colorado Football History", New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-12-09. 

Colorado Aggies.Com

[edit] External links

www.coloradoaggies.com