John Yovicsin

John Yovicsin
Sport(s) Football
Biographical details
Born October 17, 1918
Steelton, Pennsylvania
Died September 13, 1989 (aged 70)
Barnstable, Massachusetts
Playing career
19371939
1944
Gettysburg
Philadelphia Eagles
Position(s) Defensive end
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
19481951
19521956
19571970
Gettysburg (assistant)
Gettysburg
Harvard
Head coaching record
Overall 110535

Statistics

Accomplishments and honors

Championships

3 Ivy (1961, 1966, 1968)

John Michael Yovicsin (October 17, 1918 September 13, 1989) was an American football player and coach. He played college football at Gettysburg College from 1937 to 1939 and then professionally with Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL in 1944. Yovicsin served as the head football coach at Gettysburg College from 1952 to 1956 and at Harvard University from 1957 to 1970, compiling a career record of 110535.

Yovicsin was born in Steelton, Pennsylvania and graduated from Gettysburg College in 1940. He returned to Gettysburg as assistant football coach in 1948 and was the head coach there from 1952 to 1956, tallying a mark of 3211. During his 14 years at Harvard, Yovicsin amassed a record of 78425. He helmed the Crimson during the famous 1968 Harvard–Yale Game, in which Harvard mounted a late comeback to tie Yale, 2929. Yovicsin's role as coach is mentioned many times in the documentary Harvard Beats Yale 29-29, where players on both the Harvard and Yale squads talk about his professorial bearing.

Yovicsin died on September 13, 1989 of heart disease in Barnstable, Massachusetts at the age of 70.[1]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Gettysburg Bullets () (1952–1956)
1952 Gettysburg 63
1953 Gettysburg 81
1954 Gettysburg 53
1955 Gettysburg 62
1956 Gettysburg 72
Gettysburg: 3211
Harvard Crimson (Ivy League) (1957–1970)
1957 Harvard 35 25 7th
1958 Harvard 45 34 6th
1959 Harvard 63 43 3rd
1960 Harvard 54 43 3rd
1961 Harvard 63 61 T1st
1962 Harvard 63 52 2nd
1963 Harvard 522 421 3rd
1964 Harvard 63 52 2nd
1965 Harvard 522 322 3rd
1966 Harvard 81 61 T1st
1967 Harvard 63 43 T4th
1968 Harvard 801 601 T1st
1969 Harvard 36 25 T5th
1970 Harvard 72 52 T2nd
Harvard: 78425
Total: 110535
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title

References

  1. AP (September 16, 1989). "John Yovicsin, 70; Coached Football 14 Years at Harvard". The New York Times. Retrieved December 26, 2010.

See also

External links