King Block (American football)

King Block
Sport(s) Football
Biographical details
Born 1929
Nebraska
Playing career
1948–1950 Idaho
Position(s) Fullback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1955–1959
1960–1962
1963
1964–1967
1968–1972		 Arkansas State (backs)
Arkansas State
Nebraska (DL)
Washington State (assistant)
Iowa State (assistant)
Head coaching record
Overall 13–14

Statistics

King Block (born 1929)[1] was an American college football player and coach. He served as the Arkansas State College head football coach from 1960 to 1962 and amassed a 13–14 record.[2]

College career

A Nebraska native,[3] Block attended the University of Idaho in the late 1940s, where he played college football under head coach Dixie Howell.[4] He played as a fullback from 1948 to 1950, and was named to the All-Coast football team.[1] Block was selected in the 21st round of the 1951 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.[5]

Coaching career

After a stint coaching Grangeville High School in north central Idaho,[6] Block joined the Arkansas State coaching staff as the backfield assistant in 1955, under head coach Gene Harlow, who had been the guards coach at Idaho while Block was in college.[6] Block was promoted to head coach in February 1960 and compiled a 13–14 record in three seasons.[2][7] His offense was described as primarily reliant upon "the running of the fullback and quarterback."[8]

He resigned after the 1962 season to become the defensive line coach at Nebraska under head coach Bob Devaney.[3] Arkansas State replaced Block with defensive backs coach Bennie Ellender.[9] After one season in Lincoln, Block joined the staff at Washington State in 1964 and remained in Pullman through 1967.[1][10] He later served as an assistant at Iowa State until 1972.[11]

Aside from coaching football, Block also competed in rodeo events.[12]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Arkansas State Indians (NCAA College Division Independent) (1960–1962)
1960 Arkansas State 4–5
1961 Arkansas State 3–6
1962 Arkansas State 6–3
Arkansas State: 13–14
Total: 13–14

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ex-Idaho Ace Joins Clark at Pullman, Spokane Daily Chronicle, January 21, 1964.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 King Block Records by Year, College Football Data Warehouse, retrieved August 21, 2010.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sport Scope, The Southeast Missourian, August 13, 1963.
  4. ↑ Florence State Host To Tough Arkansas Tonight; Visiting Indians Solid Pick To Take Lions In Coffee Stadium Encounter, Times Daily, October 1, 1960.
  5. ↑ 1951 NFL Draft, Database Football, retrieved August 22, 2010.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Art Smith Puts a Lot of Faces in Place, The Spokesman Review, January 30, 1957.
  7. ↑ Arkansas St. Promotes Aide, The New York Times, February 3, 1960.
  8. ↑ Lions Go Through Offensive Practice, Times Daily, September 28, 1960.
  9. ↑ Tulane Coach To Speak, Times Daily, May 23, 1971.
  10. ↑ "Assistant Football Coaches, All-Time", History & Awards (PDF), 2007 Washington State Football Media Guide, p. 171, 2007.
  11. ↑ Iowa State Seeks New Grid Coach, The Deseret News, January 2, 1973.
  12. ↑ The Dutch Rub, Tri City Herald, April 28, 1964.

External links