Dick Bestwick

Dick Bestwick (August 18, 1930 – January 4, 2018) was an American football coach, scout, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach of the University of Virginia from 1976 to 1981, compiling a record of 16–49–1.[1] A native of Grove City, Pennsylvania, he played college football at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating from the school in 1952. Bestwick received his Masters in Education from Pennsylvania State University. Prior to his tenure at Virginia, Bestwick spent 1954 to 1962 as a high school football coach at three different schools including his alma mater, Grove City High School, and 1967 to 1975 as an assistant coach at Georgia Institute of Technology.[2] Bestwick was hired as the head football coach at Marshall University in 1971 after the 1970 plane crash that took the lives of most of the university's football team and coaching staff. He left the position after two days on the job and returned to Georgia Tech.

Dick Bestwick
Biographical details
Born(1930-08-18)August 18, 1930
Grove City, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJanuary 4, 2018(2018-01-04) (aged 87)
Athens, Georgia, U.S.
Playing career
1949–1951North Carolina
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1967–1975Georgia Tech (assistant)
1976–1981Virginia
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1982–1983Dallas Cowboys (scout)
1983–1985Missouri (assistant AD)
1985–1986Peach Bowl (exec. dir.)
1986–1988Georgia (assistant AD)
1988South Carolina
1990–2000Georgia (associate AD)
Head coaching record
Overall16–49–1

Scouting and administrative career

After his time at Virginia he became a national scout for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) from 1982 to 1983, assistant athletic director at the University of Missouri from 1983 to 1985[2] and the executive director of the Peach Bowl from 1985 to 1986.[3] He served as the assistant athletic director at University of Georgia from 1986 to 1988, athletic director at the University of South Carolina in 1988, returned to Georgia as associate athletic director in 1990, and finally retiring as a senior associate athletic director in 2000.[4] He was the father of three children, with five grandchildren.

Honors and awards

Bestiwck was inducted into the Peach Bowl Hall of Fame in 2002.[4] The Dick Bestwick Award for the male athlete graduating with the highest GPA at the University of Georgia was named in his honor.[5]

Death

Bestwick died on January 4, 2018, in Athens, Georgia after suffering from transverse myelitis.[6]

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Virginia Cavaliers (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1976–1981)
1976 Virginia 2–91–36th
1977 Virginia 1–9–11–56th
1978 Virginia 2–90–67th
1979 Virginia 6–51–46th
1980 Virginia 4–72–4T–4th
1981 Virginia 1–100–67th
Virginia: 16–49–15–28
Total:16–49–1

References
  1. "Dick Bestwick Records by Opponent College Football Data Warehouse, 2001-2006". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2006-12-01.
  2. "METROLINER. Vol. XXV, No.05. Marietta Rotary Club. August 4, 2003" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 1, 2007. Retrieved December 1, 2006.
  3. Associated Press UGA wants to battle football powers. The Augusta Chronicle. August 20, 1997
  4. Peach Bowl Hall of Fame Archived February 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Student Services Awards Report for 2003-2004. University of Georgia website. 2004". Archived from the original on December 25, 2007. Retrieved December 1, 2006.
  6. Doughty, Doug (January 5, 2018). "Former UVa football coach Dick Bestwick remembered favorably". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, Virginia. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
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