Mike Koken

Michael Richard Koken (April 5, 1909 – April 15, 1962) was an American football player and coach. He played at the quarterback and halfback positions for Notre Dame from 1929 to 1932 and in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Cardinals in 1933. He also coached football at John Caroll University and North Carolina State University and participated in the D-Day landings as a member of the United States Army.

Mike Koken
refer to caption
Mike Koken, 1931
Personal information
Born:(1909-04-05)April 5, 1909
Butler, Pennsylvania, US
Died:April 15, 1962(1962-04-15) (aged 53)[1]
South Bend, Indiana, US
Height:5 ft 11[1] in (1.80 m)
Weight:185[1] lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school:South (OH)
College:Notre Dame
Position:Quarterback, halfback
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:65[2]
Receiving yards:44[2]
Passing yards:74[2]

Early years

Koken was born in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 1909. He attended South High School in Youngstown, Ohio.[2] He was the star of Youngstown South's undefeated 1927 football team.[3]

Notre Dame

He played college football at Notre Dame from 1929 to 1932.[2] Koken was known as being small and elusive. In 1931, The South Bend Tribune wrote: "Little Mike Koken was a swirling, twisting, elusive demon taking the ball for long gains time after time. He ran hard and low and several times it took two and three tacklers to bring him down."[4] He suffered three cracked vertebrae in a 1931 game against Navy, but returned to the Notre Dame backfield in 1932.[5]

Professional football

In 1933, he played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Cardinals. He started the season at quarterback and was moved to halfback in November.[6] He appeared in nine NFL games, four as a starter.[1] He totaled 74 passing yards and one passing touchdown, 65 rushing yards, and kicked an extra point.[2]

Coaching, World War II, and later years

After his playing career ended, he served as backfield coach to the John Carroll University football team and as the school's head basketball coach. In 1936, he accepted a position as the backfield coach for North Carolina State's football team.[7][8]

He worked for Tucker Freight Lines of South Bend, Indiana, from 1938 until his death in 1962.[9] He also served in the Army during World War II, where he was part of the second wave on D-Day. Koken wrote that playing for Knute Rockne prepared him for combat:

When the going gets rough over here, I always recall Rock's words to me before and during a big game: 'Keep cool, calm and collected.' ... When we landed here, I had to march eight miles with a full pack, after wading ashore under fire in water up to my waist. It's a tough and rugged life, but when you've had three years of varsity football at Notre Dame, with every team you meet shooting at you, then you're prepared for the toughest stuff the Jerries can throw at you.[10]

He later sustained serious injuries while fighting in France in August 1944.[11] He died of a heart attack at age 53 while at the South Bend Country Club.[9]

References
  1. "Mike Koken". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  2. "Mike Koken". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  3. Harvey J. Boyle (October 29, 1930). "Reider and Koken". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Irish Scrimmage Against Pitt Plays". The South Bend Tribune. October 21, 1931. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ""Irish" Star Hurt: Notre Dame Loses Mike Koken for Rest of Grid Season". Dayton Daily News. November 17, 1931. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Koken Switched To Half back in Cardinaal Lineup". Chicago Tribune. November 8, 1933. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Mike Koken, Former Notre Dame Star, to Help in State Drills". The News and Observer. March 22, 1936. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Fred Dixon (June 15, 1936). "Koken and Kosky Named To 'Pack Coaching Staff: Koken Succeeds Reese as Backfield Mentor; Year Contracts Given". The News and Observer. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Michael R. Koken Dies at Age of 53". The South Bend Tribune. April 16, 1962. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "From Mike Koken". The South Bend Tribune. August 1, 1944. p. 12.
  11. "Koken, 1930 Notre Dame Back Wounded in France". Chicago Tribune. August 23, 1944. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
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