Otto D. Unruh
Otto Dean Unruh (September 17, 1899 – May 19, 1992) was an American football player and coach. In 1960, Unruh wrote the book How To Coach Winning Football and is credited with inventing the T-Wing offensive football formation, having run the play as early as 1938. He is a member of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.[2]
![]() | |
Biographical details | |
---|---|
Born | September 17, 1899 |
Died | May 19, 1992 92) Newton, Kansas, U.S.[1] | (aged
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
Football | |
1929–1942 | Bethel (KS) |
1945–1966 | Clay Center Comm. HS (KS) |
1967–1969 | Bethel (KS) |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 53–76–6 (college football) 126–65–8 (high school football) |
Playing career
Unruh played one season of basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks under head coach Phog Allen[3] before his graduation in 1926.[2]
Coaching career
Bethel College
Unruh was the head football coach at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. He held that position for 17 seasons, from 1929 until 1942 and again from 1967 through 1969. His coaching record at Bethel was 53–76–6.[4] Bethel College honored his legacy by inducting him into the schools athletic hall of fame.[5]
High school
In between his two times as head coach at Bethel, Unruh was a high school teacher at Clay Center Community High School in Clay Center, Kansas. While teaching high school he was coach of both football and track teams and the high school stadium bears his name.[6] In 2004, the school added him to their "Hall of Fame" for his accomplishments.[7]
Head coaching record
College football
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bethel Graymaroons (Independent) (1929–1938) | |||||||||
1929 | Bethel | 0–8 | |||||||
1930 | Bethel | 2–8 | |||||||
1931 | Bethel | 0–6–1 | |||||||
1932 | Bethel | 1–5 | |||||||
1933 | Bethel | 4–2–1 | |||||||
1934 | Bethel | 8–1 | |||||||
1935 | Bethel | 4–1–2 | |||||||
1936 | Bethel | 4–4 | |||||||
1937 | Bethel | 4–3 | |||||||
1938 | Bethel | 5–3 | |||||||
Bethel Graymaroons (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1939–1942) | |||||||||
1939 | Bethel | 3–5–1 | 1–4–1 | 7th | |||||
1940 | Bethel | 4–6 | 1–5 | 7th | |||||
1941 | Bethel | 6–1–1 | 4–1–1 | T–2nd | |||||
1942 | Bethel | 2–6–1 | 0–6 | 7th | |||||
Bethel Threshers (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1967–1969) | |||||||||
1967 | Bethel | 1–8 | 1–8 | 9th | |||||
1968 | Bethel | 3–6 | 3–6 | T–7th | |||||
1969 | Bethel | 4–5 | 2–3 | 4th (South) | |||||
Bethel: | 53–76–6 | 12–33–2 | |||||||
Total: | 53–76–6 |
References
- "Obituaries". Kansas City Star. May 21, 1992. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
- "Otto Unruh". Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 28, 2010.
- "Kansas Cagers in First Scrimmage". Lawrence Journal-World. November 13, 1927. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
- "Bethel College Coaching Results". Bethel College Athletics. Archived from the original on November 17, 2010. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
- "Bethel College Athletic Hall of Fame". Bethel College. Retrieved December 28, 2010.
- "Five Jayhawks inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame". Lawrence Journal-World. February 21, 2006. Retrieved December 28, 2010.
- "Otto Unruh". Unified School District 379. Retrieved December 28, 2010.