Rex Hunsaker

Rex Jesse Hunsaker (December 13, 1909 – March 20, 1994) was an American football coach and athletic administrator. He was the head football coach at Oregon Institute of Technology from 1950 to 1951 and the school's athletic director from 1953 to 1962. He also held multiple high school coaching positions in Utah, Idaho, and Oregon.

Rex Hunsaker
Rex Hunsaker, c. 1962
Biographical details
Born(1909-02-13)February 13, 1909
Honeyville, Utah, U.S.
DiedMarch 20, 1994(1994-03-20) (aged 85)
Pleasanton, California, U.S.
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1945–1949Albany HS (OR)
1950–1961Oregon Tech
Golf
1960–1962Oregon Tech
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1953–1962Oregon Tech
Head coaching record
Overall60–44–6 (college football)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
3 OCC (1954, 1959–1960)

Early years

Hunsaker was born in Honeyville, Utah, in 1909. He attended Utah State University where he earned varsity letters in football and basketball. He graduated from Utah State in 1936. He then attended graduate school at the University of Idaho.[1][2]

Coaching career

Hunsaker began his career as a high school basketball and football coach in Utah and Idaho. He held positions in southern Utah, Inkom, Idaho, and Downey, Idaho. He then coached at Buhl High School in Buhl, Idaho, and Rupert High School in Rupert, Idaho.[1][2]

After World War II, Hunsaker coached at Albany High School in Albany, Oregon. He served as athletic director, football coach, and baseball coach at Albany.[3] He was Albany's head football coach from 1945 to 1949, compiling a 27–13–8 record, including a 9–1 record in 1948.[4]

Hunsaker was hired in April 1950 as head football coach at Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech) in Klamath Falls, Oregon.[3] He led the Oregon Tech football team from 1950 to 1961, compiling a record of 60–44–6 and leading the 1960 team to an undefeated season. He also served as the athletic director at Oregon Tech from 1953 to 1962. Prior to his hiring, Oregon Tech had never won a championship in any sport. During his tenure as athletic director, Oregon Tech won a championship in every major sport except baseball.[5][6]

Family and later years

Hunsaker married Viola Hammond in 1939 in Logan, Utah.[7]

In May 1962, Hunsaker resigned his post at Oregon Tech to become principal at Lakeview High School in Lakeview, Oregon.[5]

Hunsaker died in 1994 in Pleasanton, California. He was buried at Lincoln Memorial Park in Portland, Oregon.

Head coaching record

College football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Oregon Tech Hustlin' Owls (Oregon Collegiate Conference) (1950–1961)
1950 Oregon Tech 2–7–11–1–12nd
1951 Oregon Tech 6–32–12nd
1952 Oregon Tech 7–32–12nd
1953 Oregon Tech 2–5–11–23rd
1954 Oregon Tech 6–43–1T–1st
1955 Oregon Tech 0–80–45th
1956 Oregon Tech 4–4–11–3T–4th
1957 Oregon Tech 6–42–22nd
1958 Oregon Tech 2–6[n 1]0–4[n 1]5th
1959 Oregon Tech 6–24–01st
1960 Oregon Tech 9–04–01st
1961 Oregon Tech 4–4–11–2–14th
Oregon Tech: 54–50–421–21–2
Total:54–50–4
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes
  1. Oregon Tech finished the 1958 season with an overall record of 5–3 and a mark of 3–1 in conference play, but forfeited three conference wins—over Eastern Oregon, Oregon College, and Portland State—due to ineligible players.[8][9]

References
  1. "Hunsaker Chosen as Rupert Head Coach". Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho. August 7, 1942. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Buhl High Names Basketball Coach: Signing of Rex Hunsaker Completes Athletic Department Staff". Twin Falls News. August 15, 1941. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "OTI Offers Football Jobs To Albany High Coaches". Albany Democrat-Herald. April 25, 1950. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Albany's Grid Record". Albany Democrat-Herald. August 17, 1955. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Veteran Oregon Tech Grid Boss Accepts New Job". Herald and News. May 3, 1962. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "History of Oregon Tech Coaches". Oregon Tech. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  7. "Graduates Of USAC Married In Temple". The Herald-Journal. June 7, 1939. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Oregon College Voted OCC Grid Title". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. Associated Press. November 30, 1958. p. 25. Retrieved October 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  9. "The Owler 1959". The Owler. Klamath Falls, Oregon: Oregon Institute of Technology: 119. 1959. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
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