Woody Widenhofer

College coach infobox
Name = “Woody” Widenhofer


ImageWidth =
Caption =
DateOfBirth = birth date and age |1943|1|20
Birthplace = flagicon|Pennsylvania Butler, Pennsylvania
DateOfDeath =
Deathplace =
OverallRecord = 27-71-1 (27.8%)
CFbDWID = 2498
Player = Y
Years = 1961-64
Team = Missouri at Columbia
Position = LB
Coach = Y
CoachYears = 1969-1970
1971
1972
1973-1983
1984
1985-1988
1989-1992
1993-1994
1995-2001
2003-2004
2005-2007
CoachTeams = Michigan State (DL)
Eastern Michigan (LB)
Minnesota (LB)
Pittsburgh Steelers (LB/DC)
Oklahoma Outlaws
Missouri
Detroit Lions (DC)
Cleveland Browns (LB)
Vanderbilt (DC/HC)
SE Louisiana (DC)
New Mexico State (DC)
FootballHOF =
CollegeHOFID =

Robert “Woody” Widenhofer (born January 20, 1943 in Butler, Pennsylvania) is a former college football head coach and longtime NFL assistant. Widenhofer is best known for helping the Pittsburgh Steelers "Steel Curtain" defense that won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. He later served unsuccessful tenures as head coach at Missouri and Vanderbilt University.

Widenhofer attended Riverview High School in Riverview, Michigan and played linebacker at Mizzou from 1961-1964 under coach Dan Devine. He went on to receive a master's degree at Michigan State University.

Coaching career

Widenhofer began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State where he coached the defensive line. Widenhofer then moved to Eastern Michigan and Minnesota where he served as linebackers coach. After several years as a college assistant, Widenhofer was hired to coach linebackers for the Steelers in 1973. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1977. By the time he left after the 1983 season, Widenhofer had won four Super Bowls and made the postseason nine times. Many experts believe Widenhofer's defense at Pittsburgh was the greatest in professional football history.

He spent one year as head coach of the short-lived United States Football League team, the Oklahoma Outlaws, before landing an opportunity at his alma mater, bolstered by a much-remembered ad campaign that urged Tigers fans to "climb on Woody's Wagon". While Widenhofer's team showed slow improvements, he only managed a 12-33-1 record in four seasons at Missouri from 1985 to 1988.

Widenhofer returned to the NFL for six years as an assistant coach, serving as defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions followed by two years with the Cleveland Browns. He then joined friend Rod Dowhower's staff at Vanderbilt to serve as defensive coordinator. When Dowhower was fired after the 1996 season, Widenhofer was promoted to head coach. In 1997, his Vanderbilt team led the SEC in total defense. However, his second tenure as head coach was no easier than the first, as Widenhofer compiled only a 15-37 record in five seasons at the helm for VU. Widenhofer resigned in 2001. While unsuccessful on the field, the NCAA announced that Vanderbilt led the nation in football graduation percentage with a perfect 100% the year he left.

Widenhofer considered retiring, but ultimately joined friend Hal Mumme as an assistant at Southeastern Louisiana University and later New Mexico State University. Widenhofer announced he was retiring from coaching following the season finale game against Fresno State on November 30, 2007. [http://nmotsc.com/articles/widenhofer-announces-retirement-from-football/]

Personal life

Widenhofer has five children: Kim, Stacy, Ryan, Ross, and Katlyn. After his recent retirement from football, Widenhofer now resides in Florida with his wife Sabrina.

External links

* [http://www.vanderbilt.edu/commodores/football/pressbox/releases/headcoachhirewoodybio.htm Woody Widenhofer Vanderbilt Bio]
* [http://www.nmstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=9521&SPID=583&DB_OEM_ID=1900&ATCLID=99476&Q_SEASON=2006 Woody Widenhofer New Mexico State Bio]
* [http://www.nmstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1900&ATCLID=1326674 New Mexico State University article] announcing Widenhofer's retirement
* [http://www.vanderbilt.edu/commodores/football/pressbox/releases/110801woody.htm Vanderbilt press release] announcing Widenhofer's resignation
* [http://www.collegesportingnews.com/article.asp?articleid=21516 The Sporting News] - Article about Widenhofer's hiring at Southeastern Louisiana