Bill Meek
300th Infantry | |
Position(s) | Fort Benning |
---|---|
1947–1950 | Maryland (backfield) |
1951–1954 | Kansas State |
1955–1956 | Houston |
1957–1961 | SMU |
1966–1967 | Army (OC) |
1968–1973 | Utah |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 81–93–7 |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
1 MVC (1956) | |
Awards | |
MVC Coach of the Year (1956) | |
William Meridas Meek (August 14, 1920 – May 28, 1998)[1] was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Kansas State University from 1947 to 1950, the University of Houston from 1951 to 1954, Southern Methodist University (SMU) from 1957 to 1961), and the University of Utah from 1968 to 1973.
Early life
Meek was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Joseph A. Meek and Josephine E. Gaudiosi.[1] His paternal grandmother was born in Germany, while his maternal grandparents emigrated from Italy.[2] His family moved to Birmingham, Alabama, in his youth. In college, he earned three letters playing as a back-up quarterback for the University of Tennessee; he graduated in 1943.
Coaching career
Meek had his first head coaching experience at age 22, with the
Meek served as an assistant football coach throughout the remainder of the 1940s. From 1947 to 1950, he coached under Jim Tatum at the University of Maryland.[4][5] During his tenure there, Meek was credited with the development of backs Ed Modzelewski and Bob Shemonski.[5]
In 1951, Meek was offered his first collegiate head coaching position at
In January 1955, Meek took over as the head coach at the University of Houston. In two years at Houston, from 1955 to 1956, Meek compiled a 13–6–1 record. During his second season, Meek led the Cougars to the Missouri Valley Conference championship and was named the Missouri Valley Coach of the Year.
In 1957, Meek took the job as head coach of the SMU Mustangs. During his tenure, from 1957 to 1961, he compiled a 17–29–4 record, while coaching All-American quarterback Don Meredith. By far his worst season at SMU was 1960, when his team went 0–9–1, with the only game decided by less than 10 points being a 0–0 tie with Texas A&M.
From 1962 to 1967, Meek worked as an assistant coach, including stints as Director of Pro Personnel for the Denver Broncos and as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys. Meek was offensive coordinator for Army during the 1966 and 1967 seasons.
Meek took his final coaching job in
Death
Meek died on May 28, 1998.[7]
Head coaching record
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fort Benning Doughboys (Independent) (1945)
| |||||||||
1945 | Fort Benning | 4–3–1[n 1] | |||||||
Fort Benning: | 4–3–1 | ||||||||
Kansas State Wildcats (Big Seven Conference) (1951–1954) | |||||||||
1951 | Kansas State | 0–9* | 0–6* | 7th | |||||
1952 | Kansas State | 1–9 | 0–6 | 7th | |||||
1953 | Kansas State | 6–3–1 | 4–2 | T–2nd | |||||
1954 | Kansas State | 7–3 | 3–3 | 5th | |||||
Kansas State: | 14–24–1 | 7–17 | |||||||
Houston Cougars (Missouri Valley Conference) (1955–1956) | |||||||||
1955 | Houston | 6–4 | 2–2 | 3rd | |||||
1956 | Houston | 7–2–1 | 4–0 | 1st | |||||
Houston: | 13–6–1 | 6–2 | |||||||
SMU Mustangs (Southwest Conference) (1957–1961) | |||||||||
1957 | SMU | 4–5–1 | 3–3 | 4th | |||||
1958 | SMU | 6–4 | 4–2 | T–2nd | |||||
1959 | SMU | 5–4–1 | 2–3–1 | 4th | |||||
1960 | SMU | 0–9–1 | 0–6–1 | 8th | |||||
1961 | SMU | 2–7–1 | 1–5–1 | 8th | |||||
SMU: | 17–29–4 | 10–19–3 | |||||||
Utah Redskins/Utes (Western Athletic Conference) (1968–1973) | |||||||||
1968 | Utah | 3–7 | 2–3 | 5th | |||||
1969 | Utah | 8–2 | 5–1 | 2nd | |||||
1970 | Utah | 6–4 | 4–2 | 3rd | |||||
1971 | Utah | 3–8 | 3–4 | T–4th | |||||
1972 | Utah | 6–5 | 5–2 | T–2nd | |||||
1973 | Utah | 7–5 | 4–2 | 3rd | |||||
Utah: | 33–31 | 23–14 | |||||||
Total: | 81–93–7 | ||||||||
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth |
*1951 season record reflects voluntary forfeits by the school. |
Notes
- ^ Archie Milano was for Benning's head coach for the first two games of the 1945 season before he was discharged from the Army in October. He was succeeded by Meek. Fort Benning finished the season with a record of 5–4–1.
References
- ^ a b Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014. Social Security Administration.
- 1920 United States Federal Census
- NBA.com.
- ^ Terrapin, University of Maryland Yearbook, Class of 1948, p. 237.
- ^ a b c Meek, Aide at Maryland U., Named Kansas State Coach, Sunday Herald, February 4, 1951.
- ^ Miller, Hack (January 5, 1974). "Search on for U. coach". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 6A.
- ^ "New York Times: Bill Meek, 76, Football Coach Who Was Don Meredith's Tutor". The New York Times. June 1, 1998. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
- ^ "William M. "Bill" Meek Records by Year". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on February 15, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2009.