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The Cradle of Coaches is a nickname given to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for its history of producing successful sports coaches, especially in football. Bob Kurz, a former Miami sports communications worker, popularized the term in a 1983 book, though the school's association with the nickname goes as far back as the early 1960s. Miami frequently inducts former coaches into the Cradle of Coaching Association for their feats as alumni.
The program's largest cohort are football coaches Earl Blaik, Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Bill Arnsparger, George Little, Weeb Ewbank, Sid Gillman, Ara Parseghian, Bo Schembechler, John Pont, Carmen Cozza, Bill Mallory, Joe Novak, Ron Zook, Dick Crum, Paul Dietzel, Bill Narduzzi, Randy Walker, John Harbaugh, Nobby Wirkowski, Gary Moeller, Larry Smith, Dick Tomey, Terry Hoeppner, and Sean McVay.
Miami has also produced notable basketball coaches Darrell Hedric, Randy Ayers, Herb Sendek, Thad Matta and Sean Miller. Hedric, currently a scout for the Toronto Raptors, is an Ohio and Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Famer and holds the record for Miami victories. Ayers was a four-year starter for Miami, leading the team to back-to-back NCAA appearances in 1977 and 1978, and later served as a head coach for Ohio State and assistant coach in the National Basketball Association. Sendek began his head coaching career at Miami and led the RedHawks to the postseason in each of his three seasons. Matta, formerly the head coach at Ohio State, was an assistant under Sendek for one memorable year that included a regular season MAC championship and NCAA tournament appearance, and also for one year under then-head coach Charlie Coles. University of Tennessee basketball coach Ray Mears is also a graduate of Miami.
Baseball Hall of Fame manager Walter Alston is also a graduate of Miami. Additionally, hockey coach George Gwozdecky served as head coach at Miami prior to leaving for Denver, where he won two national championships.
The Cradle of Coaches also was the subject of sports documentary film that aired on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (Ohio) in 2015. [1] The film captured the story of John Harbaugh's induction as well as perspective from other members.
Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, is known as the "Cradle of Coaches." The phrase was coined by former Miami (Ohio) sports information director Bob Kurz. [2]
The success of coaches with Miami ties is well documented. Recently, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and LA Rams head coach Sean McVay, both Miami graduates, have coached Super Bowl champions. Three N.F.L. head coaches, who are also Miami University graduates, have coached their teams to victories on the sports biggest stage.
Harbaugh coached the Ravens to the World Championship on February 3, 2013, a 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. [3]
McVay coached the Rams to the World Championship on February 13, 2022, a 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. [4]
Weeb Ewbank (Miami, 1924) coached the New York Jets to the World Championship on January 12, 1969, a 16-7 win over the Baltimore Colts. [5]
| Induction year | Name | Sport (current coaching position) | Miami class of |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Weeb Ewbank | Football | 1928 |
| 1992 | Bob Kurz | Football | 1958 |
| 1992 | Bill Narduzzi | Football | 1959 |
| 1992 | John Pont | Football | 1952 |
| 1993 | Paul Brown | Football | 1930 |
| 1993 | Mel Knowlton | Football | 1937 |
| 1993 | Ara Parseghian | Football | 1949 |
| 1994 | Bill Arnsparger | Football | 1950 |
| 1994 | Paul Dietzel | Football | 1948 |
| 1994 | Jack Llewellyn | Football | |
| 1995 | Jack Faulkner | Football | |
| 1995 | Joe Codiano | Football | |
| 1995 | Bill Mallory | Football | 1957 |
| 1996 | John Brickels | Football | |
| 1996 | Hal Paul | ||
| 1996 | Dick Shrider | Basketball | |
| 1997 | Jerry Hanlon | Football | 1956 |
| 1997 | John McVay | Football | |
| 1997 | Frank Shands | ||
| 1998 | Carmen Cozza | Football, baseball | 1952 |
| 1998 | Marvin Moorehead | ||
| 1998 | Ernie Plank | Football | 1950 |
| 2001 | Dick Crum | Football | |
| 2001 | Darrell Hedric | Basketball | 1955 |
| 2001 | Lou Kaczmarek | Football | 1950 |
| 2001 | Rich Voiers | Basketball | 1957 |
| 2001 | Walter Alston | Baseball | 1935 |
| 2001 | Earl Blaik | Football | 1918 |
| 2001 | Leann Davidge | Tennis | |
| 2001 | Woody Hayes | Football | |
| 2001 | Raymond Ray | ||
| 2001 | George Rider | Football, baseball, basketball, track, cross country | |
| 2001 | William Rohr | Basketball | |
| 2002 | Peggy Bradley-Doppes | Volleyball (UNC Wilmington Director of Athletics) | |
| 2002 | Denny Marcin | Football (New York Jets) | 1964 |
| 2002 | Nick Mourouzis | Football (DePauw) | 1959 |
| 2002 | Jim Rose | Basketball | 1951 |
| 2002 | Marvin McCollum | Basketball | 1948 |
| 2002 | Ron Zook | Football | 1976 |
| 2004 | Rodger Cromer | ||
| 2004 | Carol Clark Johnson | ||
| 2004 | Clarence McDade | ||
| 2004 | Ron Niekamp | Basketball (Findlay) | 1972 |
| 2004 | Bo Schembechler | Football | 1951 |
| 2006 | George Dales | ||
| 2006 | George Gwozdecky | Ice Hockey (University of Denver) | |
| 2006 | Danny Hall | Baseball (Georgia Tech) | |
| 2006 | Bob Kappes | ||
| 2006 | Stephen Strome | ||
| 2006 | Randall Whitehead | ||
| 2008 | Terry Hoeppner | Football | |
| 2008 | Randy Walker | Football | |
| 2011 | Jerry Angelo | Football | 1971 |
| 2011 | Elaine Hieber | ||
| 2011 | Dave Jennings | Swimming | |
| 2011 | Rob Patrick | ||
| 2011 | Gary Quisno | ||
| 2011 | Pam Wettig | ||
| 2014 | John Harbaugh | Football (Baltimore Ravens) | 1984 |
| 2016 | Todd Spohn | Diving | 1986 |
| 2017 | Sean McVay | Football (Los Angeles Rams) | 2008 |
Super Bowl winning former head coach John Harbaugh was inducted in their Hall of Fame in 2014. [6]
The McGuffey Reader, the Mother of Fraternities, The Miami Triad (Beta Theta Pi, Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Chi)..all these were attributed to Miami University (founded in 1809) in Oxford, Ohio.
In the fall of 1959, Bob Kurz, Sports Information Director and a recent graduate (1958) recounted that several Miami graduates were making history on the football field. Louisiana State University under Paul Dietzel (1948), was listed as number 1 in the country. Northwestern University under Ara Parseghian (1948) was number 2; Earl (Red) Blaik (1918) was leading Army to an undefeated season while Paul Brown (1930) was guiding the Cleveland Browns and Weeb Eubank (1928) was leading the Baltimore Colts. Both pro teams were on top of their divisions.
It was a short leap from the ‘mother’ moniker to a cradle: The next day Kurz wrote the phrase that has become synonymous with Miami University football, Miami of Ohio, the Cradle of Coaches. His book on the history of Miami's coaches was written in 1983.
A sculptural group called The Cradle of Coaches, by sculptor Kristen Visbal, was erected at Miami University between 2009 and 2011, with one addition in 2014. It consists of ten 120% lifesize statues of Earl Blaik, Paul Brown, Carm Cozza, Paul Dietzel, Weeb Ewbank, John Harbaugh, Ara Parseghian, John Pont, Bo Schembechler, Thomas Van Voorhis, and Sean McVay. [7]
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Denison University from 1946 to 1948, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio from 1949 to 1950, and Ohio State University from 1951 to 1978, compiling a career college football coaching record of 238–72–10. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1983.
Wilbur Charles "Weeb" Ewbank was an American professional football coach. He led the Baltimore Colts to consecutive NFL championships in 1958 and 1959 and the New York Jets to victory in Super Bowl III in January 1969. He is the only coach to win a championship in both the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL).
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler Jr. was an American college football player, coach, and athletic administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234 wins, 65 losses and 8 ties. Only Nick Saban, Joe Paterno and Tom Osborne have recorded 200 victories in fewer games as a coach in major college football. In his 21 seasons as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, Schembechler's teams amassed a record of 194–48–5 and won or shared 13 Big Ten Conference titles. Though his Michigan teams never won a national championship, in all but one season they finished ranked, and 16 times they placed in the final top ten of both major polls.
Ara Raoul Parseghian was an American football player and coach who guided the University of Notre Dame to national championships in 1966 and 1973. He is noted for bringing Notre Dame's Fighting Irish football program back from years of futility into national prominence in 1964 and is widely regarded alongside Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy as a part of the "Holy Trinity" of Notre Dame head coaches.
Earl Henry "Red" Blaik was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and United States Army officer. He served as the head football coach at Dartmouth College from 1934 to 1940 and at the United States Military Academy from 1941 to 1958, compiling a career college football record of 166–48–14. His Army football teams won three consecutive national championships in 1944, 1945 and 1946. Blaik was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1964.
John Pont was an American football player and coach. He served as head football coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, from 1956 to 1962, Yale University from 1963 to 1964, Indiana University Bloomington from 1965 to 1972, Northwestern University from 1973 to 1977, and Mount St. Joseph University in Delhi, Ohio, from 1990 to 1992, compiling a career college football head coaching record of 107–141–4.
John William Harbaugh is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Previously, he coached the defensive backs for the Philadelphia Eagles and served as the Eagles special teams coach for nine years. Harbaugh and his younger brother, former San Francisco 49ers and current Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, are the first pair of brothers in NFL history to serve as head coaches. Jack Harbaugh, Jim and John's father, served 45 years as a college defensive coach, an assistant coach, and a running backs coach. John and the Ravens beat Jim and the 49ers at Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans on February 3, 2013, by a score of 34–31.
George L. Rider was an American athletics administrator and coach of American football, basketball, baseball, track and cross country. He served as the head football coach at Olivet College in 1914, at Hanover College from 1915 to 1916, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, from 1917 to 1918, and at Washington University in St. Louis from 1920 to 1922, compiling a career college football record of 29–22–5. At Miami he also coached basketball from 1917 to 1919, baseball from 1918 to 1919, and track and cross country from 1924 to 1960. In addition he served as athletic director at Miami from 1924 to 1940. In 1959 Rider served as honorary president of the International Track and Field Coaches Association. He is a charter member of Miami University's Hall of Fame along with coaching legends including Walter Alston, Earl Blaik, Paul Brown, Weeb Ewbank, Ara Parseghian. and John Pont.
John Edward McVay was an American football coach and executive. He rose through the coaching ranks from high school, through the college level, and to the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Miami University in Ohio, starring as a center.
Frank S. Wilton Jr. was an American football player and coach of football and baseball. He served as the head football coach for Miami University in Oxford, Ohio from 1932 to 1941, compiling a record of 44–39–5. Wilton was also the head baseball coach at Miami from 1933 to 1942, tallying a mark of 74–47.
Paul Franklin Dietzel was an American college football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at Louisiana State University (1955–1961), the United States Military Academy (1962–1965), and the University of South Carolina (1966–1974), compiling a career head coaching record of 109–95–5. Dietzel's 1958 LSU team concluded an 11–0 season with a win over Clemson in the Sugar Bowl and was a consensus national champion. For his efforts that year, Dietzel was named the National Coach of the Year by both the American Football Coaches Association and the Football Writers Association of America. Dietzel also served as the athletic director at South Carolina (1966–1974), Indiana University Bloomington (1977–1978), LSU (1978–1982), and Samford University (1985–1987).
The Miami RedHawks football program represents Miami University, located in Oxford, Ohio, in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The RedHawks compete in the Mid-American Conference and are known for producing several high-profile head coaches, earning it the nickname "Cradle of Coaches". The team is coached by Chuck Martin and plays its home games at Yager Stadium. Miami has the distinction of being the most successful program in the MAC with over 700 all-time wins.
The Miami RedHawks are the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Miami is a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and sponsors teams in nine men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports; the RedHawks hockey team is a member of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. With sponsorship of men's swimming & diving transferring from the MAC to the Missouri Valley Conference in 2024–25, Miami will become a single-sport member of the latter. The football team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the highest level for college football. The RedHawks are arch-rivals with the Ohio Bobcats. In box scores for sporting events, the RedHawks sports teams are usually referred to as Miami (OH) to differentiate from the Miami Hurricanes, a Division I school in Florida.
The 1948 Sun Bowl matched the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Miami (Ohio) Redskins.
Jerry Hanlon is a former American football player, coach, and radio broadcaster. He was a halfback on the 1953–1955 Miami University teams that won two Mid-American Conference championships under Ara Parseghian. Hanlon was an assistant football coach at the University of Dayton (1965), Miami University (1966–1968), and the University of Michigan (1969–1991). He was also an announcer for Michigan Wolverines football games on WJR radio from 1993 through 1995.
Dick Hunter is a former American football player and coach. He played quarterback for Miami University from 1952 to 1954 under coach Ara Parseghian and later coached under Bo Schembechler at both Miami and the University of Michigan. He was inducted into the Miami University Hall of Fame in 1993.
Jedd Ari Fisch is an American football coach, currently the head coach at the University of Washington. He was previously the head coach at the University of Arizona for three seasons.
Kristen Visbal is an American sculptor living and working in Lewes, Delaware. She specializes in lost-wax casting in bronze.
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