Bill Meek
Encyclopedia
William M. Meek was an American football
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Kansas State University
(1947–1950), the University of Houston
(1951–1954), Southern Methodist University
(1957–1961), and the University of Utah
(1968–1973), compiling a career college football
record of 78–88–7.
and his family moved to Birmingham, Alabama
in his youth. In college, he earned three letter
s playing as a back-up quarterback for the University of Tennessee
; he graduated in 1943.
Doughboy football club in 1944, while serving in the Army during World War II
. Most of the starters on the team were members of the great Army teams of the early 1940s, and the team defeated all opponents except for a 0–7 loss to Auburn University
. Marty Blake
, later the NBA director of scouting, was one of the team managers. Following the war, Meek left the Army with the rank of captain.
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
. During his tenure there, Meek was credited with the development of backs Ed Modzelewski
and Bob Shemonski
.
In 1951, Meek was offered the his first collegiate head coaching position at Kansas State
with an initial salary of $8,000. Meek was offered the job even though he told the hiring committee at K-State that the program was a huge mess. His first season he posted a 1–7–1 record, typical for Kansas State at the time. When he learned after the season that an ineligible player had participated, he self-reported the violation to the NCAA and the school voluntarily forfeited the win and the tie. The following season, the squad went 1–9. Meek — who had already proven his integrity — accepted the services of several former Army players who resigned from the academy after violating the honor code
in 1951. In 1953, Kansas State posted a 6–3–1 record, the first winning season at the school since Wes Fry's 1936 team. After starting that season 5–1, K-State also received its first national ranking, at #18 in the Coaches Poll
on October 28, 1953. The following year was even better, with Kansas State posting a 7–3 record and playing for an Orange Bowl berth in their final game (they went on to lose at Colorado). Meek left Kansas State following the 1954 season, when the school refused to give raises to his assistants. Kansas State wouldn't have another winning record for 16 years.
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. In 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.
In 1968, he took his final coaching job, as head coach for the University of Utah
. Meek guided the team to a 33–31 record between 1968 and 1973, and his 1969 Utes squad posted an 8–2 record.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
(1947–1950), the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
(1951–1954), Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
(1957–1961), and the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
(1968–1973), compiling a career college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
record of 78–88–7.
Early life
Meek was born in Waterbury, ConnecticutWaterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
and his family moved to Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
in his youth. In college, he earned three letter
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s playing as a back-up quarterback for the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
; he graduated in 1943.
Coaching career
Meek had his first head coaching experience at age 22, with the Fort BenningFort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
Doughboy football club in 1944, while serving in the Army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Most of the starters on the team were members of the great Army teams of the early 1940s, and the team defeated all opponents except for a 0–7 loss to Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
. Marty Blake
Marty Blake
Marty Blake is the Director of Scouting Services for the National Basketball Association and founder of Marty Blake and Associates, a basketball scouting firm. He previously served as general manager of the Atlanta Hawks franchise.-Early career:...
, later the NBA director of scouting, was one of the team managers. Following the war, Meek left the Army with the rank of captain.
Meek served as an assistant football coach throughout the remainder of the 1940s. From 1947
1947 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1947 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 27th season as a member of the Southern Conference....
to 1950
1950 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 1950 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 30th season as a member of the Southern Conference....
, he coached under Jim Tatum
Jim Tatum
James M. "Big Jim" Tatum was an American football and baseball player and coach. Tatum served as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the University of Oklahoma , and the University of Maryland, College Park , compiling a career college football record of...
at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
. During his tenure there, Meek was credited with the development of backs Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski
Ed Modzelewski is a former football player, who played professionally for the Cleveland Browns. His brother, Dick Modzelewski, also played in the NFL and at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft, but did not make the active roster....
and Bob Shemonski
Bob Shemonski
Bob "Shoo Shoo" Shemonski was an American football player. He played college football as an end and back for the Maryland Terrapins and was selected in the 1952 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.-Biography:...
.
In 1951, Meek was offered the his first collegiate head coaching position at Kansas State
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
with an initial salary of $8,000. Meek was offered the job even though he told the hiring committee at K-State that the program was a huge mess. His first season he posted a 1–7–1 record, typical for Kansas State at the time. When he learned after the season that an ineligible player had participated, he self-reported the violation to the NCAA and the school voluntarily forfeited the win and the tie. The following season, the squad went 1–9. Meek — who had already proven his integrity — accepted the services of several former Army players who resigned from the academy after violating the honor code
Honor code
An honour code or honour system is a set of rules or principles governing a community based on a set of rules or ideals that define what constitutes honorable behavior within that community. The use of an honor code depends on the idea that people can be trusted to act honorably...
in 1951. In 1953, Kansas State posted a 6–3–1 record, the first winning season at the school since Wes Fry's 1936 team. After starting that season 5–1, K-State also received its first national ranking, at #18 in the Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
on October 28, 1953. The following year was even better, with Kansas State posting a 7–3 record and playing for an Orange Bowl berth in their final game (they went on to lose at Colorado). Meek left Kansas State following the 1954 season, when the school refused to give raises to his assistants. Kansas State wouldn't have another winning record for 16 years.
In January 1955, Meek took over as the head coach at the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
. In two years at Houston, from 1955 to 1956, Meek compiled a 13–6–1 record. In his second season, Meek led the Cougars to the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
championship and was named the Missouri Valley Coach of the Year.
In 1957, Meek took the job as head coach of the SMU Mustangs
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
. During his tenure, from 1957 to 1961, he compiled a 17–29–4 record, while coaching All-American quarterback Don Meredith
Don Meredith
Joseph Don "Dandy Don" Meredith was an American football quarterback, sports commentator and actor. He spent all nine seasons of his professional playing career with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League . He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his last three years as a player...
. 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
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
.
From 1962 to 1967, Meek worked as an assistant coach, including stints as Director of Pro Personnel for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. Meek was offensive coordinator for Army during the 1966 and 1967 seasons.
In 1968, he took his final coaching job, as head coach for the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
. Meek guided the team to a 33–31 record between 1968 and 1973, and his 1969 Utes squad posted an 8–2 record.
Head coaching record
| *1951 season record reflects voluntary forfeits by the school. |