Jack Lengyel
Encyclopedia
Jack Lengyel is a software executive and former American football
coach, lacrosse
coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the College of Wooster from 1966 to 1970 and at Marshall University
from 1971 until 1974, compiling a career college football
record of 32–55. At Marshall, he took over the Thundering Herd football
program after the Southern Airways Flight 932 plane crash that killed nearly the entire team in 1970.
where he was an assistant coach in 1959, and was a member of Lone Star Fraternity. He was an assistant coach at Heidelberg College (1961–1962) and Cornell University
(1963–1965) before becoming head football at the College of Wooster in 1966. He also coached lacrosse
at Wooster for three seasons, from 1968 to 1970.
after head coach Rick Tolley
was killed along with most of the Marshall coaches and players in the crash. When Lengyel arrived at Marshall he was forced to recruit athletes from other sports (baseball
and basketball
) as well as allow a large number of walk-ons in order to rebuild the devastated football program. Although the team struggled in Lengyel's first season at the helm, it managed to win a stunning 15–13 victory over Xavier
, scoring a touchdown on the final play of the game. His overall record at Marshall as the head coach was 9–33, ending when he resigned.
(1978–1980) and Missouri
(1980–1983). He then went to Fresno State
as director of athletics from 1983 to 1986. He returned to University of Missouri to become their athletic director from 1986 to 1988.
In 1988, he became the Athletic Director at the United States Naval Academy
, where he served for 14 years before retiring in 2001. He received the 2005 John L. Toner Award from the National Football Foundation
and College Football Hall of Fame
for his service at Navy. Since retiring from Navy in 2001, he has also been the interim director of athletics at Temple University
, Eastern Kentucky University
, and most recently University of Colorado
.
Lengyel also served many years on the Board of Trustees for the Foundation of the United States Naval Academy. He is currently the vice president of business development for XOS Digital, a sports media and technology company.
On January 12, 2008, seven members of a high school basketball team from Bathurst, New Brunswick
, Canada
and their coach's wife were killed in a highway crash when the 15-seat van they were traveling in collided with a tractor-trailer while returning from a game in Moncton in snowy conditions. Drawing similarities between the two tragedies, on March 13, 2008, Jack Lengyel funded his own traveling expenses to New Brunswick, Canada to assist in counseling the grieving community.
Lengyel went on record with the Canadian Press stating that schools should not be transporting students in small, multi-passenger vans. The New Brunswick government announced soon after the crash that it was suspending the use of the vans.
Matthew McConaughey
plays Lengyel in the film We Are Marshall
, which was released on December 22, 2006.
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...
coach, lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the College of Wooster from 1966 to 1970 and at Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
from 1971 until 1974, 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 32–55. At Marshall, he took over the Thundering Herd football
Marshall Thundering Herd football
The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision...
program after the Southern Airways Flight 932 plane crash that killed nearly the entire team in 1970.
Early life and coaching career
He graduated from the University of AkronUniversity of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
where he was an assistant coach in 1959, and was a member of Lone Star Fraternity. He was an assistant coach at Heidelberg College (1961–1962) and Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
(1963–1965) before becoming head football at the College of Wooster in 1966. He also coached lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
at Wooster for three seasons, from 1968 to 1970.
Marshall
Lengyel was hired by athletic director Joe McMullenJoe McMullen
-External links:...
after head coach Rick Tolley
Rick Tolley
-External links:* *...
was killed along with most of the Marshall coaches and players in the crash. When Lengyel arrived at Marshall he was forced to recruit athletes from other sports (baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
) as well as allow a large number of walk-ons in order to rebuild the devastated football program. Although the team struggled in Lengyel's first season at the helm, it managed to win a stunning 15–13 victory over Xavier
Xavier University (Cincinnati)
Xavier University is a co-educational Jesuit university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 students and graduate enrollment of 2,600 students. Xavier is primarily...
, scoring a touchdown on the final play of the game. His overall record at Marshall as the head coach was 9–33, ending when he resigned.
Administrative career
After leaving Marshall, Lengyel went into the private sector before returning to sports as associate director of athletics at LouisvilleLouisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
(1978–1980) and Missouri
Missouri Tigers
The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States...
(1980–1983). He then went to Fresno State
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...
as director of athletics from 1983 to 1986. He returned to University of Missouri to become their athletic director from 1986 to 1988.
In 1988, he became the Athletic Director at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
, where he served for 14 years before retiring in 2001. He received the 2005 John L. Toner Award from the National Football Foundation
National Football Foundation
The National Football Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1947 by General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army Black Knights football coach Earl "Red" Blaik and journalist Grantland Rice...
and College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
for his service at Navy. Since retiring from Navy in 2001, he has also been the interim director of athletics at Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University, commonly referred to as Eastern or by the acronym EKU by local residents, is an undergraduate and graduate teaching and research institution located in Richmond, Kentucky, U.S.A.. EKU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
, and most recently University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
.
Lengyel also served many years on the Board of Trustees for the Foundation of the United States Naval Academy. He is currently the vice president of business development for XOS Digital, a sports media and technology company.
On January 12, 2008, seven members of a high school basketball team from Bathurst, New Brunswick
Bathurst, New Brunswick
Bathurst is a Canadian city in Gloucester County, New Brunswick.Bathurst is situated on Bathurst Harbour, an estuary at the mouth of the Nepisiguit River at the southernmost part of Chaleur Bay....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and their coach's wife were killed in a highway crash when the 15-seat van they were traveling in collided with a tractor-trailer while returning from a game in Moncton in snowy conditions. Drawing similarities between the two tragedies, on March 13, 2008, Jack Lengyel funded his own traveling expenses to New Brunswick, Canada to assist in counseling the grieving community.
Lengyel went on record with the Canadian Press stating that schools should not be transporting students in small, multi-passenger vans. The New Brunswick government announced soon after the crash that it was suspending the use of the vans.
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
plays Lengyel in the film We Are Marshall
We Are Marshall
We Are Marshall is a 2006 American drama film directed by Joseph McGinty Nichol about the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed 37 football players on the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team as well as five coaches, two athletic trainers, the athletic director, 25 boosters and...
, which was released on December 22, 2006.