John Huard
Encyclopedia
John Roland "Big John" Huard (Born March 9, 1944 in Waterville, Maine
) is a former National Football League
linebacker
and Canadian Football League
coach.
for the University of Maine
Black Bears
from 1963–1966. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos
in the fifth round of the 1967 American Football League Draft
. He played three seasons for the Broncos before sitting out the 1970 NFL season
. In 1971
he returned to the NFL for the New Orleans Saints
. After missing all of the 1972
, Huard signed a five year contract with the CFL's Montreal Alouettes
. He was waived during the 1973 CFL season
and claimed by the Toronto Argonauts
. He remained in Toronto until his retirement in 1975
.
In 2003 Huard was the first player inducted into the "Ring of Honor" at Fitzpatrick Stadium
at Maine. He then became head coach of the Acadia Axemen
, winning the Vanier Cup
in 1979 and 1981.
Before the 1984 season
he was hired by J.I. Albrecht to coach the Atlantic Schooners
expansion franchise. However, the team never played a game and Huard remained at Acadia for one more season before becoming the special teams coach of the USFL's Chicago Blitz
. In 1987, Huard was hired as Head Coach of the Maine Maritime Academy.
Huard coached the Mariners until 1994 when he was hired by former boss J.I. Albrecht to coach the CFL's expansion Shreveport Pirates
. That June he was fired by Pirates President Lonie Glieberman
and replaced by SMU
Athletic Director
Forrest Gregg
before coaching a single game. Huard and Albrecht later sued the Pirates.http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F3/147/147.F3d.406.97-30889.html Quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver
and the City of Shreveport also brought legal action against the team in separate suits. He then served on the coaching staff at Maine's Kents Hill School
.
In 2000
he was hired by Albrecht again, this time as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts
. His tenure lasted eight games with a record of 1–6–1. He resigned after a 51–4 home loss to the British Columbia Lions
. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2000/08/25/huard000825.html
Huard is now the CEO of Northeast Turf in South Portland, Maine
and the Northeast representative of FieldTurf
. He has donated turf to Acadia University
's Raymond Field
and UMaine's Mahaney Dome. He oversaw the installation of FieldTurf at Gillette Stadium
during the 2006 NFL season
.
Waterville, Maine
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
) is a former National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
coach.
Playing career
Huard played college footballCollege 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...
for the University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
Black Bears
Maine Black Bears
The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams which represent the University of Maine. They compete in NCAA Division I athletics, with the majority of the teams playing in the America East Conference...
from 1963–1966. He was drafted by 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...
in the fifth round of the 1967 American Football League Draft
1967 American Football League Draft
The 1968 American Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft in the first year in which the NFL and AFL held a joint draft of college players.-AFL Player selections:-Round one:*1 Member of the American Football League All-Time Team....
. He played three seasons for the Broncos before sitting out the 1970 NFL season
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
. In 1971
1971 NFL season
The 1971 NFL season was the 52nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl VI when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins...
he returned to the NFL for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. After missing all of the 1972
1972 NFL season
The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:...
, Huard signed a five year contract with the CFL's Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
. He was waived during the 1973 CFL season
1973 CFL season
The 1973 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 20th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 16th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1973:...
and claimed by the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
. He remained in Toronto until his retirement in 1975
1975 CFL season
The 1975 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 22nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 18th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1975:...
.
In 2003 Huard was the first player inducted into the "Ring of Honor" at Fitzpatrick Stadium
Fitzpatrick Stadium
Fitzpatrick Stadium is a 6,300 seat multi-purpose outdoor stadium in Portland, Maine, USA. It is located between Interstate 295, Hadlock Field baseball stadium, and the Portland Exposition Building, the second oldest arena in continuous operation in the United States. It is located across the...
Coaching career
Huard began coaching in 1974 under Walter AbbottWalter Abbott
Walter Abbott was an English professional footballer who scored 104 goals from 392 games in the Football League playing for Small Heath , Everton and Burnley. He was capped once for the England national team....
at Maine. He then became head coach of the Acadia Axemen
Acadia Axemen
In their history, the Axemen Canadian football teams have appeared in four Vanier Cup national championships, winning two of those in 1979 and in 1981...
, winning the Vanier Cup
Vanier Cup
The Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
in 1979 and 1981.
Before the 1984 season
1984 CFL season
The 1984 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 31st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 27th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1984:...
he was hired by J.I. Albrecht to coach the Atlantic Schooners
Atlantic Schooners
The Atlantic Schooners were a conditional Canadian Football League expansion team that was to begin play in 1984 out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.On May 13, 1982, Maritime Professional Football Club Ltd. was granted a conditional expansion franchise...
expansion franchise. However, the team never played a game and Huard remained at Acadia for one more season before becoming the special teams coach of the USFL's Chicago Blitz
Chicago Blitz
The Chicago Blitz were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They played at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.- Team history :...
. In 1987, Huard was hired as Head Coach of the Maine Maritime Academy.
Huard coached the Mariners until 1994 when he was hired by former boss J.I. Albrecht to coach the CFL's expansion Shreveport Pirates
Shreveport Pirates
The Shreveport Pirates were a Canadian Football League team, playing at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, in 1994 and 1995....
. That June he was fired by Pirates President Lonie Glieberman
Bernard Glieberman
Bernard "Bernie" Glieberman is an American real estate mogul and the president of Crosswinds Communities. Despite having made his fortune in real estate, Glieberman was perhaps best known for, with his son Lonie, making several unsuccessful and controversial forays into sports team ownership and...
and replaced by SMU
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...
Athletic Director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
Forrest Gregg
Forrest Gregg
Alvis Forrest Gregg is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. During a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, he was a part of six championships, five of them with the Green Bay Packers before closing out his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys with a win in...
before coaching a single game. Huard and Albrecht later sued the Pirates.http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F3/147/147.F3d.406.97-30889.html Quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver
Billy Joe Tolliver
Billy Joe Tolliver is a former American football player who played in the National Football League and Canadian Football League for twelve seasons. During this time, he played for the San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Oilers, Shreveport Pirates, Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints...
and the City of Shreveport also brought legal action against the team in separate suits. He then served on the coaching staff at Maine's Kents Hill School
Kents Hill School
Kents Hill School is an independent college-preparatory school located in Kents Hill, Maine, outside of the state capital of Augusta. Kents Hill School instructs students in grades nine through postgraduate. Students attend Kents Hill from across over 50 communities in Maine,...
.
In 2000
2000 CFL season
-2000 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dave Dickenson , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington , BC Lions*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
he was hired by Albrecht again, this time as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
. His tenure lasted eight games with a record of 1–6–1. He resigned after a 51–4 home loss to the British Columbia Lions
British Columbia Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2000/08/25/huard000825.html
Huard is now the CEO of Northeast Turf in South Portland, Maine
South Portland, Maine
South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state. Founded in 1895, as of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of...
and the Northeast representative of FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
. He has donated turf to Acadia University
Acadia University
Acadia University is a predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level...
's Raymond Field
Raymond Field
Raymond Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. It is the home of the Acadia University Axemen football and soccer teams as well as the Acadia Axewomen soccer and rugby teams. It can seat 3,000 5,000 with standing room. and was built in 1966...
and UMaine's Mahaney Dome. He oversaw the installation of FieldTurf at Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
during the 2006 NFL season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
.
CFL coaching record
| Team | |Regular Season | TOR Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta... |
2000 | 1 | 6 | 1 | .143 | 4th in East Division | – | – | (fired) |
|---|