Rick Forzano
Encyclopedia
Richard Edward "Rick" Forzano (born November 20, 1928) is a former American football
coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels, most prominently as head coach of the National Football League
's Detroit Lions
from 1974-1976.
After seeing his football playing career ended by a high school eye injury, Forzano turned to coaching and earned his first two opportunities at two Akron, Ohio
high schools. A 1951 stint at Kenmore High School
was followed one year later by a season at Hower High School. In 1953, he was promoted to head coach at Hower, where he stayed three seasons and compiled a 10-14-1 record.
In 1956, he moved on for one year as an assistant at the College of Wooster before spending two seasons in the same capacity at Kent State University
. In 1959, he began a five-year stretch as an assistant with the U.S. Naval Academy, helping recruit quarterback Roger Staubach
, who went on to win the Heisman Trophy
in 1963.
That success led to his first college head coaching position at the University of Connecticut
, where he was 7-10-1 in two years. In 1966, he moved up as an NFL coach with the first of two seasons as the St. Louis Cardinals
' offensive backfield coach. Returning to Ohio
in 1968, he served one year in that same role as a Cincinnati Bengals
assistant under Paul Brown
. On January 15, 1969, he then took the head coaching position at the U.S. Naval Academy.
After putting together a 10-33 record (with three defeats against Army), Forzano resigned on February 1, 1973. The decision came when he accepted an offer to become an assistant coach position with the Detroit Lions under Don McCafferty
, who had worked with him at Kent State in the late 1950s. When McCafferty died suddenly of a heart attack on July 28, 1974, Forzano was named to replace him.
Forzano was known as a strict disciplinarian. However, Forzano was unable to led the team to a winning record and resigned on October 4, 1976 after the team lost three of its first four games. Forzano finished his Lions' tenure with a 15-17 record and never returned to coaching, focusing on his own company, Rick Forzano Associates. The company, based in Detroit, served as a manufacturer's representative. In addition to those duties, he also served as a commentator for Big Ten Conference
football games.
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 at the high school, collegiate and professional levels, most prominently as head coach of the 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...
's Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
from 1974-1976.
After seeing his football playing career ended by a high school eye injury, Forzano turned to coaching and earned his first two opportunities at two Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
high schools. A 1951 stint at Kenmore High School
Kenmore High School
Kenmore High School is a public high school in Akron, Ohio. It is 1 of 7 high schools in the Akron Public Schools district. The schools mascot is the Cardinals. They are a member of the Akron City Series athletic conference.-History:...
was followed one year later by a season at Hower High School. In 1953, he was promoted to head coach at Hower, where he stayed three seasons and compiled a 10-14-1 record.
In 1956, he moved on for one year as an assistant at the College of Wooster before spending two seasons in the same capacity at Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
. In 1959, he began a five-year stretch as an assistant with the U.S. Naval Academy, helping recruit quarterback Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
, who went on to win the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
in 1963.
That success led to his first college head coaching position at the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
, where he was 7-10-1 in two years. In 1966, he moved up as an NFL coach with the first of two seasons as the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
' offensive backfield coach. Returning to Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in 1968, he served one year in that same role as a Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
assistant under Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
. On January 15, 1969, he then took the head coaching position at the U.S. Naval Academy.
After putting together a 10-33 record (with three defeats against Army), Forzano resigned on February 1, 1973. The decision came when he accepted an offer to become an assistant coach position with the Detroit Lions under Don McCafferty
Don McCafferty
Donald William McCafferty was an American football coach who, in his first year as head coach of the Baltimore Colts, led the team to a victory in Super Bowl V....
, who had worked with him at Kent State in the late 1950s. When McCafferty died suddenly of a heart attack on July 28, 1974, Forzano was named to replace him.
Forzano was known as a strict disciplinarian. However, Forzano was unable to led the team to a winning record and resigned on October 4, 1976 after the team lost three of its first four games. Forzano finished his Lions' tenure with a 15-17 record and never returned to coaching, focusing on his own company, Rick Forzano Associates. The company, based in Detroit, served as a manufacturer's representative. In addition to those duties, he also served as a commentator for Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
football games.