Rick Rasnick
Encyclopedia
Rick Rasnick sometimes called Rich Rasnick, is an American football
coach. he was the head football coach at Eastern Michigan University
from 1995 to 1999. Through the end of the 2010 season, Rasnick's 1995 team remains the last Eastern Michigan Eagles football
team to finish with a winning record.
baseball, and Pop Warner football while Kendahl was a cheerleader and their parents either coached or cheered from the sidelines.
Rasnick was the starting center for the San Jose State Spartans football
team in 1981 and 1982.
was fired following the 1989 season, Rasnick served as the team's interim head coach for several months during the off-season, and he was a finalist for the permanent head coach position.
When Terry Shea
was hired to take over at San Jose State, Rasnick became the offensive coordinator for the Utah
Utes
, where he remained for four seasons, from 1991 through the end of the 1994 season. Even from the beginning of his time at Utah, Rasnick was being considered for head coaching positions; Idaho State University
contacted him following the 1991 season. During his time at Utah, the team consistently featured one of the nation's top offenses, and Rasnick was considered largely responsible for this success.
as quarterback in 1995 and 1997 (Batch sat out 1996 with an injury).
During his time at EMU, Rasnick's recruiting noticeably favored junior-college transfers rather than high school seniors.
On November 16, 1999, three days after a 29-26 loss at Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan Athletic Director Dave Diles held a press conference to announce that he had fired Rasnick as head coach. Diles announced that defensive coordinator Tony Lombardi
would serve as the interim head coach for the final game of the season, four days later, against Northern Illinois
, saying, "I felt it was best to make a change at this time to begin an immediate search for a new head football coach. After undergoing a very thorough and comprehensive assessment of our football program I'm convinced that Rick Rasnick is not the person to take our football team to a Mid-American Conference championship level."
Altogether, Rasnick was the Eastern Michigan head coach for 5 seasons, from 1995 until 1999. His coaching record at Eastern Michigan was 20 wins and 34 losses. As of the conclusion of the 2010 season, this ranks him #5 at Eastern Michigan in total wins and #24 at the school in winning percentage .
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. he was the head football coach at Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
from 1995 to 1999. Through the end of the 2010 season, Rasnick's 1995 team remains the last Eastern Michigan Eagles football
Eastern Michigan Eagles football
The Eastern Michigan Eagles are a college football program at Eastern Michigan University. They compete in Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mid-American Conference...
team to finish with a winning record.
Early years
Rasnick was born on September 15, 1959, to Jim and Donna Rasnick. He has a younger sister, Kendahl, born in 1963, and a younger brother, Ryan, born in 1967. According to Rasnick, "Sports was always a family deal", with both brothers playing basketball, Little LeagueLittle League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
baseball, and Pop Warner football while Kendahl was a cheerleader and their parents either coached or cheered from the sidelines.
Rasnick was the starting center for the San Jose State Spartans football
San José State Spartans Football
The San Jose State Spartans represent San Jose State University and the Silicon Valley in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The Spartans play all home games in Spartan Stadium, which offers a seating capacity of over 30,000...
team in 1981 and 1982.
Assistant coaching
After graduating, Rasnick stayed at his alma mater, first working as a graduate assistant, then becoming the offensive line coach until 1986. In 1987 he became the team's offensive coordinator for four years. When head coach Claude GilbertClaude Gilbert
Claude Gilbert was an American football coach.After serving as assistant to San Diego State coach Don Coryell for six seasons, Gilbert succeeded him as the Aztecs' head coach in 1973. He compiled a 61-26-2 record and won three conference titles, ranking second in Aztec victories and winning...
was fired following the 1989 season, Rasnick served as the team's interim head coach for several months during the off-season, and he was a finalist for the permanent head coach position.
When Terry Shea
Terry Shea
Terry Shea is a former college and NFL football coach. Currently, Shea does quarterback consulting work for future NFL draft prospects. Most recently he worked with Sam Bradford , Matthew Stafford and Josh Freeman . From 1964 to 1967, he was one of the quarterbacks on the University of Oregon's...
was hired to take over at San Jose State, Rasnick became the offensive coordinator for the 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...
Utes
Utah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
, where he remained for four seasons, from 1991 through the end of the 1994 season. Even from the beginning of his time at Utah, Rasnick was being considered for head coaching positions; Idaho State University
Idaho State Bengals football
The Idaho State Bengals football program represents Idaho State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . As of the end of the 2010 season they have an all-time record of 449–463–20...
contacted him following the 1991 season. During his time at Utah, the team consistently featured one of the nation's top offenses, and Rasnick was considered largely responsible for this success.
Eastern Michigan
On January 3, 1995, Rasnick was interviewed by Eastern Michigan, and the following day he was hired as head coach with a five-year contract. Rasnick brought a more open, pass-oriented offense to Eastern Michigan than his predecessor, Ron Cooper (American football) had used. Rasnick's offense featured Charlie BatchCharlie Batch
Charles "Charlie" Batch is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
as quarterback in 1995 and 1997 (Batch sat out 1996 with an injury).
During his time at EMU, Rasnick's recruiting noticeably favored junior-college transfers rather than high school seniors.
On November 16, 1999, three days after a 29-26 loss at Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan Athletic Director Dave Diles held a press conference to announce that he had fired Rasnick as head coach. Diles announced that defensive coordinator Tony Lombardi
Tony Lombardi
Tony E. Lombardi is an American football player and coach in the United States.-Playing career:Lombardi attended Rich East High School in his hometown of Park Forest, Illinois, a southern suburb of Chicago, graduating in 1980...
would serve as the interim head coach for the final game of the season, four days later, against Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois Huskies football
The Northern Illinois Huskies football team represents Northern Illinois University in the Mid-American Conference of the NCAA's Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision.-History:...
, saying, "I felt it was best to make a change at this time to begin an immediate search for a new head football coach. After undergoing a very thorough and comprehensive assessment of our football program I'm convinced that Rick Rasnick is not the person to take our football team to a Mid-American Conference championship level."
Altogether, Rasnick was the Eastern Michigan head coach for 5 seasons, from 1995 until 1999. His coaching record at Eastern Michigan was 20 wins and 34 losses. As of the conclusion of the 2010 season, this ranks him #5 at Eastern Michigan in total wins and #24 at the school in winning percentage .