Tyrone Willingham
Encyclopedia
Lionel Tyrone "Ty" Willingham (born December 30, 1953) is a former American football
player and coach. He was the head coach
at Stanford University
(1995–2001), the University of Notre Dame
(2002–2004), and the University of Washington
(2005–2008), compiling a career college football
record of 76–88–1.
and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. He went on to Michigan State University
where he played football and baseball and graduated in 1977 with a degree in physical education
. Willingham held assistant coaching positions at his alma mater
(1977, 1980–82), Central Michigan University
(1978–79), North Carolina State University
(1983–85), Rice University
(1986–88), and Stanford University
(1989–91). When Stanford head coach, Dennis Green
, was hired as the Minnesota Vikings
head coach in 1992
, Willingham followed him as running back
s coach (1992–94).
season, despite lacking experience as a head coach or coordinator, Willingham was appointed head coach
of the football program at Stanford
, succeeding Bill Walsh. In his seven seasons (1995–2001) as coach, he led the Cardinal
to a 44–36–1 record and four bowl game
appearances. In 2000, he was presented with the Eddie Robinson Coach of Distinction Award that is given annually to honor "an outstanding college football coach and role model for career achievement".
His best team was the 1999 team
, which won the school's first outright Pacific-10 Conference title in 29 years and appeared in the 2000 Rose Bowl
. Willingham's 44 wins were the most by a Stanford coach since John Ralston, who left the school for the Denver Broncos
of the NFL
after the 1971 season
.
. Willingham began the 2002
season by going 8–0, and went on to become the only first-year coach in Notre Dame history to win 10 games. For his efforts he was named the ESPN/Home Depot College Coach of the Year, the Scripps College Coach of the Year, the Black Coaches Association Male Coach of the Year, and the George Munger Award
College Coach of the Year by the Maxwell Football Club
.
In the 2002 regular-season finale, ND was blown out by arch-rival USC, 44–13, and was outgained 610–109—the worst such margin in school history. That loss knocked ND from a likely Bowl Championship Series
berth down to the 2003 Gator Bowl
—where they were summarily routed by North Carolina State
, 28–6.
team finished 5–7 and was beaten badly in four of those losses, getting shut out twice in one season for the first time since 1960 and finishing with a point differential of 243–315—the worst of any Fighting Irish team since the 2–8 team of 1956.
, Notre Dame posted a 6–5 record in the regular season, including a 41–16 loss to Purdue
(The second-worst home loss ever to PU) and ending with Willingham's third consecutive loss to USC for his fifth loss by 30 points or more, and eighth by 22 points or more, in his three seasons. The following Tuesday, November 30, after an overall record in South Bend of 21–15, Notre Dame terminated Willingham as head coach. Defensive coordinator Kent Baer
served as acting head coach for the Insight Bowl
, a 38–21 loss to Oregon State
.
, succeeding Keith Gilbertson
. The Huskies returned 19 of 22 starters from the previous season, in which they had gone 1–10 (0–8 in conference play).
Willingham's primary task was to change the program's image. He instituted a strict hair policy and was known to occasionally show up in his players classes unannounced to make sure they were attending.
As chance would have it, Willingham found himself facing his former team on September 24, 2005. Notre Dame prevailed, 36–17. His first season at Washington ended with a 2–9 record (1–7 in conference play, tied for 9th place), capped by a scuffle after a close loss to Washington State that left Willingham "embarrassed" and vowing that it would not happen again.
, before losing its next 6 games after starting quarterback
Isaiah Stanback
suffered a season ending foot injury in a loss to Oregon State in their sixth game. The Huskies ended the season at 5–7 (3–6 in conference play, 9th place), this time defeating state rival Washington State
(WSU) by three points. This win held WSU from defeating the Huskies for three years in a row, something that has never happened in the history of the century-long rivalry.
faced what a preseason CBS Sports
opinion piece called "the toughest schedule in the country" Washington went on to a 4–9 record overall (2–7 in conference play, 10th place) with wins against Syracuse
, Boise State
, Stanford
, and California
. There was considerable debate after the season over whether Willingham should be fired as no other coach in the history of the program had ever tallied three straight losing seasons. Washington State
won the Apple Cup again, making it 3 out of the last 4. In the end, it was decided that he would return for the upcoming season with the expectation that the team become more competitive. Additionally, several boosters were pleased at Willingham's effort to clean up the program.
The 2008 season started off inauspiciously with #21 Oregon
defeating Washington 44–10. This marked the first time Oregon had ever beaten Washington five times in a row in the history of the century-long rivalry. The second game against #15 BYU was a nail biter and Washington scored the final touchdown in the final minute. The PAT would have tied the game, however a controversial unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called against quarterback Jake Locker
who had thrown the ball up in the air in celebration after scoring the touchdown. This moved the PAT attempt to 35 yards which was blocked and the BYU escaped with a 28–27 victory. In the next game, the Huskies were dismantled 55–14 by the #3 Oklahoma Sooners
, giving the overmatched Huskies their greatest margin of defeat at home since 1929. In the fourth game, the Huskies lost to Stanford
leaving them as the only winless team in a BCS conference. The Huskies were without a sack, leaving them as the only school without a sack at this point of the season. It was the second 0–4 start in the last 5 years and only the fourth time ever in the history of the program. Starting quarterback Jake Locker was lost for the season, injuring his left hand during a block on a reverse.
In the fifth game, Arizona
put Washington away early and the game ended with a 48–14 wipeout of the Huskies. This was the biggest margin of victory by Arizona over Washington ever, and started a watch of just how bad the team could get. The Huskies had a flat performance in their sixth game to lose to Oregon State
34–13. This was the fifth consecutive loss to the Beavers, something that had never happened in the long history of the series. Game 7 was another loss versus his former team Notre Dame
. The Huskies were nearly shutout in suffering a 33–7 loss that left them 0–7 and ineligible for a bowl game yet again. On October 27, 2008, seven games into the 2008 season, Willingham announced that his contract was being terminated and he would be leaving UW after the regular season. Game 8 was a shutout by USC.
At 0–11, Washington was the only winless team in the FBS, and the owner of a 13 game losing streak stretching from the last season. Washington closed out the season with a loss at Washington State
in double-overtime, making it four of the last five, and with a season ending loss at California
. Willingham finished the season with an 0–12 record, the Huskies' first winless season in 119 years. His .229 winning percentage is the worst in school history.
(AFCA) Board of Trustees in 2008. On July 18, 2010, at the age of 56, Tyrone Willingham announced he was retired from coaching. Willingham is married and has three children, Cassidy, Kelsey and Nathaniel, with his wife, Kim. Cassidy was a gymnast at the University of Denver
from 2003 to 2006. Kelsey was a softball player at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
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 was the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
(1995–2001), the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
(2002–2004), and the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
(2005–2008), 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 76–88–1.
Early career
Willingham attended Jacksonville Senior High School in Jacksonville, North CarolinaJacksonville, North Carolina
Jacksonville, North Carolina, is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the population stood at 70,145, which makes Jacksonville the 14th largest city in North Carolina...
and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. He went on to Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
where he played football and baseball and graduated in 1977 with a degree in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
. Willingham held assistant coaching positions at his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
(1977, 1980–82), Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
(1978–79), North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
(1983–85), Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
(1986–88), and Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
(1989–91). When Stanford head coach, Dennis Green
Dennis Green
Dennis "Denny" Green is an American football head coach for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League...
, was hired as the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
head coach in 1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
, Willingham followed him as running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
s coach (1992–94).
Stanford
Following the 19941994 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season saw yet another controversial finish as both Nebraska and Penn State finished undefeated, and yet Penn State finished a distant second in the final AP and UPI polls. The controversial finish, however, could have been an even worse morass if not for some...
season, despite lacking experience as a head coach or coordinator, Willingham was appointed head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the football program at Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
, succeeding Bill Walsh. In his seven seasons (1995–2001) as coach, he led the Cardinal
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
to a 44–36–1 record and four bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
appearances. In 2000, he was presented with the Eddie Robinson Coach of Distinction Award that is given annually to honor "an outstanding college football coach and role model for career achievement".
His best team was the 1999 team
1999 Stanford Cardinal football team
The 1999 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season. In head coach Tyrone Willingham's fifth season at Stanford, the Cardinal won the Pacific-10 Conference championship for the first time since 1971, earning its first Rose Bowl...
, which won the school's first outright Pacific-10 Conference title in 29 years and appeared in the 2000 Rose Bowl
2000 Rose Bowl
The 2000 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 2000. It was the 86th Rose Bowl game and was played on January 1, 2000 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. The game featured the Wisconsin Badgers defeating the Stanford Cardinal by a score of 17-9...
. Willingham's 44 wins were the most by a Stanford coach since John Ralston, who left the school 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...
of the NFL
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...
after the 1971 season
1971 college football season
The 1971 college football season saw Coach Bob Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers repeat as national champions. After being ranked 2nd in the preseason poll, Nebraska captured first place the following week and remained there for the rest of 1971 and won the Orange Bowl 38–6 in a #1 vs...
.
2002
On December 31, 2001, Willingham was hired as head coach at Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. Willingham began the 2002
2002 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season ended the season with what most consider an exciting double overtime national championship game. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the Hurricanes 31–24, ending Miami's 34 game winning...
season by going 8–0, and went on to become the only first-year coach in Notre Dame history to win 10 games. For his efforts he was named the ESPN/Home Depot College Coach of the Year, the Scripps College Coach of the Year, the Black Coaches Association Male Coach of the Year, and the George Munger Award
George Munger Award
The George Munger Award was presented to the NCAA Division I college football coach of the year by the Maxwell Football Club from 1989 to 2009. The award was named after former University of Pennsylvania head coach George Munger...
College Coach of the Year by the Maxwell Football Club
Maxwell Football Club
The Maxwell Football Club was established in 1935 to promote safety in the game of American football. Named in honor of the late Robert W...
.
In the 2002 regular-season finale, ND was blown out by arch-rival USC, 44–13, and was outgained 610–109—the worst such margin in school history. That loss knocked ND from a likely Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
berth down to the 2003 Gator Bowl
2003 Gator Bowl
The 2003 Gator Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the NC State Wolfpack and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on January 1, 2003. The game was the final contest of the 2002 NCAA Division I–A football season for both teams and...
—where they were summarily routed by North Carolina State
NC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
, 28–6.
2003
The 20032003 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate....
team finished 5–7 and was beaten badly in four of those losses, getting shut out twice in one season for the first time since 1960 and finishing with a point differential of 243–315—the worst of any Fighting Irish team since the 2–8 team of 1956.
2004
In 20042004 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
, Notre Dame posted a 6–5 record in the regular season, including a 41–16 loss to Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
(The second-worst home loss ever to PU) and ending with Willingham's third consecutive loss to USC for his fifth loss by 30 points or more, and eighth by 22 points or more, in his three seasons. The following Tuesday, November 30, after an overall record in South Bend of 21–15, Notre Dame terminated Willingham as head coach. Defensive coordinator Kent Baer
Kent Baer
Kent Baer was a football assistant coach and defensive coordinator at the University of Notre Dame under Tyrone Willingham. When Willingham was fired as coach on November 30, 2004, Baer was named interim head coach until Charlie Weis was hired in early 2005...
served as acting head coach for the Insight Bowl
Insight Bowl
The Insight Bowl is an NCAA college football bowl game played in Arizona since 1989. From 1989 to 1999, the games were played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The game moved to Phoenix in 2000 and was played at Chase Field until 2005. After the 2005 playing the Insight Bowl moved to Sun Devil Stadium...
, a 38–21 loss to Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
.
Washington
On December 13, 2004, Willingham was hired as the new head coach at WashingtonWashington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
, succeeding Keith Gilbertson
Keith Gilbertson
Keith Gilbertson, Jr. is an American football coach and former player. He is currently a scout with the Cleveland Browns of the NFL...
. The Huskies returned 19 of 22 starters from the previous season, in which they had gone 1–10 (0–8 in conference play).
Willingham's primary task was to change the program's image. He instituted a strict hair policy and was known to occasionally show up in his players classes unannounced to make sure they were attending.
As chance would have it, Willingham found himself facing his former team on September 24, 2005. Notre Dame prevailed, 36–17. His first season at Washington ended with a 2–9 record (1–7 in conference play, tied for 9th place), capped by a scuffle after a close loss to Washington State that left Willingham "embarrassed" and vowing that it would not happen again.
2006
His 2006 Washington team started October with a 4–1 record, with its most notable victory a stunning 29–19 upset over previously undefeated UCLAUCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
, before losing its next 6 games after starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Isaiah Stanback
Isaiah Stanback
Isaiah Stanback is an American football quarterback and wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
suffered a season ending foot injury in a loss to Oregon State in their sixth game. The Huskies ended the season at 5–7 (3–6 in conference play, 9th place), this time defeating state rival Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
(WSU) by three points. This win held WSU from defeating the Huskies for three years in a row, something that has never happened in the history of the century-long rivalry.
2007
The 2007 Washington Huskies football team2007 Washington Huskies football team
The 2007 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the college football season of 2007-2008. The team's head coach was Tyrone Willingham. It played its home games at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington, USA....
faced what a preseason CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
opinion piece called "the toughest schedule in the country" Washington went on to a 4–9 record overall (2–7 in conference play, 10th place) with wins against Syracuse
2007 Syracuse Orange football team
The 2007 Syracuse Orange football team competed in football on behalf of Syracuse University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Orange was coached by Greg Robinson and played its home games in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York....
, Boise State
2007 Boise State Broncos football team
The 2007 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2007 college football season. The Broncos, led by second year head coach Chris Petersen, play their home games at Bronco Stadium, most famous for its blue artificial turf surface, often referred to as the...
, Stanford
2007 Stanford Cardinal football team
The 2007 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the college football season of 2007–2008. In Head Coach Jim Harbaugh's inaugural season at Stanford, the 41-point underdog Cardinal pulled off the greatest point-spread upset in college football history by defeating the #1...
, and California
2007 California Golden Bears football team
The 2007 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the college football 2007-2008 season. They played their home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California and were coached by Jeff Tedford....
. There was considerable debate after the season over whether Willingham should be fired as no other coach in the history of the program had ever tallied three straight losing seasons. Washington State
2007 Washington State Cougars football team
The 2007 Washington State Cougars football team represented Washington State University in the college football season of 2007-2008. The team was led by fifth-year head coach Bill Doba and played its home games at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington....
won the Apple Cup again, making it 3 out of the last 4. In the end, it was decided that he would return for the upcoming season with the expectation that the team become more competitive. Additionally, several boosters were pleased at Willingham's effort to clean up the program.
2008
Willingham's stiff demeanor resulted in a somewhat acrimonious relationship with fans, boosters, and the Seattle media. The turning point came at the end of his third (losing) season when there was a big question as to whether he would be retained. However President Emmert gave him a vote of confidence and he was retained for a fourth year. The fans were hugely divided, with some calling for his firing.The 2008 season started off inauspiciously with #21 Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
defeating Washington 44–10. This marked the first time Oregon had ever beaten Washington five times in a row in the history of the century-long rivalry. The second game against #15 BYU was a nail biter and Washington scored the final touchdown in the final minute. The PAT would have tied the game, however a controversial unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called against quarterback Jake Locker
Jake Locker
Jacob Cooper "Jake" Locker is an American football quarterback selected by the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League in the 2011 Draft...
who had thrown the ball up in the air in celebration after scoring the touchdown. This moved the PAT attempt to 35 yards which was blocked and the BYU escaped with a 28–27 victory. In the next game, the Huskies were dismantled 55–14 by the #3 Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, giving the overmatched Huskies their greatest margin of defeat at home since 1929. In the fourth game, the Huskies lost to Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
leaving them as the only winless team in a BCS conference. The Huskies were without a sack, leaving them as the only school without a sack at this point of the season. It was the second 0–4 start in the last 5 years and only the fourth time ever in the history of the program. Starting quarterback Jake Locker was lost for the season, injuring his left hand during a block on a reverse.
In the fifth game, Arizona
Arizona Wildcats football
The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...
put Washington away early and the game ended with a 48–14 wipeout of the Huskies. This was the biggest margin of victory by Arizona over Washington ever, and started a watch of just how bad the team could get. The Huskies had a flat performance in their sixth game to lose to Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
34–13. This was the fifth consecutive loss to the Beavers, something that had never happened in the long history of the series. Game 7 was another loss versus his former team Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. The Huskies were nearly shutout in suffering a 33–7 loss that left them 0–7 and ineligible for a bowl game yet again. On October 27, 2008, seven games into the 2008 season, Willingham announced that his contract was being terminated and he would be leaving UW after the regular season. Game 8 was a shutout by USC.
At 0–11, Washington was the only winless team in the FBS, and the owner of a 13 game losing streak stretching from the last season. Washington closed out the season with a loss at Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
in double-overtime, making it four of the last five, and with a season ending loss at California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
. Willingham finished the season with an 0–12 record, the Huskies' first winless season in 119 years. His .229 winning percentage is the worst in school history.
After coaching and family
Willingham served as President on the American Football Coaches AssociationAmerican Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
(AFCA) Board of Trustees in 2008. On July 18, 2010, at the age of 56, Tyrone Willingham announced he was retired from coaching. Willingham is married and has three children, Cassidy, Kelsey and Nathaniel, with his wife, Kim. Cassidy was a gymnast at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
from 2003 to 2006. Kelsey was a softball player at the University of California at Santa Barbara.