Head Coach Bob Spoo
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
HEAD COACH BOB SPOO Bob Spoo, the dean of coaches in the Ohio Valley Conference returns for his 25th and final THE COACH SPOO FILE season on the Panthers sidelines looking to guide the Panthers to their 14th NCAA FCS playoff EDUCATION appearance. Purdue University Spoo currently ranks fourth among Division I coaches with the longest tenure at one school ......M.S. in Educational Administration, 1989 trailing Penn State’s Joe Paterno, Albany’s Bob Ford and Villanova’s Andy Talley on that list. Purdue University Spoo announced at a press conference in November that the 2011 season would be his .... ........ B.S. in Physical Education, 1955-60 final year at EIU. The 2011 season will mark his 25th season at EIU and his 50th year coaching Graduate of Chicago Saint Rita High School football at the high school and collegiate levels. In 2009 EIU climbed back to the top of the OVC standings as the Panthers capturing PLAYING CAREER their fifth conference crown since 2001. Spoo was named the OVC Coach of the Year and one of five LONGEST TENURED DIVISION I HEAD COACHES Purdue University: (AT SAME SCHOOL) • Starting Quarterback (1957-58) finalists for the Liberty Mutual National Coach of • 3-year letterman (1956-58) the Year as EIU finished the year at 8-4 overall. 1 ..Joe Paterno (Penn State) .............. since 1966 The Panthers advanced to the their seventh playoff 2 ...Bob Ford (Albany) ......................... since 1973 • Co-Captain of Blue squad appearance since 2000 ending the year ranked 3 ...Andy Talley (Villanova) .................. since 1985 in Blue-Gray All-Star Game (1958) 4 ...Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech) ........ since 1987 15th in the FCS Coaches poll. Chicago Hornets (Semi-Pro): ...Bob Spoo (Eastern Illinois) ........since 1987 After missing the 2006 season for medical • Quarterback (1961) reasons, Spoo returned to the team in a full-time capacity following the Panthers 2006 first • MVP in Tri-State League round playoff loss. In 2007 that recognized drive and “voice” returned in full force as Spoo guided EIU to its third straight FCS playoff appearance and 12th overall. COACHING CAREER EIU would finish the 2007 season with an 8-4 record, 7-1 in the OVC. The Panthers were 1987-Present ................. Eastern Illinois University ranked No. 15 in the final FCS Coaches poll making their sixth playoff appearance in the last Head Coach eight seasons. 1985-86 ..................................... Purdue University The winningest coach in Eastern Illinois history and the active leader in wins among OVC Offensive Coordinator & QB Coach coaches, Spoo maintains a career mark of 140-113-1. He has led the Panthers to 11 winning 1978-84 ..................................... Purdue University seasons in the last 15 years. .................................... QB, WR & RB Coach Under his leadership the Panthers qualified FCS PLAYOFF APPEARANCES 1973-77 ..........University of Wisconsin, QB Coach for an unprecedented three straight trips to the 1 ..... Roy Kidd (Eastern Kentucky) ................ 17 1967-72 ........... Head Coach, Wilmette (IL) Loyola NCAA I-AA playoffs between 2000-02 and again 2 ...... Jerry Moore (Appalachian State) .........15 * Academy HS, ('69 city champs) from 2005-07. EIU has won (or shared) Ohio 3 ...... Tubby Raymond (Delaware) .................. 11 1963-66 ................. Assistant Coach, Wilmette (IL) Valley Conference championship in five of the past 4 ...... Jim Tressel (Youngstown State) ............ 10 Loyola Academy 5 ...... Bob Spoo (Eastern Illinois) .................9 * ten seasons. In his 24 years at EIU the Panthers ...... W.C. Gorden (Jackson State) .................. 9 1961-62 ................ Assistant Coach, Oak Park (IL) have made ten trips to the NCAA playoffs with 11 7 ...... Andy Talley (Villanova) ......................... 8 * Fenwick High School finishes in the Top 25 poll. EIU’s deepest run in * denotes active coach 1960 ......................................... Physical Instructor the playoffs under Spoo came in 1989 when the Chicago Park District Panthers knocked off Idaho in the first round before losing the quarterfinals at Montana. During his tenure at EIU, the Panthers have produced numerous All-Conference picks AWARDS including seven Offensive or Defensive OVC Players of the Year since the 2000 season. EIU 2009 .............................. OVC "Coach of the Year" has also had a number of All-American players both on the field and in the classroom. Spoo Finalist for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year also coached 2002 Walter Payton Award winner Tony Romo, now a Pro Bowl quarterback with 2005 ...............................OVC “Coach of the Year” the Dallas Cowboys. 2001 ...............................OVC “Coach of the Year” Over his 24 years on the EIU sidelines, Spoo has been named the OVC Coach of the Year AFCA Region 3 "Coach of the Year" three times (2001, 2005, 2009), Gateway Conference Coach of the Year once (1995) and the 2000 ..................... Runner-Up for Eddie Robinson Region Coach of the Year two times (1995 and 2001). In 2000 he was the runner-up for the I-AA National "Coach of the Year" Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. In 1995 he was named the Football Gazette I-AA 1995 .... Gateway Conference "Coach of the Year" Coach of the Year. AFCA Region V I-AA "Coach of the Year" Demanding excellence on the field and in the classroom, Spoo believes that the foundation Football Gazette National I-AA for constructing a championship program lies with a strong defense and sound kicking game, revolving around a ball-control passing attack. "Coach of the Year" Spoo and his staff have been commended publicly by the Faculty Senate for their emphasis 1985 ............................................ Assistant Coach on academics. The Daily Eastern News, the campus daily newspaper, named Spoo as their Blue-Gray All-Star Game “Person of the Year” in his second year in Charleston. 1980 ............. Elected to Chicago Catholic League A three year Purdue letterman, Spoo replaced NFL Hall-of-Famer Len Dawson as the "Hall of Fame" starting quarterback in 1957 and guided the Boilermakers to a two-year record of 11-5. He co- 1977 ............Elected to St. Rita HS "Hall of Fame" captained the 1958 Blue team in the Blue-Gray All-Star game. 1972 ......................... Chicago "Coach of the Year" Spoo later returned to his alma mater to coach quarterbacks in the 1980’s, building his Chicago Catholic League "Coach of the Year" resume by coaching such nationally known passers as Mark Hermann, Scott Campbell and 1970 .................National HS Coaches Association Jim Everett. All three would go on to play in the National Football League. During his time at Football "Coach of the Year" Purdue (1978-1986) the team made four bowl appearances. Spoo also spent several years at Chicago Catholic League "Coach of the Year" Wisconsin (1973-77) as the quarterbacks coach. 1969 ............................ Illinois "Coach of the Year" Prior to becoming a mainstay in the college coaching ranks, Spoo was one of the most Chicago Catholic League "Coach of the Year" successful prep coaches in Illinois. He was the head coach at Loyola Academy in Wilmette from Chicago Prep Sports Writers 1967-72 directing the school to a 51-9-2 record and the 1969 Chicago city championship. He Association "Coach of the Year" was the 1970 National High School Athletic Coaches Association “Football Coach of the Year”, Northwestern 'N' Men's Club Athletic 1969 Illinois Coach of the Year and 1972 Chicago Coach of the Year. Achievement Award Spoo and his wife Susan have one daughter Kate. WWW.EIUPANTHERS.COM 2011 EASTERN ILLINOIS FOOTBALL HEAD COACH BOB SPOO EIU IN THE POLLS DURING SPOO'S TENURE 1989 2000 2006 2009 1. Georgia Southern 1. Georgia Southern 1. Appalachian State 1. Villanova 2. Furman 2. Montana 2. Massachusetts 2. Montana 3. Stephen F. Austin 3. Delaware 3. Montana 3. Appalachian State 4. Holy Cross 4. Appalachian State 4. Youngstown State 4. William & Mary 5. Idaho 5. Western Kentucky 5. North Dakota State 5. Richmond 6. Montana 6. Richmond 6. New Hampshire 6. Southern Illinois 7. Appalachian State 7. Hofstra 7. Southern Illinois 7. New Hampshire 8. Maine 8. Lehigh 8. Illinois State 8. South Carolina State 9. Southwest Missouri 9. Troy State 9. James Madison 9. Elon 10. Middle Tennessee 10. Furman 10. Montana State 10. Stephen F. Austin William & Mary 11. Youngstown State 11. Hampton 11. South Dakota State 12. Eastern Kentucky 12. Western Illinois 12. Furman 12. McNeese State 13. Grambling 13. Grambling 13. Tennessee Martin 13. Eastern Washington 14. Youngstown State 14. Florida A&M 14. Coastal Carolina 14. Holy Cross 15. EASTERN ILLINOIS 15. Portland State 15. EASTERN ILLINOIS 15. Priarie View A&M 16. Villanova 16. McNeese State 16. Cal Poly 16. Jacksonville State 17. Jackson State 17. EASTERN ILLINOIS 17. Northern Iowa 17. Weber State 18. Connecticut 18. Weber State 18. Princeton 18. Northern Iowa 19. Nevada-Reno 19. Northern Iowa 19. Portland State 19. EASTERN ILLINOIS 20. Northern Iowa 20. Bethune-Cookman 20. San Diego 20. Penn 1995 2001 2007 1. Montana 1. Montana 1. Appalachian State 2. Marshall 2. Furman 2. Delaware 3. McNeese State 3. Georgia Southern 3. Southern Illinois 4. Stephen F. Austin 4. Northern Iowa 4. Northern Iowa 5. Appalachian State 5. Lehigh 5. Richmond 6. Delaware 6. Appalachian State 6. Wofford 7. Troy State 7. Hofstra 7. Massachusetts 8. Southern 8. Sam Houston State 8. Eastern Washington 9. Murray State 9. EASTERN ILLINOIS 9. North Dakota State 10. Hofstra 10. Western Kentucky 10. Montana 11. Georgia Southern 11. Grambling 11. McNeese State 12. Eastern Kentucky 12. Maine 12. James Madison 13. Northern Iowa 13. McNeese State 13. Eastern Kentucky 14. EASTERN ILLINOIS 14. Northwestern State 14. New Hampshire 15. James Madison 15. Northern Arizona 15. Delaware State 16. Jackson State 16. Youngstown State 16. Youngstown State 17. Florida A&M 17. William & Mary 17. Georgia Southern 18. Idaho 18. Eastern Kentucky 18. EASTERN ILLINOIS 19. William & Mary 19.