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Cole Proctor

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Cole Proctor
Biographical details
Born(1942-06-25)June 25, 1942
Meriden, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedSeptember 18, 2020(2020-09-18) (aged 78)
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Alma materMorehead State University (1967, 1968)
Playing career
1962–1963State College of Iowa
1964–1966Morehead State
Position(s)Offensive tackle
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1967Morehead State (GA)
1968Lees–McRae (line)
1969–1971Gardner–Webb (line)
1972Chatham Township HS (NJ)
1973–1975Keene HS (NH)
1976–1978Lees–McRae
1979–1980East Tennessee State (DL)
1981–1985San Diego State (DL)
1986Iowa State (DL)
1987–1989Utah (DL)
1990–1993Morehead State
1994–1998Arizona Cardinals (scout)
1999–2011Tennessee Titans (scout)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1976–1979Lees–McRae
Head coaching record
Overall15–29 (college)
14–15 (junior college)
12–27 (high school)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
OVC Coach of the Year (1990)

Cole A. Proctor (June 25, 1942 – September 18, 2020) was an American college football coach and scout. He was the head football coach for Chatham Township High School in 1972, Keene High School from 1973 to 1975, Lees–McRae College from 1976 to 1978, and Morehead State University from 1990 to 1993. He also coached for Gardner–Webb, East Tennessee State, San Diego State, Iowa State, and Utah. He served as a scout for the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for State College of Iowa—now known as Northern Iowa—and Morehead State as an offensive tackle.

Early life and playing career

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Proctor was born in Meriden, Connecticut, attended Lyman Hall High School, and prepped at Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton, Maine. While attending Lyman Hall he received All-State honors in football.[1]

Proctor signed to play college football for the State College of Iowa—now known as Northern Iowa—from 1962 to 1963. In 1964, he transferred to Morehead State University. He was a member of the 1966 Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) championship team. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in education in 1967 and 1968, respectively.[1]

Coaching career

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Proctor began his coaching career as the line coach under head coach George Litton for Lees–McRae.[1][2] He replaced Jerry Kirk who was hired as the line coach for Ferrum, a fellow Coastal Football Conference (CFC) opponent.[2] He resigned after one season to accept a similar position at Gardner–Webb.[3][4] He was retained as Litton was hired as head coach in 1970.

In 1972, Proctor was hired as the head football coach for Chatham Township High School in Chatham Township, New Jersey.[5] He inherited a team that went 3–6.[6] Despite only having 28 players on the roster, he helped lead the team to a 7–2 record, the conference championship, and he was named conference coach of the year.[7] After his lone year in New Jersey, he was hired as the head football coach for Keene High School in Keene, New Hampshire.[8] In his first season with the Blackbirds, the team finished winless with an 0–10 record.[9] In three seasons he amassed an overall record of 12–27.

In 1976, Proctor was hired as the head football coach for Lees–McRae, rejoining the team after seven years away.[10][11] He finished his three-year career with an overall record of 14–15 with his best season coming in his first as the team finished 5–4. In 1979, he left Lees–McRae and was hired as the defensive line coach for East Tennessee State under head coach Jack Carlisle.[12][13] In 1981, he resigned from East Tennessee State and was hired as the defensive line coach for San Diego State. After five seasons with San Diego State, he was hired in the same capacity for Iowa State.[14][15] In 1987, Proctor was hired to be defensive line coach for his fourth school at Utah.

In 1990, Proctor earned his second collegiate head coaching job as he was hired by his alma mater, Morehead State.[16][17][18] In four years with the team he finished with an overall record of 15–29. During his tenure, he hired future NFL head coach Rex Ryan as his defensive coordinator.[19] He resigned from the team after the university's president Ronald G. Eaglin attempted to turn Morehead State into a non-scholarship football school.[20]

From 1994 to 2011, Proctor served as a scout for the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL).[21][22][23]

Personal life

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In 1983, Proctor was indicted on four felony counts of grand theft and insurance fraud. It was alleged that he made a false $20,000 insurance claim on a $14,000 boat and trailer that he and a partner had hidden in Mexico. Richard Guseman, a former California Highway Patrol officer who pleaded guilty to two felony charges of insurance fraud in June 1983, assisted Proctor by filing a false $6,934 insurance claim from an unrelated case in January and was assumed to be the partner in Proctor's alleged crime.[24][25]

Proctor died on September 18, 2020, in his home in Cincinnati.

Head coaching record

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College

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Morehead State Eagles (Ohio Valley Conference) (1990–1993)
1990 Morehead State 5–6 3–3 T–4th
1991 Morehead State 4–7 3–4 T–3rd
1992 Morehead State 3–8 3–5 5th
1993 Morehead State 3–8 2–6 T–7th
Morehead State: 15–29 11–18
Total: 15–29

Junior college

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Lees–McRae Bobcats (Coastal Football Conference) (1976–1978)
1976 Lees–McRae 5–4 3–2 3rd (Southern)
1977 Lees–McRae 4–6 1–4 7th
1978 Lees–McRae 5–5 2–4 6th
Lees–McRae: 14–15 6–10
Total: 14–15

High school

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Chatham Township Gladiators () (1972)
1972 Chatham Township 7–2 1st
Chatham Township: 7–2
Keene Blackbirds () (1973–1975)
1973 Keene 0–10
1974 Keene 3–7
1975 Keene 2–8
Keene: 5–25
Total: 12–27
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Cole Proctor Is L-M Aide". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. June 7, 1968. p. 35. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Lees-McRae Bobcats Sign Grid Assistant". Elizabethton Star. July 7, 1968. p. 4. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  3. ^ "Lees-McRae Again Hunting Assistant Football Coach". Asheville Citizen-Times. July 20, 1969. p. 20. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  4. ^ "Sports in Short". Statesville Record and Landmark. August 11, 1969. p. 11. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  5. ^ "Gardner-Webb Has New Coach". Elizabethton Star. August 24, 1972. p. 6. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  6. ^ "Chatham Township". The Herald-News. September 19, 1972. p. 36. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  7. ^ Jenkins, Henry (August 8, 1976). "Sideline Review". Johnson City Press. p. 25. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  8. ^ Curley, Bob (May 14, 1973). "Curley-Cues". The News. p. 20. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  9. ^ Campbell, Ken (September 7, 1974). "Speaking of Sports". The Brattleboro Reformer. p. 18. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  10. ^ "Bobcats Select Proctor". Asheville Citizen-Times. July 18, 1976. p. 29. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  11. ^ "Proctor Named To Grid Post". The News and Observer. July 18, 1976. p. 29. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  12. ^ "Cole Proctor Joins ETSU Football Coaching Staff". Kingsport Times. February 2, 1979. p. 14. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  13. ^ "Lees-McRae's Proctor joins Buc grid staff". Johnson City Press. February 2, 1979. p. 21. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  14. ^ "Aztecs hire receivers coach". North County Times. December 31, 1985. p. 18. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  15. ^ "Cyclones fill defensive line coaching spot with SDS aide". The Sioux City Journal. January 7, 1986. p. 13. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  16. ^ McIntyre, Christy (December 15, 1989). "Utah aide hired to lead Eagles". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 51. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  17. ^ "Morehead To Name Proctor". The Leaf-Chronicle. December 16, 1989. p. 18. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  18. ^ Terhune, Jim. "Proctor is named new football coach at Morehead State". The Courier-Journal. p. 8. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  19. ^ Wentworth, Bridget (January 21, 2009). "New York Jets coach Rex Ryan has right attitude, right pedigree". nj.com. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  20. ^ Terhune, Jim (March 6, 1994). "Morehead's president still proposing no-scholarship football". The Courier-Journal. p. 16. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  21. ^ "Cole Proctor" (PDF). Tennessee Titans. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  22. ^ "Administration" (PDF). Tennessee Titans. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  23. ^ McCormick, Terry (July 17, 2012). "Ruskell joins Titans front office". 247sports.com. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  24. ^ Forster, Mark (September 20, 1983). "SDSU Assistant Coach Accused of Fraud". The Los Angeles Times. p. 25. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  25. ^ "SDSU football coach indicted on theft charges". Daily Times-Advocate. September 20, 1983. p. 11. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
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