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Ron Smeltzer

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Ron Smeltzer
Date of birth (1941-10-29) October 29, 1941 (age 83)
Place of birthYork, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Career information
US collegeWest Chester University
Career history
As coach
1968–1969Colorado (GA)
1970–1971UC Santa Barbara (OL)
1972–1977UNLV (OL)
1979–1983Servite High School (HC)
1984–1985BC Lions (OL)
1986–1987Calgary Stampeders (OC)
1988BC Lions (OL)
1989BC Lions (OC/OL)
1990Holy Cross Regional High School (HC)
1991Edmonton Eskimos (OL)
1992–1993Ottawa Rough Riders (HC)
1994Las Vegas Posse (OC)
1995–2000Cimarron-Memorial High School (Asst.)
2001–2002Coronado High School (HC)
2003–2007Cimarron-Memorial High School (HC)

Ron Smeltzer is a retired American and Canadian football coach who served as the head coach of the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1992 to 1993.

Early life

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Smeltzer was born on October 29, 1941, in York, Pennsylvania.[1] When he was 17 he joined the United States Marine Corps. After a four year hitch he attended West Chester University, where he played center and linebacker.[2]

Coaching career

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Smeltzer began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Colorado from 1968 to 1969. He then spent two seasons as the offensive line coach at UC Santa Barbara. From 1972 to 1977 he was the offensive line coach at UNLV.[3] While at UNLV, Smeltzer met his wife, who was an undergrad at the University.[2]

From 1979 to 1983, Smeltzer served as head coach of Servite High School in Anaheim, California. In 1982 he switched from a veer offense to a pro-type passing offense led by Quarterback Steve Beuerlein. The team won the state championship in 1982 and 1983.[4][5] In 1984 he joined the BC Lions as offensive line coach.[6] He remained with the team until 1986 when he followed fellow Lions assistant Bob Vespaziani to the Calgary Stampeders.[7] He was not retained by Vespaziani's successor Lary Kuharich and returned to the Lions in 1988.[8] In 1989 he was given the additional duties of offensive coordinator.[9] He was not retained for the 1990 season and instead became a full-time teacher and head coach at Holy Cross Regional High School.[10] In 1991 he became the offensive line coach of the Edmonton Eskimos.[11]

On February 10, 1992, Smeltzer was named head coach of the Ottawa Rough Riders. His hiring came after Mike Riley, Tom Higgins, Dennis Meyer, and Joe Paopao all declined the position. He was the Rough Riders seventh coach in seven years.[1] In his first season, Smeltzer led the team to a 9–9 record. It was the first time the Rough Riders didn't have a losing record in ten years. Following general manager Dan Rambo's departure, Smeltzer was given the additional role of director of football operations.[12] The Rough Riders went 4-14 in 1993 and Smeltzer was fired at the end of the season.[13]

In 1994 Smeltzer joined Ron Meyer, who he had worked under at UNLV, as offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Posse.[14] The club folded after one year and Smeltzer chose to remain in Las Vegas rather than uproot his family again. He was the lead assistant at Cimarron-Memorial High School from 1995 to 2000 and helped lead the team to state championships in 1998 and 1999. From 2001 to 2002 he was the head coach at Coronado High School.[3] He was the school's first ever football coach and lead the team to a 7–9 record. In 2003 he returned to Cimarron-Memorial, this time as head coach.[15] At both Coronado and Cimarron, Smeltzer coached future Harvard and LSU quarterback Andrew Hatch.[16] Smeltzer retired from coaching following the 2007 season.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Riders beat bushes for new coach". The Vancouver Sun. February 11, 1992.
  2. ^ a b Scanlan, Wayne (May 16, 1992). "Hey Coach!; Just who are you, Ron Smeltzer and can you make Riders winners". The Ottawa Citizen.
  3. ^ a b Drexel, Christopher (August 28, 2008). "Former Basic and Cimarron coaches inducted into Hall of Fame". The Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  4. ^ Katz, Michael (October 15, 1983). "A Freshman Stabilizes Notre Dame". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Lowery, Steve (November 29, 1985). "In 1981...Edison Lose?". The Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ "Lions hire coach". The Globe and Mail. February 22, 1984.
  7. ^ "Roughrider coach livid as Lions hire assistant". The Globe and Mail. March 6, 1986.
  8. ^ Strachan, Al (April 8, 1988). "Kwong new Stampeder president". The Globe and Mail.
  9. ^ "Lions sign trio of import linebackers". Edmonton Journal. April 20, 1989.
  10. ^ "March camps kick off season". The Province. March 4, 1990.
  11. ^ Cowley, Norm (February 10, 1991). "Eskimos add coach". The Edmonton Journal.
  12. ^ Campbell, Don (June 10, 1993). "Smeltzer aims higher than .500". The Ottawa Citizen.
  13. ^ Chaedle, Bruce (November 23, 1993). "Smeltzer fired by Rough Riders Ottawa coach 'relieved' by decision". The Globe and Mail.
  14. ^ MacGregor, Roy (October 18, 1994). "Las Vegas Gamble Not Paying Off After a Rough Ride in Ottawa; Smeltzer surviving 'two years in hell'". The Ottawa Citizen.
  15. ^ Seiters, Damon (April 24, 2003). "Smeltzer back with Cimarron". The Las Vegas Review.
  16. ^ Guilbeau, Glenn (August 30, 2008). "Tigers' Hatch ready for time in pocket". The Times.
  17. ^ Ammerman, Sean (August 28, 2008). "New head coach to carry on old Spartan traditions". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  1. ^ a b "2024 CFL Guide" (PDF). Canadian Football League. p. 179. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
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