UW-River Falls football Head Coach John O'Grady will retire at the end of the 2010 season.
O'Grady, 56, informed the Falcons after Monday's practice at Ramer Field.
The Falcons open the season on Thursday at Ohio Northern. Kick off is set for 3 p.m. (ET) at the Dial-Roberson Stadium. The Falcons leave for Ada, Ohio, on Tuesday morning.
“Most of my adult life, including four years as a player, five years as a volunteer coach and of course 22 seasons as the head coach has been spent at this University,” said O'Grady in a prepared statement. “For the vast majority of my career I have had a passion for coaching. I still do, but I am not passionate about all of the other aspects of my job that do not have much to do with coaching. As a result it is time for me to go.
“This University, the athletic department and most importantly the student-athletes in the football program deserve a head coach whose passion is all-encompassing. It is a change that I am at peace with and it is also a great time for our athletic director to bring in a new, passionate coach.
“I want to thank this University for giving me such great opportunities since I first stepped onto the campus in August of 1972. I grew up, played football with a wonderful group of guys, completed two degrees, was married and had children within the confines of this institution. I have been a lucky man.
"I am so grateful to have had Don Page as our athletic director during my playing career and early years as the head coach. Don is the heart and soul of Falcon athletics. His influence on all of us crosses many generational boundaries. He gave me the opportunity to return here as our head coach. I am sure that I do not speak alone when I say that all of us in the Falcon athletic family are indebted to Don for all that he meant and did for us.
“To all of our players throughout my career, I want to say thank you! Through both good and bad times your work ethic and achievements have impacted me in a very substantial way. You have all enriched my life.
“I have decided to announce this decision at this time because I believe it is best for our football program. It will give our athletic director a head start on the hiring process so that a new head coach can be named as quickly as possible once our season ends.”
O'Grady's last day on campus will be Dec. 31, 2010.
“John's dedication and loyalty to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, the football program and the young men who played the game is extraordinary,” said Falcon Athletic Director,
Roger Ternes. “His legacy at UWRF will go down in history along with former great coaches like Mike Farley and Fran Polsfoot. His tenure as the head football coach at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls is the longest in school history, and we thank him for his exceptional leadership.”
O'Grady played for the Falcons as a linebacker from 1972-75 and earned four letters. He was the team's captain and voted most dedicated in 1975 when the Falcons won their first WIAC title in 18 years.
He was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) Hall of Fame on April 5, 2008. He was honored with the prestigious award based on a combination of his coaching record, longevity and service to the WFCA.
O'Grady ranks second in all-time football wins among WIAC active coaches with a 104-103-3 overall record. He is seventh in all-time wins of all WIAC coaches. In WIAC play, O'Grady has led the Falcons to one first place finish (1998), three second-place finishes (1994, 1995, 1996) and five third place finishes (1989, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001). He has had winning seasons in 10 of his 21 seasons with the Falcons.
In 1998, the Falcons surprised most WIAC observers. The team finished 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the WIAC, which was good for a tie for first place. In 1996 the team finished 9-2 overall and lost to La Crosse (44-0) in the first round of the NCAA playoffs. In 1995 the Falcons were 9-3 overall. The nine wins tied the school record. In the NCAA playoffs, the Falcons beat Central Iowa (10-7) but then lost to La Crosse (28-14).
O'Grady was named the 1995 WIAC Coach of the Year. His teams have compiled a 72-68-3 record in WIAC play.
He got his start at UW-River Falls as an assistant coach of linebackers, secondary and special teams from 1976-80. From 1981-82 O'Grady joined the Badgers as a part-time assistant coach for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While there, he worked with tight ends and special teams. He would return to Madison for two more seasons in 1985 and work as an offensive line coach and special teams coordinator. He had a tenure at Kent State University in Ohio from 1983-84 as the offensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator. He also spent time working with the team's offensive line. He coached for two years at Miami University of Ohio as an offensive line coach and special teams coordinator (1987-88).
O'Grady played football at Sullivan High School of Chicago, Ill. from 1968-71. He was team captain, most valuable player and winner of a coach's award as a senior. He is a native of Worcester, Mass.
He earned his undergraduate degree in physical education from UW-River Falls in 1979 and his master's degree in supervision and instructional leadership from River Falls in 1983. O'Grady now teaches classes in the university's health & human performance department.
O'Grady is a firm believer in education and helps all UWRF students in pursuit of collegiate degrees. In his career as head coach, all but two Falcon football players, who have completed four seasons of eligibility, have earned undergraduate degrees. Many have gone on to highly successful careers in education, coaching and business.
He runs three summer football camps: Wishbone, Kickers and Big O & D. This summer O'Grady's Wishbone/Big O & Big D combination camp was the biggest in the two-state area of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Some 390 campers and 55 coaches, many UWRF graduates, attended the camp. The Kickers camp has been a mainstay at UWRF for 37 years and has had top NFL and college kickers attend as counselors. Gary Zauner, a special teams coach for several NFL teams, has been a counselor for 33 years.
O'Grady is well known as a speaker and clinician throughout the Midwest. He has given presentations at the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association spring clinic several times and has addressed participants at the Indiana Wishbone Coaches Association Clinic. He has been invited to give clinics in Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Minnesota. For the past 10 years he has worked with former Falcon football player and teammate, Darryl Herrick, at a football camp in Gilman, Wis. The camp was established by Herrick, who is the superintendent of the Cedarburg school district, in memory of his nephew who was killed in a hunting accident.
He and wife, Jody, have three children: Lindsey, 29, Jaclyn, 26 and Logan 21.
| Year |
W |
L |
T |
Pct |
WIAC Place |
| 2009 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
.300 |
1-6, tie 7th |
| 2008 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
.300 |
2-5, tie 7th |
| 2007 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
.300 |
2-5, 7th |
| 2006 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
.300 |
2-5, tie 6th |
| 2005 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
.300 |
2-5, 7th |
| 2004 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
.300 |
3-4, tie 5th |
| 2003 |
2 |
7 |
0 |
.222 |
2-5, 6th |
| 2002 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
.300 |
2-5, tie 6th |
| 2001 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
.444 |
4-3, tie 3rd |
| 2000 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
.600 |
5-2, 3rd |
| 1999 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
.600 |
5-2, 3rd |
| 1998 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
.700 |
5-2, tie 1st |
| 1997 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
.500 |
3-4, tie 5th |
| 1996 |
9 |
2 |
0 |
.818 |
6-1, 2nd |
| 1995 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
.750 |
6-1, 2nd |
| 1994 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
.700 |
5-2, tie 2nd |
| 1993 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
.600 |
3-4, tie 4th |
| 1992 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
.722 |
4-2-1, 3rd |
| 1991 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
.450 |
2-5-1, 7th |
| 1990 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
.550 |
3-4-1, tie 5th |
| 1989 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
.700 |
6-2, 3rd |
| Totals |
104 |
103 |
3 |
.502 |
73-74-3, .496 |
