Mark W. Williams
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 31, 1925 West Hartford, Connecticut |
| Died | October 25, 2013 (aged 88) Stone Mountain, Georgia |
| Playing career | |
| 1945–1948 | Hobart |
| Position(s) | End |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1978–1981 | Carroll (WI) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 12–24 |
Mark W. Williams (May 31, 1925 – October 25, 2013) was a United States Army Ranger and participant in D-Day. After a successful business career, he entered sports to be an American football coach at the college level, and was later an associate professor emeritus of Business Administration at Carroll University.[1]
Military service[]
Williams was a United States Army Ranger. He participated in what is considered to be one of the most dangerous missions of D-Day when he and other Rangers climbed the 100-foot cliffs at Pointe du Hoc near Omaha Beach, facing heavy German defenses at the top.[2]
American football[]
Playing history[]
Williams played college football at Hobart College in Geneva, New York. He also was able to complete two separate tryouts for the upstart "old" Baltimore Colts but did not make the professional team.[3] Williams graduated from Hobart in 1949 and then went on to study sociology at New York University until 1951 and later completed a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[4]
Coaching career[]
After leaving a successful career in business[5] and making nationwide headlines, Williams took a significant pay cut with a major change in personal lifestyle to become a collegiate head football coach.[6]
Williams became the 25th head football coach at Carroll College (now called Carroll University)[7] in Waukesha, Wisconsin and he held that position for four seasons, from 1978 until 1981. His career coaching record at Carroll College was 12–24. This ranks him tenth at Carroll College in total wins and 20th at Carroll College in winning percentage.[8]
Death[]
Williams died at his home on October 25, 2013.[9]
Head coaching record[]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll Pioneers (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) (1978–1981) | |||||||||
| 1978 | Carroll | 6–3 | 5–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1979 | Carroll | 2–7 | 2–6 | 7th | |||||
| 1980 | Carroll | 1–8 | 1–7 | T–8th | |||||
| 1981 | Carroll | 3–6 | 3–5 | T–4th | |||||
| Carroll: | 12–24 | 11–21 | |||||||
| Total: | 12–24 | ||||||||
References[]
- ^ Carroll University[permanent dead link] 2006-2007 Course Catalog
- ^ Carroll University[permanent dead link] "Carroll College professor will be part of West Point event" April 1, 2003
- ^ The Spokesman-Review "New Coach Gave Up Big Pay" September 21, 1978
- ^ The Milwaukee Sentinel "Carroll's Williams Markets Football Now" by Jill Lieber August 19, 1978
- ^ NBC Evening News[permanent dead link] "From Business to Coaching" by David Brinkley, September 13. 1978
- ^ Los Angeles Times Archives "An Offer He Could Refuse--But Didn't" September 28, 1978
- ^ Daily Herald "Rookie Coach Finds Career Switch Easy" September 22, 1978
- ^ Carroll College/University Archived 2006-05-16 at the Wayback Machine Football coaching records
- ^ "Mark W. "Coach Mark" Williams Obituary (1925 - 2013) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel".
- 1925 births
- 2013 deaths
- American football ends
- Carroll Pioneers football coaches
- Carroll University faculty
- Hobart Statesmen football players
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- United States Army Rangers
- New York University alumni
- Wisconsin School of Business alumni
- People from West Hartford, Connecticut