| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 29, 1915 Spartanburg, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | November 16, 1983 (aged 68) |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1934–1936 | Tennessee |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1939–1941 | Wofford (backfield) |
| 1942–1943 | NC State (backfield) |
| 1945–1946 | Mississippi State (assistant) |
| 1947–1952 | Wofford |
| 1953–1956 | Wyoming |
| 1958–1964 | Indiana |
| Basketball | |
| 1941–1942 | Wofford |
| Baseball | |
| 1941–1942 | Wofford |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1947–1952 | Wofford |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 89–68–10 (football) 10–14 (basketball) |
| Bowls | 1–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 5 South Carolina Little Four/Three (1948–1952) 1 Skyline (1956) | |
| Awards | |
| |
William Phillip Dickens (June 29, 1914 – November 16, 1983)[1][2] was an American football player, coach of football, basketball and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Wofford College (1947–1952), the University of Wyoming (1953–1956), and Indiana University Bloomington (1958–1964), compiling a career record of 89–68–10. Dickens was also the head basketball coach at Wofford for one season in 1941–42, tallying a mark of 10–14, Wofford' head baseball coach for two seasons, from 1941 to 1942, and the school's athletic director from 1947 to 1952.
During his tenure at Indiana, Dickens compiled a 20–41–2 record. His best season came in 1958, where his Hoosiers went 5–3–1, with upset wins over Michigan State, and Michigan; earning him Big Ten/Midwest Coach of the Year and third place as National Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1974. Dickens attended the University of Tennessee, where he was a third-team All-American in 1936 and All-SEC in 1936 at halfback.