Earle Bruce

Earle Bruce
Bruce in 1986
Biographical details
Born(1931-03-08)March 8, 1931
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedApril 20, 2018(2018-04-20) (aged 87)
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Playing career
1951Ohio State
Position(s)Running back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1953–1955Mansfield HS (OH) (assistant)
1956–1959Salem HS (OH)
1960–1963Sandusky HS (OH)
1964–1965Massillon Washington HS (OH)
1966–1971Ohio State (assistant)
1972Tampa
1973–1978Iowa State
1979–1987Ohio State
1988Northern Iowa
1989–1992Colorado State
1994Cleveland Thunderbolts
1995–1996St. Louis Stampede
2001Iowa Barnstormers
2004Columbus Destroyers
Head coaching record
Overall154–90–2 (college)
82–12–3 (high school)
19–25 (AFL)
Bowls7–5
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
4 Big Ten (1979, 1981, 1984, 1986)
Awards
AFCA Coach of the Year (1979)
Big Ten Coach of the Year (1979)
Big Eight Coach of the Year (1976, 1977)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2002 (profile)

Earle Bruce (March 8, 1931 – April 20, 2018) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa (1972), Iowa State University (1973–1978), Ohio State University (1979–1987), the University of Northern Iowa (1988), and Colorado State University (1989–1992), compiling a career college football record of 154–90–2. At Ohio State, Bruce succeeded the legendary Woody Hayes and won four Big Ten Conference titles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2002. Bruce returned to coaching in 2001 to helm the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League for a season and also later guided the Columbus Destroyers.