George Welsh (American football)

George Welsh
Biographical details
Born(1933-08-26)August 26, 1933
Coaldale, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJanuary 2, 2019(2019-01-02) (aged 85)
Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S.
Playing career
1952–1955Navy
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1963–1972Penn State (assistant)
1973–1981Navy
1982–2000Virginia
Head coaching record
Overall189–132–4
Bowls5–10
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 ACC (1989, 1995)
Awards
First-team All-American (1955)
First-team All-Eastern (1954, 1955)
Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award (1991)
ACC Coach of the Year (1983, 1984, 1991, 1995)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2004 (profile)

George Thomas Welsh (August 26, 1933 – January 2, 2019) was an American college football player and coach. He served as head football coach of the Navy Midshipmen football team of the United States Naval Academy from 1973 to 1981, and the Virginia Cavaliers football team of the University of Virginia from 1982 to 2000.

Welsh retired as the winningest coach in ACC history. Although that record was later surpassed by Bobby Bowden of Florida State, Welsh remains far and away the most successful coach in UVA history (his 134 wins are more than double those of runner-up Al Groh). He was named ACC Coach of the Year four times (1983, 1984, 1991 and 1995) and National Coach of the Year once (1991).

Upon Welsh's retirement after the 2000 season, his 189 career victories ranked him 24th in Division I-A history.

Welsh was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2004.[1]

  1. ^ "George Welsh Selected to College Football Hall of Fame".