Larry Donovan

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For the bridge jumper, see Larry Donovan (bridge jumper).
Larry Donovan
Biographical details
Born (1941-03-31) March 31, 1941 (age 83)
Casper, Wyoming, U.S.
Playing career
1960–1962Nebraska
Position(s)End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1964–2016South Dakota (assistant)
1972–1975Washington State (assistant)
1976–1978Iowa (assistant)
1979Kansas (assistant)
1980–1985Montana
1986–1987BC Lions (DL/ST)
1987–1989BC Lions
1990–1991Saskatchewan Roughriders (LB/ST)
Head coaching record
Overall25–38–1 (college)
14–12 (CFL)
Tournaments0–1 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 Big Sky (1982)
1 CFL West Division (1988)

Larry Donovan (born March 31, 1941) is an American former gridiron football coach. He served as head football coach at the University of Montana from 1980 to 195 and as head coach for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League from 1987 to 1989. Donovan's coaching career spanned 52 years, working with teams in the United States, Canada, and Japan.

Early life[edit]

Donovan was born in Casper, Wyoming, on March 31, 1941. Father Bill was working as a ranch hand and cowboy while mother Mary was the ranch cook. He grew up with one sibling, sister Jean Ingrum, born in California. Donovan was an active youth, helping relatives with farm work as a boy. The family moved to Scottsbluff, Nebraska, in 1945. There, Donovan's physicality translated to athletic success when he started pole vaulting and setting records in junior high. He participated in other sports, including Golden Gloves (amateur boxing), baseball, and basketball. Donovan attended Scottsbluff High School where he lettered in football, basketball, and track.[1] He set a state record for pole vault in 1959 when he won a gold medal as an elite athlete in the country for his age group.[2]

College years[edit]

Out of high school, Donovan was offered a football scholarship at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.[3] He started three of four eligible years, sitting his junior year due to an injury. The Cornhuskers made it to the Gotham Bowl in 1962, the same year Donovan was voted Most Eligible Bachelor.[4][5] Donovan also ran track for the university, lettering both as a football player and pole vaulter.[6]

During college, Donovan was an active part of the student body. He pledged Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and became VP of the organization and was president of the N-Club.[7] Politically, he was involved with the Young Democrats, where he was Vice President of the local club.

Donovan graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1964 with a Bachelor of Education. He also has a Masters in educational administration +30 from the University of South Dakota.

Military career[edit]

Donovan began his military career when he joined the ROTC in college.[8] Following graduation, he was a commissioned second lieutenant in the US Army. He served two years of active duty in Oklahoma and Korea. While in Korea, Donovan served as Forward Artillery in the DMZ, receiving an Army commendation medal for his service; he was also co-coach and player for the undefeated champions of the 2nd infantry division in 1966.[9] During his time in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Fort Chaffe, Arkansas, Donovan was Battery Commander. When he was coaching in South Dakota, Donovan also served with the National Guard.

Coaching career[edit]

Donovan served as an assistant at South Dakota, Washington State, Iowa, and Kansas before becoming Montana's head coach on December 15, 1979.[10]

In his six seasons as head coach of the Grizzlies, Donovan had a 25–38–1 (.398) record and only one winning season.[11] On November 25, 1985, athletic director Harley Lewis announced that the contracts of Donovan and eight of his assistants would not be renewed.[12][13] Donovan believed that he had been unjustly fired and blamed the antiquated Dornblaser Field for his lack of success in recruiting. His requests for a new stadium resulted in the construction of Washington–Grizzly Stadium, which opened in 1986.[14]

Donovan's next coaching job was as the defensive line coach for the BC Lions. On October 30, 1987, head coach Don Matthews was fired and Donovan was named interim head coach.[15] The Lions went 4–0 after the coaching change and finished the season in first place in the West Division, falling to the eventual Grey Cup champion Edmonton Eskimos in the West Final game. In 1988, his first and only full season as head coach, the Lions had a 10–8 record and made it to the Grey Cup, losing to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 22–21. The Lions struggled in 1989 and Donovan was fired after an 0–4 start.[16]

Donovan was an assistant coach for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1990 and 1991. He traveled to Japan to coach the Japanese X League Hurricanes sponsored by Hitachi Limited and Renesas Technologies from 1992 until 2007. He was a training camp coach and consultant for the Asahi Beverage Challengers in Osaka, Japan in 2010.

Personal life[edit]

In 1966, Donovan married college sweetheart Georgia Merriam in Lincoln, Nebraska. Merriam was an original University of Nebraska pom-pom cheerleader and Miss Nebraska Universe in 1964.[17] She earned a BS from the University of Nebraska and went on to get an MA from the University of Iowa. Together, the couple have three daughters: Andrea, Molly, and Lindsay.

Head coaching record[edit]

College[edit]

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs NCAA#
Montana Grizzlies (Big Sky Conference) (1980–1985)
1980 Montana 3–7 1–6 8th
1981 Montana 7–3 5–2 3rd
1982 Montana 6–6 5–2 T–1st L NCAA Division I-AA First Round 19
1983 Montana 4–6 3–4 T–5th
1984 Montana 2–8–1 0–7 8th
1985 Montana 3–8 2–5 6th
Montana: 25–38–1 16–26
Total: 25–38–1
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References[edit]

  1. ^ "A History of Nebraska High School Big 10 Conference Football Playoffs-Part 4". McCook Gazette. 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  2. ^ "New Page 3". www.angelfire.com. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  3. ^ "The daily Nebraskan. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, September 29, 1959, Page Page 3, Image 3 « Nebraska Newspapers". nebnewspapers.unl.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  4. ^ "The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, December 14, 1962, Page Page 4, Image 4 « Nebraska Newspapers". nebnewspapers.unl.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  5. ^ "The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, February 26, 1962, Image 1 « Nebraska Newspapers". nebnewspapers.unl.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  6. ^ "The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, February 16, 1960, Page Page 3, Image 3 « Nebraska Newspapers". nebnewspapers.unl.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  7. ^ "The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, February 19, 1964, Page Page 4, Image 4 « Nebraska Newspapers". nebnewspapers.unl.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  8. ^ "The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, July 17, 1962, Page Page 3, Image 3 « Nebraska Newspapers". nebnewspapers.unl.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  9. ^ "University of Montana Grizzly Football Year Book". 1985. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  10. ^ "Donovan Gets Montana Job". Spokane Daily Chronicle. December 15, 1979. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  11. ^ "Larry Donovan Records by Year". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  12. ^ "Donovan, eight assistants let go after dismal season". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 26, 1985. p. 8B.
  13. ^ "Montana coach won't be returning". Gainesville Sun. (Florida). Associated Press. November 26, 1985. p. 3D. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  14. ^ "Donovan still bitter over firing". The Spokesman-Review. December 1, 1985.
  15. ^ "People in Sports". Eugene Register-Guard. October 15, 1987. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  16. ^ "Ex-Griz Donovan fired by B.C." The Spokesman-Review. August 7, 1989. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  17. ^ "The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, August 04, 1964, Page Page 2, Image 2 « Nebraska Newspapers". nebnewspapers.unl.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-23.


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