Former Colorado football coach Bill McCartney, who guided the Buffaloes to their only national championship, died Friday night at age 84.
In a statement, his family said McCartney’s death came after “a courageous journey with dementia.”
McCartney spent 13 seasons (1982-94) at the helm of the program and won three Big 8 coach of the year awards, including in 1990, when the Buffaloes finished 11–1–1 and defeated Notre Dame 10-9 in the Orange Bowl for the national championship.
His overall record was 93–55–5, making him the winningest coach in school history. In 1982, he took over a program that was 4–18 in the previous two seasons and after three sub-.500 campaigns, the Buffaloes were 86–30–4 over his final 10 seasons and played in nine bowl games.
McCartney retired after the 1994 season at age 54 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
Colorado athletic director Rick George, hired by McCartney as recruiting coordinator in 1987, said he had a final visit with McCartney last week.
husband, father and grandfather. He instilled discipline and accountability to all of us who worked and played under his leadership,” George said in a story posted to the school’s website. “The mark that he left on CU football and our athletic department will be hard to replicate.”
McCartney’s coaching tree included Les Miles, who won the national championship with LSU in 2007, as well as Rick Neuheisel, Gary Barnett, Jon Embree and Karl Dorrell, each of whom eventually took the reins of the Buffaloes.
Before arriving in Colorado, McCartney worked for Bo Schembechler at Michigan, who nabbed the young coach from the high school ranks to join his staff.
Post-retirement, McCartney focused his attention on Promise Keepers, a Christian organization based in Colorado Springs.
“Coach Mac touched countless lives with his unwavering faith, boundless compassion, and enduring legacy as a leader, mentor, and advocate for family, community, and faith,” his family’s statement said. “As a trailblazer and visionary, his impact was felt both on and off the field, and his spirit will forever remain in the hearts of those he inspired.”
