American college football coach (1928–2021)
Morton J. "Chuck " Mills (December 1, 1928 – January 18, 2021) was an American college football coach. He served as the head coach at Pomona College (1957–1961), Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1962–1963), the United States Merchant Marine Academy (1964), Utah State University (1967–1972), Wake Forest University (1973–1977), Southern Oregon University (1980–1988), and the United States Coast Guard Academy (1997).
Education
A native of Chicago , Illinois , Mills graduated from Illinois State University in 1950.[ 2] [ 3] [ 4]
Coaching career
Hired in February 1967 at Utah State University , Mills was previously the offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs ,[ 5] [ 6] the champions of the American Football League (AFL). Previous USU head coach Tony Knap had resigned in January for an assistant coaching position with the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League (CFL).[ 7] [ 8]
During his six seasons at Utah State, Mills' Aggies went 38–23–1 (.621); 8–3 marks in 1971 and 1972 were the best. He took the first American collegiate football team to Japan in December 1971 ;[ 9] the Japanese equivalent of the Heisman Trophy , known as the "Mills Trophy," is presented to the top collegiate football player in Japan each year.[ 10]
Death
In mid-January 2021, Mills was hospitalized in a Honolulu hospital for pneumonia and organ failure. He died on the morning of January 18, 2021, at age 92.[ 10]
Head coaching record
College
References
^ Vickie Fulkerson, Coast Guard coach, athletic director Chuck Mills left a legacy of wisdom, laughter , The Day , January 23, 2021, accessed June 12, 2024.
^ Hoffmann, Doug (January 19, 2021). "Former Utah State head football coach Chuck Mills dies at age 92" . Cache Valley Daily . Retrieved January 19, 2021 .
^ Judd, Brandon (January 19, 2021). "Former Utah State football coach Chuck Mills dies" . Deseret News . Retrieved January 19, 2021 .
^ Burglund, Matthew (January 19, 2021). "Former IUP football coach Mills dies at 93" . The Indiana Gazette . Retrieved January 19, 2021 .
^ "Ags name grid coach" . Deseret News . (Salt Lake City, Utah). February 9, 1967. p. D1.
^ Ferguson, George (February 10, 1967). "USU grid coach maps battle plan" . Deseret News . (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. D1.
^ Miller, Hack (January 18, 1967). "Aggies' Tony Knap resigns" . Deseret News . (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. B2.
^ "Tony Knap resigns" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 19, 1967. p. 11.
^ Flannery, John S. (December 20, 1971). "Ceremony impressive" . Deseret News . (Salt Lake City, Utah). (Utah State University Athletics). p. B6.
^ a b Nagatsuka, Kaz (January 19, 2021). "Chuck Mills, who inspired Japan's college football to flourish, dies at 92" . Japan Times . Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2021 .
Links to related articles
# denotes interim/acting head coach
# denotes interim head coach