Hall of Fame
Position: Coach
Years: 1982-94
Place of Birth: Riverview, MI
Date of Birth: Aug. 22, 1940
The Colorado head coach from 1982-94, Bill McCartney guided the Buffaloes to their first national title and to more bowl games than any other coach in CU football history.
McCartney and the Buffs finished in the Top 20 in each of his last six seasons in Boulder, including the 1990 national crown and back-to-back appearances in the 1989 and 1990 title games. He claimed unanimous 1989 National Coach of the Year honors, and his extraordinary accomplishments include leading the Buffs to nine bowls in 13 seasons and to three Big Eight titles. His 1988-92 teams went 25 consecutive games (23-0-2) without a loss in league play, the fourth-longest streak in conference history.
McCartney coached 1994 Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam; Hall of Famer and 1990 Butkus winner Alfred Williams; two Jim Thorpe award winners, Deon Figures (1992) and Chris Hudson (1994); 1992 Campbell Trophy winner Jim Hansen; and 1987 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Eric McCarty.
The three-time Big Eight Coach of the Year was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, and he was enshrined in CU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006. Active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he was voted the 1986 FCA’s “Man-of-the-Year” in Colorado.
