Lou Saban, the longtime college and pro football coach who coached 28 different teams at all levels of play during a 52-year career, died Sunday, March 29 at his home in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. He was 87.
Saban headed college programs at Northwestern, Maryland, Army, Western Illinois, and Central Florida, among others. He is credited with reviving Miami's moribund program in the late 70's. His pro career included stints as the head coach of the Broncos, Patriots and Bills, where he led Buffalo to consecutive AFL championships in 1964 and 1965.
In March of 2003, NFF Board Member and New York Yankees Principal Owner George M. Steinbrenner III donated $300,000 to endow in perpetuity one of The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame's (NFF) prestigious $18,000 postgraduate scholarships in Saban’s honor.
Steinbrenner and Saban traced their professional connections and friendship back to 1948, when both were involved in a Cleveland youth track and field program.
"He has been my friend and mentor for over 50 years, and one of the people who helped shape my life," Steinbrenner said in a statement. "Lou was tough and disciplined, and he earned all the respect and recognition that came his way. He spent a lifetime leading, teaching and inspiring, and took great satisfaction in making the lives around him better. This is a tremendous loss to me personally, and I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Joyce, and the entire Saban family."
Seven years after meeting at the track and field program, the relationship between the two men deepened when Saban hired Steinbrenner as an assistant football coach at Northwestern University. Twenty-five years later in a role reversal, Steinbrenner hired Saban to be president of the New York Yankees.
"George and I share the same view of competition and what it takes to win. The National Football Foundation scholarship program also fits with that vision," Saban said at the time of the endowment of the award in 2003. "It's a great honor to know that each year one of the best college football players in country will be recognized in my name."
The past winners of the NFF Coach Lou Saban National Scholar-Athlete Award, endowed by George M. Steinbrenner III, are:
2008 – Ryan McDonald, offensive lineman, Illinois
2007 – J Leman, linebacker, Illinois
2006 – Joseph Thomas, offensive tackle, Wisconsin
2005 – Josh Betts, quarterback, Miami (Ohio)
2004 – Dustin Craig Unger, linebacker, Morehead State (Ky.)
2003 – Keith Heckendorf, quarterback, St. Could State (Minn.)
The NFF Scholar-Athletes are recognized each year at The NFF's Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Since its inception in 1959, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Award Program has honored 708 scholar-athletes with more than $8.9 million in scholarships. Honorees include Peyton Manning, Tiki Barber, Chad Pennington, Lee Roy Selmon, Stone Philips, Steve Young, Gary Beban, Tim Green, Merlin Olsen, and Mark Harmon.
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