William E. Peterson (May 15, 1920 – August 5, 1993) was an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
player, coach, and college athletics administrator. His career included head coaching stops at
Florida State University
Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the st ...
,
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranke ...
and with the
Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). Considered one of the unique characters in college sports, Peterson is credited with bringing the pro passing game to
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
. He is also known as the "Coach of Coaches", having tutored such coaches as
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is an American auto racing team owner and former professional football coach. In football, he was head coach for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 to 1992, and a ...
,
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells (born August 22, 1941) is an American former football coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons. He rose to prominence as the head coach of the New York Giants from 1983 ...
,
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler Bowden (; November 8, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was an American college football coach. Bowden coached the Florida State Seminoles of Florida State University (FSU) from 1976 to 2009 and is considered one of the greatest college ...
,
Don James,
Dan Henning
Daniel Ernest Henning, (born June 21, 1942) is a former American football player and coach. A quarterback, he played college football at the College of William & Mary and professional football in 1966 for the San Diego Chargers of the America ...
,
Ken Meyer
Kenneth W. Meyer (July 14, 1925 – August 14, 2016) was an American football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He may be best remembered as the head coach of the National Football League's San Francisco 49ers in 1977 ...
and many others. Coach "Pete", as he was known, is also remembered for his reshaping of the English language. One of his more novel expressions was to have his team "pair off in groups of threes, then line up in a circle." Beyond his trials with syntax, Peterson is best remembered for bringing the Seminoles to the forefront of college football, using pro-style offenses and a much feared passing game.
Youth and family life
Born in Toronto, Ohio, Bill Peterson was the eldest of six children. When his father died at the age of twelve, Peterson thought his dream of coaching had died as well. He recounted those feelings in his book, ''Building from the Start'':
Visions of playing and someday coaching football would walk through my mind. I would bite my lip, fight back the tears, and roll my face into the pillow. "Bill Peterson", I would say, "You have no right to think about such things. They are for other people." Finally, I would sleep, but the dreams would fill my young mind. I'm glad they did.
Peterson persevered and ultimately earned a degree from
Ohio Northern University
Ohio Northern University (Ohio Northern or ONU) is a private United Methodist Church–affiliated university in Ada, Ohio. Founded by Henry Solomon Lehr in 1871, ONU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It offers over 60 programs to ...
in 1946. Playing end on the football team, Peterson was selected as a team captain. It was there that he met his wife, Marge, with whom he would be married for 52 years. Together, the couple had five sons. His second youngest son, Bill Jr., is currently the athletics director at Shorter University in Rome, Georgia. Peterson's brother, Jack Peterson, was the head football coach at
Wofford College
Wofford College is a private liberal arts college in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It was founded in 1854. The campus is a national arboretum and one of the few four-year institutions in the southeastern United States founded before the America ...
from 1971 until 1973.
Coaching career
Peterson began his coaching career as a high school coach in Ohio, recording a 51–22–3 record before joining
Paul Dietzel
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
*Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...
in 1955 as an assistant coach at
LSU
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
. Working as the Tigers offensive line coach, Peterson was considered an integral part of the coaching staff that led the Tigers to the 1958 national championship. Peterson's work at LSU resulted in his being named the head football coach at
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
in December 1959.
According to Florida State's 2008 football media guide, "Florida State's arrival on the national map occurred during Peterson's eleven seasons as head coach." While at FSU, Peterson would be recognized for his offensive innovations as well as a number of significant firsts for that fledgling football program. Peterson became the first Seminole coach to beat the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
, a 16–7 win at
Doak Campbell Stadium
Doak S. Campbell Stadium (in full Bobby Bowden Field at Doak S. Campbell Stadium), popularly known as "Doak", is a football stadium on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. It is the home field of the Florida State Semin ...
. Peterson also coached the Seminoles to their first win ever at
Florida Field
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (in full Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium),[Fred Biletnikoff
Frederick S. Biletnikoff (born February 23, 1943) is a former American football player and coach. He was a wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons and l ...](_blank)
would become the Seminoles first All-American. Peterson also recruited the Seminoles' first black football players, including
J.T. Thomas, the first black to ever play varsity football at FSU. In recognition of his many accomplishments at Florida State, "H" style goal posts were added to the field at
Doak Campbell Stadium
Doak S. Campbell Stadium (in full Bobby Bowden Field at Doak S. Campbell Stadium), popularly known as "Doak", is a football stadium on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. It is the home field of the Florida State Semin ...
in 2002 and have been named, "Pete's Posts".
etersonalso developed a high level of discipline on and off the field and an unusual number of pro quarterbacks. His wide-open passing offense was the antithesis of what most southern teams did, and his forward-thinking schemes were frequently copied by NFL coaches. Peterson can be credited with putting Florida State on the national map. He recruited from the talent-rich areas of Pennsylvania (Fred Biletnikoff) and Ohio (Steve Tensi) as Florida, unlike today, had a smaller population and a limited high school talent base. He brought in three-platoon football mimicking the famous "Chinese Bandits The Chinese Bandits were the backup defensive unit on coach Paul Dietzel's LSU Tigers football teams, most notably the 1958 and 1959 teams. The name was also used briefly by the Army Cadets football team during Dietzel's coaching tenure at the U.S. ...
" teams he used as an assistant at LSU and gave them the designations of the "Chiefs", "Renegades", and "War Party". Despite the wide-open attack, the LSU influence was obvious and he built his early teams upon a smothering defense. He later augmented this with one of the first truly innovative passing offenses that brought visiting coaches from every corner of the country. He came up with the concept of the "hot receiver", never before seen, to counter blitzes, and FSU became known as an Independent primed to upset any team at any time.
Peterson served as head football coach and athletic director at
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranke ...
during the 1971 season. Author Giles Tippette documented that 3–7–1 campaign in his 1973 book, ''Saturday's Children''.
In 1972, Peterson joined a select group who have been head coaches in high school, at the major college level and in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). As has been the case with a number of successful college coaches, Peterson did not fare well as a head coach in the NFL. Peterson coached the
Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...
for the entire 1972 season and for five games in the 1973 season. The team finished 1–13 in 1972 and 0–5 in his five games in 1973. His career record in the NFL was 1–18, and his .053 winning percentage is the lowest for any coach after the NFL/AFL merger who coached at least one entire season. After leaving the Oilers, Peterson was the athletic director at the
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public research university whose main campus is in unincorporated Orange County, Florida. UCF also has nine smaller regional campuses throughout central Florida. It is part of the State University ...
from 1982 through 1985.
Honors and legacy
Peterson is a member of the
Florida Sports Hall of Fame
The Florida Sports Hall of Fame (FSHOF) is an association dedicated to honoring athletes with outstanding achievement in sports in Florida. It has expanded its goals to include encouraging physical fitness among Florida's citizens through the examp ...
, the
Florida State University
Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the st ...
Sports Hall of Fame, the
Ohio Northern Athletic Hall of Fame, the
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game held in Jacksonville, Florida, operated by Gator Bowl Sports. It has been held continuously since 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised natio ...
Hall of Fame, the
Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield is a city in and the county seat of Richland County, Ohio, United States. Located midway between Columbus and Cleveland via Interstate 71, it is part of Northeast Ohio region in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau. The city ...
City Schools Hall of Fame and the
Toronto, Ohio
Toronto is a city in eastern Jefferson County, Ohio, located along the Ohio River 6 miles northeast of Steubenville. The population was 5,303 at the time of the 2020 census, making it the second-largest city in Jefferson County. It is part of the ...
High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Peterson's greatest legacy as a coach may be in the number of successful head coaches that got their start working under him. Each of the following worked for Peterson, many getting their first coaching jobs as a member of his staff. Together, these coaches claimed five Super Bowl wins and four major college football national championships. Since 2006, every head coach of college football's BCS national champion can be found in the Peterson coaching tree.
*
Don James (Kent State, Washington)
*
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler Bowden (; November 8, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was an American college football coach. Bowden coached the Florida State Seminoles of Florida State University (FSU) from 1976 to 2009 and is considered one of the greatest college ...
(West Virginia, Florida State)
*
Vince Gibson
Vince Gibson (March 27, 1933 – January 10, 2012) was an American football player and coach. He served as head football coach at Kansas State University (1967–1974), the University of Louisville (1975–1979), and Tulane University (1980–198 ...
(Kansas State, Louisville, Tulane)
*
Al Conover
Al Conover (born 1938) is a former American football player and coach. Most notably, he served as head coach at Rice University from 1972 to 1975, compiling a record of 15–27–2 in four seasons before resigning to enter private business.
A nat ...
(Rice)
*
Gene McDowell
Eugene McDowell (July 4, 1939 – January 26, 2021) was an American college football coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at University of Central Florida (UCF) from 1985 to 1997, compiling a record of 8 ...
(Central Florida)
*
Joe Avezzano
Joe Avezzano (November 17, 1943 – April 5, 2012) was an American football player and coach. He was the head football coach at Oregon State University from 1980 to 1984, compiling a record of 6–47–2. Avezzano was later an assistant coach w ...
(Oregon State)
*
Y C McNease
Y C McNease (born c. 1936) is a former American college football coach. He was the head football coach at the University of Idaho for the 1968 and 1969 seasons.
Playing career
Born in Raleigh, Mississippi, McNease graduated from Leland High Sch ...
(Idaho)
*
John Coatta
John Coatta (April 5, 1929 – December 26, 2000) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the Wisconsin Badgers from 1967 to 1969 and at Mankato State College, now Minnesota State University, Mankato, from 1970 t ...
(Wisconsin, Mankato State)
*
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is an American auto racing team owner and former professional football coach. In football, he was head coach for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 to 1992, and a ...
(Washington Redskins)
*
Dan Henning
Daniel Ernest Henning, (born June 21, 1942) is a former American football player and coach. A quarterback, he played college football at the College of William & Mary and professional football in 1966 for the San Diego Chargers of the America ...
(Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Boston College)
*
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells (born August 22, 1941) is an American former football coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons. He rose to prominence as the head coach of the New York Giants from 1983 ...
(New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys)
*
Ken Meyer
Kenneth W. Meyer (July 14, 1925 – August 14, 2016) was an American football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He may be best remembered as the head coach of the National Football League's San Francisco 49ers in 1977 ...
(San Francisco 49ers)
*
Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce (March 8, 1931 – April 20, 2018) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa (1972), Iowa State University (1973–1978), Ohio State University (1979–1987), the University of N ...
(Ohio State, Colorado State)
*
Kay Stephenson
George Kay Stephenson (born December 17, 1944) is an American former college and professional football player and retired coach, whose latter career has seen him work in four different professional leagues. Stephenson played quarterback for the ...
(Buffalo Bills)
*
Bobby Ross
Robert Joseph Ross (born December 23, 1936) is an American former football coach. He served as the head football coach at The Citadel (1973–1977), the University of Maryland, College Park (1982–1986), the Georgia Institute of Technology (1 ...
(Maryland, Georgia Tech, San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions, Army)
Head coaching record
College
NFL
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peterson, Bill
1920 births
1993 deaths
American football ends
Florida State Seminoles football coaches
Houston Oilers coaches
LSU Tigers football coaches
Ohio Northern Polar Bears football players
Rice Owls athletic directors
Rice Owls football coaches
UCF Knights athletic directors
High school football coaches in Ohio
People from Toronto, Ohio
Houston Oilers head coaches