Frank Serrao (August 10, 1918 – May 6, 1991) was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at

Redlands University The University of Redlands is a private university headquartered in Redlands, California. The university's main, residential campus is situated on 160 acres (65 ha) near downtown Redlands. An additional eight regional locations throughout Califo ...

Redlands, California Redlands ( ) is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 73,168, up from 68,747 at the 2010 census. The city is located approximately west of Palm Springs and east of Lo ...

from 1964 to 1983, compiling a record of 115–80–1. Serrao led his 1976 Redlands team to the title game of the NAIA Division II Football National Championship, losing to Joe Fusco's Westminster Titans. Serrao attended Rutherford High School in Rutherford, New Jersey, where he played football as a

fullback Fullback or Full back may refer to: Sports * A position in various kinds of football, including: ** Full-back (association football), in association football (soccer), a defender playing in a wide position ** Fullback (gridiron football), in Americ ...

and linebacker and captained the 1936 team.

Jim Blumenstock James A. Blumenstock (April 28, 1918 – July 31, 1963) was an American football fullback. He played for the New York Giants in 1947. A resident of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, Blumenstock died at Passaic General Hospital in Passaic, New Jersey.

, who later played

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 ...

Fordham University Fordham University () is a Private university, private Jesuit universities, Jesuit research university in New York City. Established in 1841 and named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the The Bronx, Bronx in which its origina ...

and professionally with the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

of the National Football League (NFL), was a teammate of Serrao on Rutherford's football squad. Serrao also participated in

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

at Rutherford. He was the

shot put The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" (throwing) a heavy spherical ball—the ''shot''—as far as possible. The shot put competition for men has been a part of the modern Olympics since their revival in 1896, and women's ...

champion of the North Jersey League for two years. His farthest throw was , but he lost out by six inches at a state meet to Monte Irvin, who went on to play professional baseball in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball (MLB). After graduating from Rutherford, Serrao moved on to Bucknell University, lettering for two seasons on the Bucknell Bison football team and playing mostly as a fullback. He also lettered three times on the track team, competing in the shot put. Serrao graduated from Bucknell in 1941 and joined the

Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

in July 1942, serving as a mechanic and reaching the rank of staff sergeant. Serrao earned a master's degree in physical education at New York University and then began his coaching career in 1948 at his alma mater, Rutherford High School, working as backfield coach under George Melinkovich. Serrao succeed Melinkovich as head coach in 1949 when Melinkovich left to become head football coach at Utah State University. Serrao also coached basketball and track at Rutherford. Serrao died on May 6, 1991, at St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino, California following complications from open-heart surgery performed two weeks prior.

Head coaching record

College football

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Serrao, Frank 1918 births 1991 deaths American football fullbacks American male shot putters Bucknell Bison football players Bucknell Bison men's track and field athletes Redlands Bulldogs football coaches High school football coaches in California High school basketball coaches in New Jersey High school football coaches in New Jersey High school track and field coaches in the United States New York University alumni Rutherford High School (New Jersey) alumni United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Army Air Forces non-commissioned officers Sportspeople from Rutherford, New Jersey Players of American football from Bergen County, New Jersey Coaches of American football from New Jersey Basketball coaches from New Jersey Track and field athletes from New Jersey