Peter "Papa Bear" Mazzaferro (born June 24, 1930) is a former
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 ...
coach. With the exception of the 1987 season, he was the head football coach at
Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater State University is a public university with its main campus in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. It is the largest of nine state universities in Massachusetts. Including its off-campus sites in New Bedford, Attleboro, and Cape Cod, BSU h ...
in
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Bridgewater is a town located in Plymouth County, in the state of Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the town's population was 28,633. Bridgewater is located approximately south of Boston and approximately 35 miles east ...
, from 1968 to 2004. He compiled a career
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 ...
head coaching record of 209–158–11.
Centre College
Mazzaferro was born in
Torrington, Connecticut
Torrington is the most populated municipality and only city in Litchfield County, Connecticut, Litchfield County, Connecticut and the Northwest Hills (Connecticut), Northwest Hills region. It is also the core city of Greater Torrington, one of the ...
, and attended
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky. It is an undergraduate college with an enrollment of approximately 1,400 students. Centre was officially chartered by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1819. The college is ...
in
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a home rule-class city in Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 17,236 at the 2020 Census. Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes ...
. He played for the
Centre Praying Colonels football
The Centre Colonels football team, historically also known as the Praying Colonels, represents Centre College in NCAA Division III competition. The Colonels currently play in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA), which was established in 2011. ...
team and also competed in track.
He graduated from Centre in 1954.
[
]
Coaching career
Early years
Mazzaferro began his career coaching eight-man high school football.[ In the 1950s, while pursuing a ]master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. at Springfield College
Springfield College is a private college in Springfield, Massachusetts. It confers undergraduate and graduate degrees.
It is known as the birthplace of basketball because the sport was invented there in 1891 by Canadian-American instructor J ...
, Mazzaferro helped coach the freshman football team. The center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
on the Springfield team was Dick MacPherson, who went on to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
for his work as the head football coach at Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
.[
From 1959 to 1962, Mazzaferro was the head football coach at ]Waynesburg University
Waynesburg University is a private university in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1850 and offers undergraduate and graduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. The university enrolls over 2,500 students, including ...
in southwestern Pennsylvania. He had a four-year record of 12–19–3 at Waynesburg.[ He was also the head basketball coach at Waynesburg from 1959 to 1963, compiling a record of 14–66.][
In the fall of 1963, Mazzaferro moved to ]Curry College
Curry College is a private college in Milton, Massachusetts. It was founded as the School of Elocution and Expression by Anna Baright in 1879. In 1885, it was taken over and renamed by Samuel Silas Curry.
History
Curry College was founded in 1 ...
in Milton, Massachusetts
Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States and an affluent suburb of Boston. The population was 28,630 at the 2020 census. Milton is the birthplace of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and architect Buckminster Fuller. ...
. He was the head football coach at Curry for one year and had a record there of 2–2–1.[
In 1965, Mazzaferro coached football at ]Beaver Falls High School
Beaver Falls High School is a public high school in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the only high school in the Big Beaver Falls Area School District. Athletic teams compete as the Beaver Falls Tigers in the Western Pennsylvania ...
in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Beaver Falls is a city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 9,005 at the 2020 census. Located 31 miles (50 km) northwest of Pittsburgh, the city lies along the Beaver River, six miles (9 km) north of its co ...
.[
]
Bridgewater State
In 1966, Mazzaferro became an assistant football coach at Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater State University is a public university with its main campus in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. It is the largest of nine state universities in Massachusetts. Including its off-campus sites in New Bedford, Attleboro, and Cape Cod, BSU h ...
, the largest of Massachusetts' nine state colleges outside of the UMass
The University of Massachusetts is the five-campus public university system and the only public research system in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university system includes five campuses (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and a medical ...
system. After two years as an assistant to Ed Swenson,[ Mazzaferro took over as the head coach of the Bridgewater Bears football team in 1968. He remained as the head football coach at Bridgewater for 36 years. He also served as a tenured faculty member at Bridgewater in the Department of Movement Arts, Health Promotion, and Leisure Studies.][ During his time as head coach, Bridgewater won or shared the ]New England Football Conference
Commonwealth Coast Football (CCC Football) was a single-sport athletic conference that competed in football in the NCAA's Division III. It began play as CCC Football in 2017 after the New England Football Conference (NEFC) was renamed following th ...
championship in 1968, 1969, 1989, 1997, 1999 and 2000, along with Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference championships in 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2000. He compiled a record of 195–136–7 at Bridgewater.[
After his first 17 years as head football coach at Bridgewater, Mazzaferro was removed from that position for the 1987 football season due to a new policy enacted by university president ]Gerard T. Indelicato
Gerard Thomas Indelicato (May 21, 1946) is an American academic administrator who served as education advisor to Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis and president of Bridgewater State College. He was convicted on federal and state conspiracy, f ...
. Indelicato decided that faculty members, including Mazzaferro, could not receive "release time." Mazzaferro had been receiving release time to serve as the school's head football coach for 17 years. Mazzaferro applied to keep his job, but he did not make the list of finalists. Mazzaferro noted at the time, "You can't coach forever, but I'd hate to have to go out that way."[ Mazzaferro sued the college for age discrimination. While the suit was pending, Bridgewater's record fell to 4–5, and Indelicato was forced to resign and pleaded guilty to misappropriating government funds.][ Mazzaferro dropped his lawsuit and was reinstated as football coach in 1988, and served another 19 years as the head football coach after being reinstated.][
After returning to the head coaching position, Mazzaferro restored the program's winning tradition with 14 consecutive winning seasons from 1988 to 2001.][ In 1989, Bridgewater had a 9–0 regular season before losing a close game in the ECAC Division III North finals. The ''Providence Journal'' called it the school's "finest season ever." Bridgewater's defense in 1989 was ranked No. 1 nationally in Division III rushing defense, allowing only 32.1 yards a game and less than a yard per carry. Mazzaferro said at the time, "I'm extra proud of our defense. We play a simple 4-4 defense, which is what Notre Dame used a hundred years ago, and I love it. Our guys have it down pat and know what to do. We're not big or fancy, but we get the job done. ... This is a special team in my book."
In the four years from 1989 to 1992, Mazzaferro's teams ran a successful veer offense along with its 4–4 defense and compiled a record of 34–5–1, including an undefeated 1992 season.][ In 1999, Mazzaferro's team finished the regular season 10–0.]
Mazzaferro was affectionately known at the school as "Papa Bear."[ In 2003, Bridgewater athletic director John Harper noted, "He's dedicated his life to BSC."][ In August 2002, sports writer Paul Kenney wrote a feature story on Mazzaferro, noting that he worked at "a cluttered state-issued gray metal desk, located in a basement office of the gymnasium" with only small black metal nameplate reading simply, "Peter Mazzaferro Head Coach."][ The writer suggested that, with Mazzaferro's achievements, "the word 'legend' might be a more deserving moniker for that nameplate."][
In September 2003, the '']Boston Herald
The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Pulit ...
'' published a story on the 73-year-old coach. The ''Herald'' noted, "When Bridgewater State coach Pete Mazzaferro glances across the football field, his mind often drifts back through 40 years of coaching, recalling opposing counterparts like so many gridiron ghosts of seasons past."[ His opponents included ]Ed Sherman
Edgar A. Sherman (July 13, 1912 – September 29, 2009) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Muskingum College from 1945 to 1966, compiling a record of 141–43–7, a winning percentage of .757. He ...
(College Football Hall of Fame coach at Muskingum College
Muskingum University is a private liberal arts college in New Concord, Ohio. Chartered in 1837 as Muskingum College, the institution is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Collectively, the university's alumni are referred to as the ...
), Harold Burry
Harold E. Burry (May 31, 1912 – September 5, 1992) was an American football coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania from 1952 to 1971, compiling a ...
(College Football Hall of Fame coach at Westminster College), and Paul Pasqualoni
Paul Lucian Pasqualoni (; born August 16, 1949) is an American football coach. He most recently was the defensive line coach for the Carolina Panthers.
Pasqualoni has served as the defensive coordinator of the NFL's Miami Dolphins and Detroit L ...
(from Western Connecticut
Western Connecticut is a geographic region of Connecticut located in the southwest corner of the state. Numerous towns are part of the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (or WestCOG), one 9 regional councils of governments in Connecticut ...
). In his time as a high school coach, Mazzaferro had also coached against College Football Hall of Fame coach Lee Tressel
Lee Tressel (February 12, 1925 – April 16, 1981) was a football coach and athletic director at Baldwin–Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. Tressel accumulated the most winning record as the head football coach at Baldwin–Wallace. His 1978 team w ...
(father of Jim Tressel
James Patrick Tressel (born December 5, 1952) is an American college football coach and university administrator who is currently the president of Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio. Before becoming an administrator, Tressel was the ...
) when Tressel worked at Massillon Washington High School
Washington High School, commonly referred to as Massillon High School or Massillon Washington High School, is a 9th to 12th grade secondary school within the Massillon City School District in the city of Massillon, Ohio, United States.
The schoo ...
in Ohio. Looking back on his career, Mazzaferro told the ''Herald'', "You go through a lot. You get hung in effigy or the (school) president attacks you on the field. I've gone through it all. I've always been interested in X's and O's but it's the kids you coach, they're like a family."[
Mazzaferro achieved his 200th career win during the 2003 season. He retired from coaching after the 2004 season at age 74. Upon being named the new head coach, Charles Denune said, "I'm stepping in the footsteps of a giant. His success was tremendous, and he has done a lot for me. I have utmost respect for him. I'm following a legend, and that's one of the most exciting things about this."
]
Overall coaching record and awards
In 41 years as a head coach, Mazzaferro compiled an overall record of 209 wins, 157 losses, and 11 ties. Mazzaferro has received many awards for his contributions to college football including the following:
*Mazzaferro was named the 1989 New England Football Writers Division II-III Coach of the Year.[
*In 1998, Mazzaferro received the Carens Award for Outstanding Contribution to New England football.]
*In 1999, he was recognized by the New England Football Writers as the Coach of the Year for Divisions II and III. He also received a lifetime achievement award from the All-American Football Foundation and was named the Division III Regional Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...
.
*In 2004, Mazzaferro received the Ron Burton Distinguished American Award from the local chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame.[
]
Curry College assistant
Mazzaferro came out of retirement in August 2005 to accept an assistant coaching position at Curry College working with the quarterbacks and wide receivers. Curry head coach Steve Nelson noted at the time, "I think it's going to be good for our team, and it's going to be good for Pete. He fits in terrifically here. The kids really like him, and he's got a lot of stories to tell."
See also
* List of college football coaches with 200 wins
This is a list of college football coaches with 200 career wins. "College level" is defined as a four-year college or university program in either the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) or the National Collegiate Athletic Ass ...
Head coaching record
College football
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mazzaferro, Peter
1930 births
Living people
Bridgewater State Bears football coaches
Centre Colonels football players
Curry Colonels football coaches
Springfield Pride football coaches
Stonehill Skyhawks football coaches
Waynesburg Yellow Jackets football coaches
Waynesburg Yellow Jackets men's basketball coaches
College men's track and field athletes in the United States
High school football coaches in Massachusetts
High school football coaches in Pennsylvania
People from Torrington, Connecticut
Sportspeople from Litchfield County, Connecticut