Carroll Widdoes
Encyclopedia
Carroll C. Widdoes was an American football
coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at Ohio State University
(1944–1945) and Ohio University
(1949–1957), compiling a career record of 58–38–5. Widdoes's 1944 Ohio State team
went undefeated and was named a national champion
by the National Championship Foundation and the Sagarin Ratings.
for the United Brethren Church
, a predecessor denomination of the United Methodist Church
, and Carroll was born there in 1903. Carroll and his brothers and sister came to live at Otterbein in 1916.
in 1926, Widdoes was an assistant football coach under Paul Brown
at Massillon Washington High School
in Massillon, Ohio
. He followed Brown to Ohio State University
as an assistant and assumed the head coaching job in 1944 when Brown joined the Navy
, leading the Buckeyes
to an undefeated season and a share of the national championship
. That season he coached Ohio State's first Heisman Trophy
winner, Les Horvath
. In two seasons at Ohio State, Widdoes posted a 16–2 record. After the 1945 season, Widdoes left Ohio State, choosing his offensive coordinator
, Paul Bixler
, to be his successor.
Widdoes took over as head football coach at Ohio University
in 1949, eventually becoming athletic director
as well. In nine seasons as head coach, he led the Bobcats
to a 42–36–5 record and a Mid-American Conference
title in 1953.
in 1970 and died in 1971 of a heart attack at the age of 67.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
(1944–1945) and Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
(1949–1957), compiling a career record of 58–38–5. Widdoes's 1944 Ohio State team
1944 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1944 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1944-1945. The Buckeyes compiled a 9–0 record and Widdoes being 1-0 against Michigan...
went undefeated and was named a national champion
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
by the National Championship Foundation and the Sagarin Ratings.
Early life
Widdoes was the son of the Rev. and Mrs. Howard W. Widdoes. The Widdoes were missionaries to the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
for the United Brethren Church
Church of the United Brethren in Christ
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ is an evangelical Christian denomination based in Huntington, Indiana. It is a Protestant denomination of episcopal structure, Arminian theology, with roots in the Mennonite and German Reformed communities of 18th century Pennsylvania, as well as close...
, a predecessor denomination of the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, and Carroll was born there in 1903. Carroll and his brothers and sister came to live at Otterbein in 1916.
Coaching career
After graduating from Otterbein College in Westerville, OhioWesterville, Ohio
Westerville, once known as "The Dry Capital of the World", is a city in Franklin and Delaware counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 35,318 at the 2000 census.-Early history:...
in 1926, Widdoes was an assistant football coach under Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
at Massillon Washington High School
Massillon Washington High School
Massillon Washington High School, is a 9 to 12 grade secondary school within the Massillon City School District located in the city of Massillon, Ohio. It serves students within the city of Massillon as well as parts of Tuscarawas Township...
in Massillon, Ohio
Massillon, Ohio
Massillon is a city located in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately 8 miles to the west of Canton, Ohio, 20 miles south of Akron, Ohio, and 50 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 32,149 at the 2010 census....
. He followed Brown to Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
as an assistant and assumed the head coaching job in 1944 when Brown joined the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, leading the Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
to an undefeated season and a share of the national championship
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
. That season he coached Ohio State's first Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner, Les Horvath
Les Horvath
Leslie "Les" Horvath was the 1944 Heisman Trophy winner, who played quarterback and halfback for the Ohio State University.- Early life :He was born in South Bend, Indiana, and raised in the Cleveland, Ohio area....
. In two seasons at Ohio State, Widdoes posted a 16–2 record. After the 1945 season, Widdoes left Ohio State, choosing his offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
, Paul Bixler
Paul Bixler
-External links:* at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com...
, to be his successor.
Widdoes took over as head football coach at Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
in 1949, eventually becoming athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
as well. In nine seasons as head coach, he led the Bobcats
Ohio Bobcats football
The Ohio Bobcats football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Ohio University. The team represents the university as a member of the Mid-American Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision level...
to a 42–36–5 record and a Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
title in 1953.
Later life and death
Widdoes moved to Lantana, FloridaLantana, Florida
Lantana is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 9,437 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,389.-History:...
in 1970 and died in 1971 of a heart attack at the age of 67.