Dick Trachok
Encyclopedia
Richard "Dick" Trachok is an American former university athletic director
and college football
coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Nevada, Reno
from 1959 to 1968. He amassed a 40–48–3 record during his tenure. Trachok served as the University of Nevada athletic director until 1986.
He attended the University of Nevada, Reno
, where he played on the football team
as a fullback
in 1943 and as a halfback
from 1946 to 1948.
Trachok coached the Reno High School
football team, where The Deseret News described him as "one of Nevada's most successful high school gridiron
coaches." During a coaching clinic held in 1957 at the University of Utah
, he recommended that coaches keep their offenses and defenses simple.
In April 1959, Nevada hired Trachok as its head coach. In November 1960, Trachok canceled a six-hour flight to Denver in favor of a 32-hour bus ride after a plane crash killed sixteen players from California Polytechnic
. The Nevada flight had been booked with Arctic-Pacific, the same carrier that Cal Poly had used. Trachok finished his coaching tenure with a 40–48–3 record, and took over as Nevada's athletic director
. He held that post until 1986. In 1975, the university inducted Trachok into the Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame.
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...
and college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Nevada, Reno
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
from 1959 to 1968. He amassed a 40–48–3 record during his tenure. Trachok served as the University of Nevada athletic director until 1986.
He attended the University of Nevada, Reno
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
, where he played on the football team
Nevada Wolf Pack football
The Nevada Wolf Pack Football program represents the University of Nevada, Reno in college football. The Wolf Pack competes in the Western Athletic Conference at the Football Bowl Subdivision level of the NCAA...
as a fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
in 1943 and as a halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
from 1946 to 1948.
Trachok coached the Reno High School
Reno High School
Reno High School is a public secondary school in Reno, Nevada that is a part of the Washoe County School District. The school mascot is the Husky, and the school's colors are red and blue. Their teams are known as the "Reno Huskies."-History:...
football team, where The Deseret News described him as "one of Nevada's most successful high school gridiron
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
coaches." During a coaching clinic held in 1957 at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
, he recommended that coaches keep their offenses and defenses simple.
In April 1959, Nevada hired Trachok as its head coach. In November 1960, Trachok canceled a six-hour flight to Denver in favor of a 32-hour bus ride after a plane crash killed sixteen players from California Polytechnic
Cal Poly football team plane crash
The Cal Poly football team plane crash occurred on October 29, 1960, at 22:02 EST, when a twin-engine C-46 propliner, registration N1244N, operated as a domestic charter flight by Arctic Pacific, carrying the California Polytechnic State University football team, crashed on takeoff at the Toledo...
. The Nevada flight had been booked with Arctic-Pacific, the same carrier that Cal Poly had used. Trachok finished his coaching tenure with a 40–48–3 record, and took over as Nevada's 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...
. He held that post until 1986. In 1975, the university inducted Trachok into the Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame.