John Gagliardi
Encyclopedia
John Gagliardi is an American football
coach. He is currently the head football coach at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, a position he has held since 1953. From 1949 to 1952, he was the head football coach at Carroll College
in Helena, Montana
. With a career record of 484–133–11, Gagliardi has the most wins of any coach in college football
history. His Saint John's Johnnies
teams have won four national titles: the NAIA National Football Championship
in 1963 and 1965, and the NCAA Division III National Football Championship
in 1976 and 2003. Gagliardi was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 2006. With Chris Ault
, he is one of two active coaches in the Hall of Fame.
. He was a player-coach his senior year of high school and continued to coach high school football
while obtaining his college degree at Colorado College
.
in Helena, Montana
. In four seasons as head coach at Carroll, Gagliardi compiled a 24–6–1 record, winning three Montana Collegiate Conference championships. After the 1952 season, Gagliardi left Carroll for the Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
In 59 seasons coaching the Saint John's Johnnies
, Gagliardi has won a school and conference record 27 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
(MIAC) titles and four national championships: in 1963 (at the Camellia Bowl
), 1965, 1976, and 2003. His record at Saint John's is 460–127–10 bringing his career college football mark to 484–133–11.
On November 8, 2003, Gagliardi broke the record for career coaching wins with his 409th victory, passing Grambling State University
's Eddie Robinson. The 13,107 fans who witnessed the victory over Bethel
at Saint John's Clemens Stadium
were the largest crowd in NCAA Division III history. The win also gave Saint John's its 23rd MIAC championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs
. The Johnnies went on to win the national championship with a 24–6 victory over Mount Union.
In 1993, Jostens
and the J Club of St. John's University began awarding the Gagliardi Trophy
annually to the most outstanding player in NCAA Division III. On August 11, 2006, Gagliardi and Florida State
's Bobby Bowden
became the first active head coaches to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame
. Nevada
's Chris Ault
was inducted in 2002 and returned to coaching two years later.
Gagliardi is known for his unique coaching approach, which he calls "Winning with No's." He instructs his players not to call him "coach", does not use a whistle or blocking sleds, prohibits tackling in practices, does not require his players to lift weights, and limits his team practices to 90 minutes.
.
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. He is currently the head football coach at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, a position he has held since 1953. From 1949 to 1952, he was the head football coach at Carroll College
Carroll College (Montana)
Carroll College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in Helena, Montana, USA. Carroll College has earned national and regional awards for its academic programs. Carroll's colors are purple and gold...
in Helena, Montana
Helena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
. With a career record of 484–133–11, Gagliardi has the most wins of any coach in 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...
history. His Saint John's Johnnies
Saint John's Johnnies football
The Saint John's Johnnies football program represents Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. They compete at the NCAA Division III level and are members of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference....
teams have won four national titles: the NAIA National Football Championship
NAIA national football championship
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Football National Championship is decided by a post-season playoff system featuring the best NAIA college football teams in the United States. Under sponsorship of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the championship game has...
in 1963 and 1965, and the NCAA Division III National Football Championship
NCAA Division III national football championship
The NCAA Division III National Football Championship began in 1973. Before 1973, most of the schools now in Division III competed in the NCAA's former "College Division"....
in 1976 and 2003. Gagliardi was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 2006. With Chris Ault
Chris Ault
Chris Ault is the current college football head coach of the University of Nevada Wolf Pack. Ault, along with John Gagliardi, is one of two active coaches who have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame....
, he is one of two active coaches in the Hall of Fame.
Early life
Born to Ventura and Antoinetta Gagliardi, John Gagliardi began coaching football in 1943 at the age of 16 when his high school coach was called into service during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was a player-coach his senior year of high school and continued to coach high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
while obtaining his college degree at Colorado College
Colorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
.
College coaching career
At the age of 22, with six years of high school coaching, Gagliardi was hired at Carroll CollegeCarroll College (Montana)
Carroll College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in Helena, Montana, USA. Carroll College has earned national and regional awards for its academic programs. Carroll's colors are purple and gold...
in Helena, Montana
Helena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
. In four seasons as head coach at Carroll, Gagliardi compiled a 24–6–1 record, winning three Montana Collegiate Conference championships. After the 1952 season, Gagliardi left Carroll for the Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
In 59 seasons coaching the Saint John's Johnnies
Saint John's Johnnies football
The Saint John's Johnnies football program represents Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. They compete at the NCAA Division III level and are members of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference....
, Gagliardi has won a school and conference record 27 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. As the name implies, member schools are located in the state of Minnesota...
(MIAC) titles and four national championships: in 1963 (at the Camellia Bowl
Camellia Bowl
- 1948, Lafayette, Louisiana :The Camellia Bowl was a post-season major college football bowl game played at McNaspy Stadium in Lafayette, Louisiana, on December 30, 1948 between Hardin-Simmons University and the University of Wichita ....
), 1965, 1976, and 2003. His record at Saint John's is 460–127–10 bringing his career college football mark to 484–133–11.
On November 8, 2003, Gagliardi broke the record for career coaching wins with his 409th victory, passing Grambling State University
Grambling State Tigers
The Grambling Tigers represent Grambling State University in NCAA intercollegiate athletics. Grambling's sports teams participate in Division I as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference...
's Eddie Robinson. The 13,107 fans who witnessed the victory over Bethel
Bethel University (Minnesota)
Bethel University is a Christian higher education institution with approximately 6,000 students from 36 countries enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, seminary, and adult education programs...
at Saint John's Clemens Stadium
Clemens Stadium
Clemens Stadium is a football stadium located in Collegeville, Minnesota. The stadium serves as the host stadium to Saint John's University football, track and field teams and other intramural activities...
were the largest crowd in NCAA Division III history. The win also gave Saint John's its 23rd MIAC championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs
NCAA Division III national football championship
The NCAA Division III National Football Championship began in 1973. Before 1973, most of the schools now in Division III competed in the NCAA's former "College Division"....
. The Johnnies went on to win the national championship with a 24–6 victory over Mount Union.
In 1993, Jostens
Jostens
Jostens is an American company providing yearbooks and class rings for various high schools and colleges as well as championship rings for sports, including the Super Bowl rings....
and the J Club of St. John's University began awarding the Gagliardi Trophy
Gagliardi Trophy
The Gagliardi Trophy was first presented in 1993 to the Outstanding Division III college football player of the year by the Jostens Company and the J-Club of Saint John's University in Minnesota...
annually to the most outstanding player in NCAA Division III. On August 11, 2006, Gagliardi and Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
's Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
became the first active head coaches to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. Nevada
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...
's Chris Ault
Chris Ault
Chris Ault is the current college football head coach of the University of Nevada Wolf Pack. Ault, along with John Gagliardi, is one of two active coaches who have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame....
was inducted in 2002 and returned to coaching two years later.
Gagliardi is known for his unique coaching approach, which he calls "Winning with No's." He instructs his players not to call him "coach", does not use a whistle or blocking sleds, prohibits tackling in practices, does not require his players to lift weights, and limits his team practices to 90 minutes.
Awards
In 2003, Gagliardi received the Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award from the United States Sports AcademyUnited States Sports Academy
The United States Sports Academy is an accredited, sport-specific institution located in Daphne, Alabama. It offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs as well as certificate programs. Founded in 1972, the Academy has provided its sports programs to more than 60 countries around the...
.