Marino Casem
Encyclopedia
Marino "The Godfather" Casem (born June 23, 1934) is a former American football
coach and athletic administrator. He served as the head football coach at Alabama State University
, Alcorn State University
, and Southern University
. Casem was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 2003.
in 1934. From 1952 to 1956, he attended Xavier University of Louisiana
, a historically black
Roman Catholic university in New Orleans.
Casem became the head football coach at Alabama State University
in 1963 and compiled a record there of 2–8. In 1964, Casem was hired as the head football coach at Alcorn State University
, a historically black college
located in Lorman, Mississippi
. He served as the head football coach for 22 years from 1964 to 1985. He was also Alcorn State's athletic director from 1966 to 1986. During Casem's tenure, Alcorn State won seven Southwest Athletic Conference
("SWAC") football championships and seven Black College National Championship
s. In 1984, Casem led Alcorn State to a perfect 9–0 regular season. The team was ranked No. 1 in the final NCAA Division I-AA poll, the first time a black college had ever finished the regular football season in that position. Casem compiled a record of 139–70–8 (86–48–7 in the SWAC), making him the all-time winningest coach in Alcorn State history. As Alcorn State's athletic director, Casem also oversaw 13 regular season men's basketball titles and 3 regular season women's basketball championships. In 1979, Alcorn State's men's basketball team became the first historically black university to capture a win in the National Invitational Tournament. He also led the effort to build the Davey L. Whitney Arena, and was instrumental in the design and planning of the school's football stadium.
In 1986, Casem resigned from Alcorn State to become the athletic director at Southern University
, a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
. He was also the head football coach in 1987 and 1988 and interim coach in 1992. In his three years as football coach, his teams compiled a 19–14 record (12–9 in the SWAC). He served as Southern's athletic director for 13 years from 1986 to 1989. During Casem's tenure, Southern won six of the first seven SWAC Commissioner's Cup awards, given to the most accomplished institution in the conference. In April 1999, Casem announced he would resign at the end of June 1999 at age 65.
Casem also served for many years on the NCAA's Football Rules Committee and Executive Committee. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 2003. He has also been inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame, Alcorn State Hall of Honor, and Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, and has received the National Football Foundation Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award and the Football Writers Association Citation of Honor. Casem is credited with saying, "On the East Coast, football is a cultural experience. In the Midwest, it's a form of cannibalism. On the West Coast, it's a tourist attraction. And in the South, football is a religion, and Saturday is the holy day."
In 1999, he also received the 28th NACDA/NIT Athletics Directors Award for his contribution to the sport of basketball and the National Invitational Tournament. On receiving the award, Casem said, "That you have seen fit to recognize me with this most hallowed award is, in essence, not just a tribute to me, but a tribute to all of the historically black colleges and universities, the many talented student-athletes, the outstanding coaches, motivated staff members, distinguished administrators and supportive fans who stood in our corner."
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 athletic administrator. He served as the head football coach at Alabama State University
Alabama State University
Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
, Alcorn State University
Alcorn State University
Alcorn State University is an historically black university comprehensive land-grant institution in Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871-History:...
, and Southern University
Southern University
Southern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section...
. Casem 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 2003.
Biography
Casem was born in Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
in 1934. From 1952 to 1956, he attended Xavier University of Louisiana
Xavier University of Louisiana
Xavier University of Louisiana , located in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States, is a private, coeducational, liberal arts college with the distinction of being the only historically black Roman Catholic institution of higher education...
, a historically black
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
Roman Catholic university in New Orleans.
Casem became the head football coach at Alabama State University
Alabama State University
Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
in 1963 and compiled a record there of 2–8. In 1964, Casem was hired as the head football coach at Alcorn State University
Alcorn State University
Alcorn State University is an historically black university comprehensive land-grant institution in Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871-History:...
, a historically black college
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
located in Lorman, Mississippi
Lorman, Mississippi
Lorman is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County, Mississippi, United States. It is home to Alcorn State University, which was attended by Medgar Evers and Steve McNair ....
. He served as the head football coach for 22 years from 1964 to 1985. He was also Alcorn State's athletic director from 1966 to 1986. During Casem's tenure, Alcorn State won seven Southwest Athletic Conference
Southwest Athletic Conference
The Southwest Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States from 1914 to 1996. It consisted of schools mostly in the state of Texas and one in Arkansas, with historical members in Oklahoma....
("SWAC") football championships and seven Black College National Championship
Black college football national championship
The black college football national championship is a mythical national championship won by the best black college football team in the United States of America. There has been some criticism of this title on the grounds that the schools in the various polls compete in different levels of...
s. In 1984, Casem led Alcorn State to a perfect 9–0 regular season. The team was ranked No. 1 in the final NCAA Division I-AA poll, the first time a black college had ever finished the regular football season in that position. Casem compiled a record of 139–70–8 (86–48–7 in the SWAC), making him the all-time winningest coach in Alcorn State history. As Alcorn State's athletic director, Casem also oversaw 13 regular season men's basketball titles and 3 regular season women's basketball championships. In 1979, Alcorn State's men's basketball team became the first historically black university to capture a win in the National Invitational Tournament. He also led the effort to build the Davey L. Whitney Arena, and was instrumental in the design and planning of the school's football stadium.
In 1986, Casem resigned from Alcorn State to become the athletic director at Southern University
Southern University
Southern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section...
, a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. He was also the head football coach in 1987 and 1988 and interim coach in 1992. In his three years as football coach, his teams compiled a 19–14 record (12–9 in the SWAC). He served as Southern's athletic director for 13 years from 1986 to 1989. During Casem's tenure, Southern won six of the first seven SWAC Commissioner's Cup awards, given to the most accomplished institution in the conference. In April 1999, Casem announced he would resign at the end of June 1999 at age 65.
Casem also served for many years on the NCAA's Football Rules Committee and Executive Committee. He 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 2003. He has also been inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame, Alcorn State Hall of Honor, and Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, and has received the National Football Foundation Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award and the Football Writers Association Citation of Honor. Casem is credited with saying, "On the East Coast, football is a cultural experience. In the Midwest, it's a form of cannibalism. On the West Coast, it's a tourist attraction. And in the South, football is a religion, and Saturday is the holy day."
In 1999, he also received the 28th NACDA/NIT Athletics Directors Award for his contribution to the sport of basketball and the National Invitational Tournament. On receiving the award, Casem said, "That you have seen fit to recognize me with this most hallowed award is, in essence, not just a tribute to me, but a tribute to all of the historically black colleges and universities, the many talented student-athletes, the outstanding coaches, motivated staff members, distinguished administrators and supportive fans who stood in our corner."