Dick Coury
Richard P. Coury (September 29, 1929 – August 15, 2020) was an American football coach. He served as head football coach at California State University, Fullerton from 1970 to 1971, compiling a record of 13–8–1. Coury was also the head coach for the Portland Storm of the World Football League (WFL) in 1974 compiling a record of 7–12–1, and the Boston/New Orleans/Portland Breakers of the United States Football League (USFL) from 1983 to 1985. He was named the USFL coach of the year in 1983 and compiled an overall record of 25–29–0.[1]
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 29, 1929 Athens, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | August 15, 2020 (aged 90) |
| Alma mater | University of Notre Dame |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1957–1965 | Mater Dei HS (CA) |
| 1966–1968 | USC (DC) |
| 1969 | Pittsburgh Steelers (assistant) |
| 1970–1971 | Cal State Fullerton |
| 1972–1973 | Denver Broncos (WR) |
| 1974 | Portland Storm |
| 1975 | San Diego Chargers (LB) |
| 1976–1981 | Philadelphia Eagles (WR) |
| 1983–1985 | Boston / New Orleans / Portland Breakers |
| 1986–1990 | Los Angeles Rams (QB) |
| 1991–1992 | New England Patriots (OC) |
| 1993 | Minnesota Vikings (assistant) |
| 1994 | Houston Oilers (OC) |
| 1995–1996 | Houston Oilers (OA/PG) |
| 1997–1998 | St. Louis Rams (WR) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 32–41–1 (professional) 13–8–1 (college) 85–9–5 (high school) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| USFL Coach of the Year (1983) | |
Biography
Coury was born to Lebanese-American parents, Thomas ("Tannous") and Mary Coury ("Khouri").[2] Thomas immigrated to the USA in 1903 from Beirut, and Mary followed in 1910.[3] A 1951 University of Notre Dame graduate, Coury was not a football player, but served as a student assistant for head coach Frank Leahy. After graduating he enlisted in the U.S. Army where he, with a recommendation from Coach Leahy, became the backfield coach for the Camp Drake Bulldogs,[4] a football team composed of U.S. Army Soldiers stationed in Japan during the Korean War.[5] It would be the closest Corporal Coury would come to the shores of Korea.[6] His first full-time coaching position was an assistant at Mater Dei High School in 1953 under head coach Tom Carter for two seasons,[7] then under Steve Musseau until 1956.[8] After four seasons, Coury moved up to head the program, compiling a record of 85–9–5 from 1957 to 1965.[9] He then joined University of Southern California coach John McKay's staff as defensive coordinator in 1966.
Coury then moved on to California State University, Fullerton, serving as the school's first head coach in 1970 and 1971, tallying a record of 13–8–1.
Coury had also held coaching positions with the Denver Broncos, Houston Oilers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers in the National Football League. His last coaching job was with the St. Louis Rams before he retired in 1999 to become a scout.[10]
Coury died on August 15, 2020, at the age of 90.[11]
Personal
Coury was the father of current Lake Oswego High School football head coach Steve Coury.
Head coaching record
College
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cal State Fullerton Titans (California Collegiate Athletic Association) (1970–1971) | |||||||||
| 1970 | Cal State Fullerton | 6–4–1 | 3–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1971 | Cal State Fullerton | 7–4 | 3–1 | 2nd | |||||
| Cal State Fullerton: | 13–8–1 | 6–2 | |||||||
| Total: | 13–8–1 | ||||||||
References
- USFL Coach Of Year Goes To Dick Coury
- "The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island".
- "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4SM-ZB4 : accessed 19 August 2020), Thomas Coury, Athens, Athens, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 5, sheet 3B, line 75, family 69, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1749; FHL microfilm 2,341,483.
- "Athens Messenger". 17 December 1952. p. 15.
- "Athens Messenger". 31 August 1952. p. 16.
- The original ‘Big O,’ long before Oscar
- "List of Mater Dei Football Head Coaches". Archived from the original on 2018-09-17. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
- NFL coach recalls first boss
- "Mater Dei Monarchs Football History". Archived from the original on 2018-09-17. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
- Los Angeles Times; January 20, 1999
- Daschel, Nick (August 16, 2020). "Dick Coury, coach of two Portland pro football teams, father of Lake Oswego coach Steve Coury, dies at 90". OregonLive.com. Retrieved August 17, 2020.