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Bruce Craddock

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Bruce Craddock
Biographical details
Born(1944-02-19)February 19, 1944
Washington, D.C., U.S.
DiedFebruary 22, 1990(1990-02-22) (aged 46)
Macomb, Illinois, U.S.
Playing career
1964–1965Northeast Missouri State
Position(s)Offensive lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1970–1971Northeast Missouri State (OL)
1972–1974Vermont (OL)
1975–1978Northeast Missouri State (assistant)
1979–1982Northeast Missouri State
1983–1989Western Illinois
Head coaching record
Overall65–54–1
Tournaments0–1 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
0–1 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 MIAA (1981–1982)
GCAC (1988)
Awards
All-MIAA Honorable Mention (1965)
MIAA Coach of the Year (1981–1982)
Truman State Athletics Hall of Fame (1989)

Richard Bruce Craddock (February 19, 1944 – February 22, 1990) was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Northeast Missouri State University—now known as Truman State University—in Kirksville, Missouri from 1979 to 1982 and Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois and he from 1983 to 1989, compiling a career college football coaching record of 65–54–1.

Career

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Craddock graduated in 1966 from Northeast Missouri State University—now known Truman State University—in Kirksville, Missouri—where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. After serving in the Vietnam War, he began his coaching career at Northeast Missouri State as an assistant coach from 1970 to 1971. He was an assistant coach at the University of Vermont from 1972 to 1974, before returning to Northeast Missouri State in 1975 as an assistant. He was a guest coach for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1979 to 1982. Craddock was named head football coach at Western Illinois University in 1982.[1]

Death

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Craddock died on February 22, 1990, aged 46, after a 10-month battle against cancer in a Macomb, Illinois hospital. Physicians linked the cancer to his exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, where he was a United States Marine Corps captain from 1967 to 1970.[2]

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Northeast Missouri State Bulldogs (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1979–1982)
1979 Northeast Missouri State 4–7 3–3 T–3rd
1980 Northeast Missouri State 5–6 3–3 T–3rd
1981 Northeast Missouri State 6–4 4–1 1st
1982 Northeast Missouri State 9–2 5–0 1st L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal
Northeast Missouri State: 24–19 15–7
Western Illinois Leathernecks (Association of Mid-Continent Universities) (1983–1989)
1983 Western Illinois 3–8 0–3 4th
1984 Western Illinois 6–4–1 0–2–1 4th
Western Illinois Leathernecks (Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1985–1989)
1985 Western Illinois 5–5 2–3 T–3rd
1986 Western Illinois 6–5 2–4 5th
1987 Western Illinois 7–4 5–1 2nd
1988 Western Illinois 10–2 6–0 1st L NCAA Division I-AA First Round
1989 Western Illinois 4–7 1–5 T–6th
Western Illinois: 41–35–1 16–13
Total: 65–54–1
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ Staff article, no byline (Spring 1990). Albert D. Shonk, Jr. (ed.). "Chapter Eternal". The Signet, A Magazine for Members of Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity. LXXXI (2): 23.
  2. ^ Conklin, Mike (February 23, 1990). "Bruce Craddock, Western Illinois Coach, Dies At 46". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 19, 2014.