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Paul Pierce (American football)

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Paul Pierce
Biographical details
Born(1914-12-29)December 29, 1914
Hill, New Mexico, U.S.
DiedMarch 31, 2004(2004-03-31) (aged 89)
Austin, Texas, U.S
Playing career
1932–1933Schreiner
1934–1935Sul Ross
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1945Bainbridge
1946–1951Sul Ross
1952–1967Sam Houston State
1976–1977Sul Ross
Head coaching record
Overall148–85–9
Bowls3–2–1
Tournaments1–0–1 (NAIA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 NAIA (1964)
5 LSC (1950, 1955–1956, 1961, 1964)
Awards
Knute Rockne Little All-American Coach of the Year (1965)

Paul Edward "Red" Pierce (December 29, 1914 – March 31, 2004) was an American football player and coach. He served two stints as head football coach at Sul Ross State University, from 1946 to 1951 and again from to 1976 to 1977, and one stint at Sam Houston State University, from 1952 to 1967, amassing a career college football record of 143–81–9. His 1964 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team shared the NAIA Football National Championship after tying the Concordia Cobbers in the title game.

Early years

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A native of Hill, New Mexico, Pierce grew up in Fort Stockton, Texas, graduating from high school there in 1932. He went on to attend Schreiner Institute (now Schreiner University) in Kerrville, Texas, where he earned his associate of arts degree while playing football, basketball and track. Pierce continued his collegiate career at Sul Ross State Teachers College (now Sul Ross State University) in Alpine, Texas. He participated in varsity football and basketball, and graduated two years later with his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. He earned his Ed.D. degree from the University of Houston in 1961.

During World War II, Pierce served as a gunnery officer in the US Navy, and became the head football coach at the United States Naval Training Center Bainbridge in Port Deposit, Maryland near the conclusion of the war.

Coaching career

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In 1946 Pierce was hired at his alma mater Sul Ross State to rebuild a football program that was discontinued during the war. He guided the Lobos to 18 consecutive wins, four conference championships and two bowl games, including the 1949 Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

In 1952, Pierce became the head football coach, head track coach and athletic director at Sam Houston State. His teams at SHSU tied for four conference championships and played in five bowl games. His 1964 Bearcat team tied Concordia College for a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics co-championship. In 1965, he was named the Knute Rockne Little All-American Coach of the Year.

He returned to Sul Ross in 1968 as a professor of health and education and chairman of the physical education department. Although better known for his football teams, he had an outstanding record at Sul Ross as the women's volleyball coach. From 1971 to 1975, he directed them to the national tournament three times, won the national championship and placed fifth in the nation twice.

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Bainbridge Commodores (Independent) (1945)
1945 Bainbridge 5–4
Bainbridge: 5–4
Sul Ross Lobos (New Mexico Intercollegiate Conference) (1946–1949)
1946 Sul Ross 5–5
1947 Sul Ross 7–3 5–0 1st
1948 Sul Ross 10–0–1 5–0 1st T Tangerine
1949 Sul Ross 7–3 5–0 1st
Sul Ross Lobos (Lone Star Conference) (1950–1951)
1950 Sul Ross 8–2–1 3–0–1 1st
1951 Sul Ross 3–7 1–4 6th
Sam Houston State Bearkats (Lone Star Conference) (1952–1967)
1952 Sam Houston State 6–4 2–3 T–3rd W Shrimp
1953 Sam Houston State 9–1 4–1 2nd W Refrigerator
1954 Sam Houston State 6–4 3–3 T–3rd
1955 Sam Houston State 6–1–2 5–1 T–1st
1956 Sam Houston State 10–0 6–0 1st W Refrigerator
1957 Sam Houston State 3–5–1 3–3–1 4th
1958 Sam Houston State 7–3 5–2 T–2nd L Christmas Festival
1959 Sam Houston State 5–5 3–4 T–5th
1960 Sam Houston State 3–6 2–5 6th
1961 Sam Houston State 8–1 7–0 1st
1962 Sam Houston State 5–3–1 4–2–1 3rd
1963 Sam Houston State 4–3–1 2–3–1 5th
1964 Sam Houston State 9–1–1 5–1 1st T NAIA Championship
1965 Sam Houston State 4–6 1–5 6th
1966 Sam Houston State 6–3–1 4–2–1 T–2nd
1967 Sam Houston State 3–6 1–6 7th
Sam Houston State: 94–52–7 57–41–4
Sul Ross Lobos (Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1976–1977)
1976 Sul Ross 7–2 3–1 2nd
1977 Sul Ross 2–7 0–4 5th
Sul Ross: 49–29–2
Total: 148–85–9
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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