Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By: Ana Kieu

The San Jose State football team may be struggling right now, but this Wednesday marked a sad day for Spartan nation, some of whom are also SJSU alumni or alumna.
Darryl Rogers, one of the most successful head coaches in the football program’s history, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 83.

Rogers served as the Spartans’ head coach during 1973, 1974, and 1975. SJSU had a winning record each season and accumulated a 22-9-3 win-loss record as a whole. Before his tenure in San Jose, the Spartans’ last winning season was in 1961 with a subpar 6-4 record.

“On behalf of the San Jose State University Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, we want to express our condolences to the Rogers family and, in particular, his granddaughter Adie Collard, who is a member of our women’s swimming and diving team. When he took over as our head coach, he breathed new life into Spartan football. He was thrilled that Adie was a Spartan,” said SJSU director of athletics Marie Tuite.

His players included SJSU’s first three NFL first-round draft picks: defensive back Louie Wright (Denver Broncos; 1975), defensive end Kim Bokamper, (Miami Dolphins; 1976) and defensive tackle Wilson Faumuina (Atlanta Falcons; 1977), and quarterback Steve DeBerg, who played for six NFL teams in a span of 17 seasons.

“Darryl Rogers gave our football program legitimacy. He demanded detail and execution on both sides of the ball. It was a pleasure to play for him. He was a perfectionist,” said former linebacker James Hawkins, who was a member of Rogers’ 1974 and 1975 teams.

Prior to coaching at SJSU, Rogers served as the head coach at Cal State Hayward in 1965, and his alma mater, Fresno State, from 1966 to 1972. After his tenure with the Spartans, he served as the head coach at Michigan State from 1976 to 1979, Arizona State from 1980 to 1984, and the Detroit Lions from 1985 to 1988. His college head coaching record was 129-84-7. He eventually earned a spot as one of six NCAA Division I head coaching finalists for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Rogers is survived by his wife, Marsha, their daughters, Stacy and Jamie, and his granddaughter, Adie.