Bill Peterson

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Bill Peterson
Title	Head coach
College	Florida State, Rice
Sport	Football
Career highlights
Overall	65-49-12
Coaching stats
College Football DataWarehouse
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1960-1970 1971	Florida State Rice

William E. "Bill" Peterson (born 1920; died August 5, 1993) was an American football coach. His career included head coaching stops at Florida State, Rice University and with the Houston Oilers. Considered one of the unique characters in college sports, Peterson is credited with bringing the pro passing game to college football. He is also known as the "Coach of Coaches", having tutored such coaches as Joe Gibbs, Bill Parcells, Bobby Bowden, Don James, Dan Henning, Ken Meyer and many others. Coach "Pete", as he was affectionally known, is also fondly remembered for his reshaping of the English language. One of his more novel expressions was to have his team "pair off in groups of threes, then line up in a circle." Beyond his trials with syntax, Peterson is best remembered for bringing the Seminoles to the forefront of college football, using pro-style offenses and a much feared passing game.

[edit] Head Coaching Record

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl	Coaches#	AP°
1960	Florida State	3-6-1
1961	Florida State	4-5-1
1962	Florida State	4-3-3
1963	Florida State	4-5-1
1964	Florida State	9-1-1			W Gator	11th
1965	Florida State	4-5-1
1966	Florida State	6-5-0			L Sun
1967	Florida State	7-2-2			T Gator	15th
1968	Florida State	8-3-0			L Peach	14th
1969	Florida State	6-3-1
1970	Florida State	7-4-0
Florida State:		62-42-11
1971	Rice	3-7-1
Rice:		3-7-1
Total:		65-49-12
†Indicates BCS bowl game. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll of the season.

[edit] External links

• New York Times
• Florida State Coaching Bio
• Tribute
• The Peterson Years
• Bill Peterson Coaching Record by Year

Preceded by Perry Moss	Florida State University Head Football Coach 1960–1970	Succeeded by Larry Jones
Preceded by Harold "Bo" Hagen	Rice University Head Football Coach 1971	Succeeded by Al Conover
Preceded by Ed Hughes	Houston Oilers head coaches 1972-1973	Succeeded by Sid Gillman

v • d • e Florida State Seminoles Head Football Coaches Williamson • Veller • Nugent • Moss • Peterson • Jones • Mudra • Bowden • Fisher

v • d • e Rice Owls Head Football Coaches Arbuckle • Anderson • Heisman • Rothgeb • Meagher • Kitts • Neely • Hagan • Peterson • Conover • Rice • Alborn • Brown • Berndt • Goldsmith • Hatfield • Graham • Bailiff

v • d • e Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans Head Coaches Rymkus • Lemm • Ivy • Baugh • Taylor • Lemm • Hughes • Peterson • Gillman • Phillips • Biles • Studley • Campbell • Glanville • Pardee • Fisher