View source for Alex Agase

{{short description|American football player and coach, college athletics administrator}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name         = Alex Agase
| image        = Alex Agase on a Bowman 1950 football card.png
| alt          = Agase pictured from above in uniform on a 1950 Bowman football card
| caption      = Agase on a 1950 Bowman football card
| number       = 36, 35, 62
| position     = [[Guard (gridiron football)|Guard]] <br> [[Linebacker]]
| birth_date   = {{Birth date|1922|3|27|mf=y}}
| birth_place  = [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date   = {{Death date and age|2007|5|3|1922|3|27}}
| death_place  = [[Tarpon Springs, Florida]], U.S.
| height_ft    = 5
| height_in    = 10
| weight_lb    = 212
| high_school  = [[Evanston Township High School|Evanston (IL) Township]]
| college      = [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois]] <br> [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue]]
| draftyear    = 1944
| draftround   = 8
| draftpick    = 71
| pastteams    =
* [[Los Angeles Dons]] ([[1947 AAFC season|1947]])
* [[Chicago Rockets]] (1947)
* [[Cleveland Browns]] (1948–{{NFL Year|1951}})
* [[Baltimore Colts]] ({{NFL Year|1953}})
| pastcoaching =
* [[Dallas Texans (NFL)|Dallas Texans]] ({{NFL Year|1952}}) <br> Line coach
* [[Iowa State Cyclones football|Iowa State]] (1954–1955) <br> Line coach
* [[Northwestern Wildcats football|Northwestern]] (1956–1963) <br> Assistant
* Northwestern (1964–1972) <br> [[Head coach]]
* Purdue (1973–1976) <br> Head coach
* [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]] (1982–1987) <br> Assistant
| pastadmin    =
* [[Eastern Michigan University|Eastern Michigan]] (1977–1982) <br> [[Athletic director]]
| highlights   =
* [[NFL Championship|NFL champion]] ([[1950 NFL Championship Game|1950]])
* 2× [[All-America Football Conference|AAFC champion]] ([[All-America Football Conference#1948|1948]], [[All-America Football Conference#1949|1949]])
* 2× Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1943 College Football All-America Team|1943]], [[1946 College Football All-America Team|1946]])
* First-team All-American ([[1942 College Football All-America Team|1942]])
* [[Chicago Tribune Silver Football]] (1946)
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[1943 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1943]], [[1946 All-Big Nine Conference football team|1946]])
* Second-team All-Big Ten ([[1942 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1942]])
* [[Football Writers Association of America|FWAA]] Coach of the Year (1970)
* [[Walter Camp Foundation]] All-Century team (1989)
* [[University of Illinois]] All-Century team (1990)
| statseason   = NFL/AAFC
| statlabel1   = Games played
| statvalue1   = 70
| statlabel2   = Games started
| statvalue2   = 45
| statlabel3   = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue3   = 8
| pfr          = AgasAl20
| CollegeHOF   = 1654 
}}

'''Alexander Arrasi Agase''' (March 27, 1922 – May 3, 2007) was an [[American football]] [[guard (American football)|guard]] and [[linebacker]] who was named an [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] three times in college and played on three [[Cleveland Browns]] championship teams before becoming [[coach (sport)|head football coach]] at [[Northwestern University]] and [[Purdue University]].

Agase grew up in Illinois and attended the [[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign|University of Illinois]], where he was a standout as a [[guard (American football)|guard]] starting in 1941. He was named an All-American in 1942. Agase then entered the [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marines]] during World War II and played a season at Purdue while in training. He was again named an All-American in 1943. After his discharge from the Marines, he came back to Illinois and played a final season in 1946, after which he was named an All-American for a third time. Agase began his professional football career with the [[Los Angeles Dons]] of the [[All-America Football Conference]] (AAFC) in 1947, but was soon traded to the [[Chicago Rockets]] and then the Browns, where he remained until 1952. Cleveland won two AAFC championships and one [[National Football League]] championship while Agase was on the team. After retiring from football, Agase worked as an assistant coach for the [[Dallas Texans (NFL)|Dallas Texans]] and, after a brief return to playing for the [[Baltimore Colts]], [[Iowa State University]]. He was hired as an assistant at Northwestern in 1956 under head coach [[Ara Parseghian]].

Agase remained as an assistant until Parseghian left to coach at [[University of Notre Dame|Notre Dame]] in 1963 and he was named the new head coach. Agase guided the [[Northwestern Wildcats football|Northwestern Wildcats]] to a 32–58–1 [[winning percentage|win-loss-tie record]] in nine seasons. He was named coach of the year by the [[Football Writers Association of America]] after guiding the team to a 6–4 record in 1970. Agase left to coach at Purdue in 1972, but none of his teams posted a winning record there, and he was fired in 1977. He then spent six years as athletic director at [[Eastern Michigan University]] before retiring. Agase died in 2007. He was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1963.

==Early life and college==

Agase was born in [[Chicago]] to an [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]] father, Goolasis(Charles) Agase (1883–1959), and an [[Armenians|Armenian]] mother, Eslie Darwitt (1892–1971). Both were born in [[Persia]].<ref name="Agase CFBHOF spotlight">{{cite web |title=Hall of Famer Spotlight – Alex Agase |url=http://www.collegefootball.org/news_article.php?id=1120 |publisher=College Football Hall of Fame |access-date=October 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214114043/http://collegefootball.org/news_article.php?id=1120 |archive-date=December 14, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His brother [[Lou Agase|Lou]] was also involved with football.

He attended [[Evanston Township High School]], but only played on the school's varsity football team in his [[senior (education)|senior]] year.<ref name="Agase CFBHOF spotlight" /> After graduating, he attended the [[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign|University of Illinois]] and played [[college football]] there as a right [[guard (American football)|guard]] in 1941 and 1942.<ref name="Agase CFBHOF page">{{College Football HoF|id=1654|name=Alex Agase  |accessdate=October 9, 2012 }}</ref><ref name="Agase Illini obit">{{cite web |title=Alex Agase Dead At The Age Of 85 |url=http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050407aaa.html |publisher=University of Illinois |access-date=October 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122223657/http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050407aaa.html |archive-date=January 22, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In a 1942 game against the [[University of Minnesota]], Agase scored two [[touchdown]]s for the [[Illinois Fighting Illini|Fighting Illini]], becoming only the second guard in college football history to accomplish that feat.<ref name="Agase CFBHOF page" /> The first touchdown came in the second quarter, when Agase stripped the ball from Minnesota's [[Bill Daley (American football)|Bill Daley]] and ran it back 35 yards.<ref name="Agase in Minnesota game">{{cite news|last=Hoff|first=Dave|title=Alex Agase Big Factor In Victory|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l19JAAAAIBAJ&pg=5985,3632891&dq=alex+agase&hl=en|access-date=October 10, 2012|newspaper=Youngstown Vindicator|date=October 10, 1942|agency=Associated Press|location=Champaign, Ill.|page=D1}}</ref> The second was a fourth-quarter fumble recovery in the end zone to give Illinois a 20–13 victory.<ref name="Agase in Minnesota game" /> In another game against [[Naval Training Station Great Lakes|Great Lakes Naval Training Station]], a military team, Agase had 22 tackles.<ref name="Agase CFBHOF page" /> Under coach [[Ray Eliot]], Illinois finished the season with a 6–4 [[winning percentage|win–loss record]].<ref name="Illinois results 1942">{{cite web |title=Illinois Yearly Results |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigten/illinois/yearly_results.php?year=1940 |publisher=College Football Data Warehouse |access-date=October 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503183451/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigten/illinois/yearly_results.php?year=1940 |archive-date=May 3, 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Agase was named an [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] after the season.<ref name="Agase Illini obit" />

Agase entered the [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. military]] in 1943 as America's involvement in World War II intensified.<ref name="Agase Illini obit" /> He was sent to [[Purdue University]] for training in the [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marines]] and played on the school's football team along with enlistees from other schools.<ref name="Agase at Purdue">{{cite news|title=Great Lakes Bows to Purdue, 23 to 13|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tKkWAAAAIBAJ&pg=3990,1273729&dq=alex+agase+purdue&hl=en|access-date=October 11, 2012|newspaper=The Milwaukee Journal|date=September 19, 1943|agency=Associated Press|location=Great Lakes, Ill.|page=5}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Purdue had won just one [[Big Ten Conference]] game the previous year, but the influx of trainees including Agase led to a reversal of fortune in 1943.<ref name="Agase at Purdue" /> Coached by [[Elmer Burnham]], the [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue Boilermakers]] won all of their games that year and were named Big Ten co-champions.<ref name="Purdue 1943 records">{{cite web |title=Purdue Yearly Results |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigten/purdue/yearly_results.php?year=1940 |publisher=College Football Data Warehouse |access-date=October 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022215131/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigten/purdue/yearly_results.php?year=1940 |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Agase was again named an All-American.<ref name="NYT obit">{{cite news |title=Alex Agase, College Football Standout, Is Dead at 85 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/05/sports/ncaafootball/05agase.html?fta=y&_r=0 |access-date=October 12, 2012 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 5, 2007 |agency=Associated Press |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131073101/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/05/sports/ncaafootball/05agase.html?fta=y&_r=1& |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |location=Chicago |url-status=dead }}</ref>

During the following two years, Agase served on active duty in the war. He participated in the battles of [[Battle of Iwo Jima|Iwo Jima]] and [[Battle of Okinawa|Okinawa]], where he received a [[Purple Heart]] after he was wounded in action.<ref name="Tampa Bay Times obit">{{cite news|last=Leone |first=Jared |title=Ex-football coach Agase dies |url=http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/06/Northpinellas/Ex_football_coach_Aga.shtml |access-date=October 12, 2012 |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times |date=May 6, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012161134/http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/06/Northpinellas/Ex_football_coach_Aga.shtml |archive-date=October 12, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> He rose to the rank of [[first lieutenant]].<ref name="Agase voted MVP of Big Ten">{{cite news|title=Illinois' Alex Agase Rated Most Valuable|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vtgiAAAAIBAJ&pg=3418,6385517&dq=alex+agase+most+valuable&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=December 15, 1946|agency=Associated Press|location=Chicago|page=20}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Agase returned to Illinois in 1946 and rejoined a Fightining Illini team that posted an 8–2 record and was ranked fifth in the nation in the [[AP Poll]] at season's end.<ref name="Tampa Bay Times obit" /><ref name="Illinois polls">{{cite web |title=Illinois In the Polls |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigten/illinois/in_the_polls.php |publisher=College Football Data Warehouse |access-date=October 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503183401/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigten/illinois/in_the_polls.php |archive-date=May 3, 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref name="1946 Illinois results">{{cite web |title=Illinois Yearly Results |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigten/illinois/yearly_results.php?year=1945 |publisher=College Football Data Warehouse |access-date=October 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503183208/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigten/illinois/yearly_results.php?year=1945 |archive-date=May 3, 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Illinois beat the [[1946 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA Bruins]] in the [[1947 Rose Bowl]] after the season.<ref name="1946 Illinois results" /> Agase was named an All-American for a third time, and received the [[Chicago Tribune Silver Football]] as the [[most valuable player]] in the Big Ten.<ref name="Tampa Bay Times obit" /><ref name="Agase voted MVP of Big Ten" />

==Professional football career==

Agase had been selected by the [[Green Bay Packers]] in the [[1944 NFL draft]], but military service delayed his professional career. Although Green Bay still held the rights to him when he graduated from college, Agase instead signed in 1947 with the [[Los Angeles Dons]] of the new [[All-America Football Conference]] (AAFC).<ref name="Agase signs with Dons">{{cite news|title=Dons Sign Alex Agase; Packers Had Rights|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TB0aAAAAIBAJ&pg=2812,63523&dq=alex+agase+dons&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=The Milwaukee Journal|date=February 1, 1947|agency=Associated Press|location=Los Angeles|page=7}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Agase, however, played just three games for the Dons before he was traded in September 1947 to the [[Chicago Rockets]], another AAFC team.<ref name="Agase traded to Rockets">{{cite news|title=Rockets Get Agase In Trade for Back|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dzAbAAAAIBAJ&pg=1705,625647&dq=alex+agase+rockets&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|date=September 17, 1947|agency=United Press International|location=Chicago|page=29}}</ref> The Rockets finished the season in last place in the AAFC's western division with a 1–13 record.<ref name="1947 Rockets stats">{{cite web|title=1947 Chicago Rockets Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cra/1947.htm |publisher=Pro Football Reference |access-date=October 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018092956/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cra/1947.htm |archive-date=October 18, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Rockets traded Agase and fellow lineman [[Chubby Grigg]] the following year to the [[Cleveland Browns]], who had won the AAFC championship in each of the league's first two years of play.<ref name="Agase traded to Browns">{{cite news|title=Browns Get Agase in Trade for Lund|newspaper=Cleveland Plain Dealer|date=May 22, 1948|page=17}}</ref>{{sfn|Piascik|2007|pp=64, 81}} Led by [[quarterback]] [[Otto Graham]], [[fullback (American football)|fullback]] [[Marion Motley]] and [[Wide receiver|ends]] [[Dante Lavelli]] and [[Mac Speedie]], Cleveland won the championship again in 1948, posting a perfect 14–0 record and beating the [[Buffalo Bills (AAFC)|Buffalo Bills]] in the title game.{{sfn|Piascik|2007|pp=120–121}} Another championship followed in 1949, but the AAFC then dissolved and the Browns, along with two other teams, were absorbed by the NFL.{{sfn|Piascik|2007|pp=141, 145}} Helped by a strong offensive line including Agase, [[center (American football)|center]] [[Frank Gatski]] and [[tackle (American football)|tackles]] [[Lou Groza]] and [[Lou Rymkus]], Cleveland won the [[1950 NFL Championship Game|NFL championship]] in 1950.{{sfn|Piascik|2007|p=181}} The team reached the [[1951 NFL Championship Game|NFL championship]] in 1951 but lost to the [[Los Angeles Rams]].{{sfn|Piascik|2007|p=233}} Cleveland lost 24–17 despite gaining more yards and more first downs than the Rams.{{sfn|Piascik|2007|p=233}} "It was a very disappointing loss", Agase later said. "We weren't quite as sharp as we normally were on offense."{{sfn|Piascik|2007|p=234}}

==Coaching career==

Before the 1952 season, the Browns traded Agase to the [[Dallas Texans (NFL)|Dallas Texans]], a newly formed team set to start play that year. He ended his playing career and signed as a line coach with the Texans under head coach [[James Phelan (American football)|Jim Phelan]].<ref name="Agase to Texans">{{cite news|title=Agase Gets Job As Dallas Coach|newspaper=Cleveland Plain Dealer|date=May 13, 1952|page=24}}</ref> The Texans finished with a 1–11 record and folded after the season.<ref name="Texans fold">{{cite news|title=Agase Mentioned For Huskies Job|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_kZOAAAAIBAJ&pg=2840,155830&dq=alex+agase+dallas+texans&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=Toledo Blade|date=February 16, 1953|agency=Associated Press|location=Seattle|page=18}}</ref><ref name="1952 Texans stats">{{cite web|title=1952 Dallas Texans Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dtx/1952.htm |publisher=Pro Football Reference |access-date=October 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006230650/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dtx/1952.htm |archive-date=October 6, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Agase came out of retirement briefly after the Texans disbanded, joining the [[Baltimore Colts]] and playing as a [[linebacker]] for the 1953 season.<ref name="Agase with Colts">{{cite news|last=Sauerbrei|first=Harold|title=Ex-Browns Start On Colt Defense|newspaper=Cleveland Plain Dealer|date=September 6, 1953|page=3C}}</ref> The Colts finished the season with a 3–9 record, placing fifth in the NFL West division.<ref name="1953 Colts stats">{{cite web|title=1953 Baltimore Colts Players & Statistics |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/clt/1953.htm |publisher=Pro Football Reference |access-date=October 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020212505/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/clt/1953.htm |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Iowa State and Northwestern===

Agase was offered a job as an assistant coach for the Colts, but instead joined [[Iowa State University]] as its line coach in early 1954 on a $7,000-a-year salary.<ref name="Agase hired at Iowa State">{{cite news|title=Alex Agase Hired to Staff at Iowa State|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3zAoAAAAIBAJ&pg=6048,895530&dq=alex+agase+iowa+state&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=The Milwaukee Journal|date=February 3, 1954|agency=United Press International|location=Ames, Iowa|page=2}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He and Iowa State head coach [[Vince DiFrancesca]] had played football together in high school.<ref name="Agase hired at Iowa State" /> After two seasons at Iowa State, he signed as defensive line coach at [[Northwestern University]].<ref name="Agase Northwestern assistant">{{cite news|title=Iowa State Line Coach Will Leave|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g2QrAAAAIBAJ&pg=3962,1172905&dq=alex+agase+iowa+state&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=The Daily Reporter|date=January 20, 1956|agency=Associated Press|location=Evanston, Ill.|page=6}}</ref> He worked under head coach [[Ara Parseghian]], a former Cleveland teammate.<ref name="Agase Northwestern assistant" />

In seven years under Parseghian at Northwestern, Agase rose to become the coach's top assistant.<ref name="Agase Northwestern coach">{{cite news|title=Agase Reported Top Choice To Replace Ara|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VPorAAAAIBAJ&pg=2668,5420466&dq=alex+agase+northwestern&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=Times Daily|date=December 16, 1963|agency=Associated Press|location=Chicago|page=8}}</ref> When Parseghian was offered the head coaching job at the [[University of Notre Dame]] at the end of 1963, he recommended Agase as his replacement.<ref name="Agase Northwestern coach" /> Agase got the job immediately after Parseghian left.<ref name="Agase gets Northwestern job">{{cite news|title=Ara Accepts; Aid Gets Wildcat Job|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WFUaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6938,365313&dq=alex+agase+northwestern+coach&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=The Milwaukee Sentinel|date=December 18, 1963|agency=United Press International|location=Chicago, Ill.|page=2}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Agase's first years as coach of the [[Northwestern Wildcats football]] team were unsuccessful. The team had losing records each season between 1964 and 1969.<ref name="Agase coaching records">{{cite web|title=Alex Agase Records by Year |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=13 |publisher=College Football Data Warehouse |access-date=October 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019073531/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=13 |archive-date=October 19, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1970, however, the team finished with a 6–4 record, taking second place in the Big Ten Conference, and Agase was named the national coach of the year by the [[Football Writers Association of America]].<ref name="Agase coaching records" /><ref name="Agase coach of year">{{cite news|title=Wildcats' Agase 'Coach of Year'|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j4IyAAAAIBAJ&pg=675,4228817&dq=alex+agase+northwestern+coach+of+the+year&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=Palm Beach Post-Times|date=January 10, 1971|agency=Associated Press|location=Des Moines, Iowa|page=E5}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The Wildcats followed up with a 7–4 record in 1971, but fell to 2–9 in 1972.<ref name="Agase coaching records" />

===Purdue===

After nine seasons as the Northwestern coach, Agase accepted an offer at the end of 1972 to become head football coach at Purdue, one of the two schools for which he played.<ref name="Agase takes Purdue job">{{cite news|title=Agase to coach Purdue|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lWctAAAAIBAJ&pg=1911,4428496&dq=alex+agase+purdue+coach&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=Tri City Herald|date=December 18, 1972|agency=Associated Press|location=West Lafayette, Ind.|page=21}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Taking the job was "not an easy decision to make", he said at the time, because he was happy at Northwestern.<ref name="Agase takes Purdue job" /> Agase coached at Purdue through the 1976 season. His teams never posted a winning record in his years there, although they did pull two noteworthy upsets of Top Ten teams, defeating #2 Notre Dame in South Bend in 1974 and #1 Michigan in West Lafayette in 1976.<ref name="Agase coaching records" /> He was fired in early 1977 and took a job as [[athletic director]] at [[Eastern Michigan University]] in [[Ypsilanti, Michigan]].<ref name="Agase takes Eastern Michigan AD job">{{cite news|title=Eastern Is Expected To Sign Agase|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aAcuAAAAIBAJ&pg=2643,3154297&dq=alex+agase+eastern+michigan&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=The Argus-Press|date=February 9, 1977|agency=Associated Press|location=Detroit|page=16}}</ref> He stayed in that job until 1982, when he unexpectedly resigned citing "personal reasons".<ref name="Agase resigns from Eastern">{{cite news|title=Agase Resigns As Eastern AD|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6pZaAAAAIBAJ&pg=4015,2412776&dq=alex+agase+eastern+michigan&hl=en|access-date=October 12, 2012|newspaper=Ludington Daily News|date=May 7, 1982|agency=Associated Press|location=Ypsilanti, Mich.|page=8}}</ref>

==Later life and death==

Agase remained active in college football by assisting [[Bo Schembechler]] as a volunteer at the [[University of Michigan]] until 1987, focusing on special teams.<ref name="CBS obit">{{cite news|title=Former Northwestern Coach Alex Agase Dies at Age 85 |url=http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/050307aaw.html |access-date=October 12, 2012 |newspaper=CBS College Sports |date=May 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525141615/http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/050307aaw.html |archive-date=May 25, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was named to the [[Walter Camp Foundation]] all-century team in 1989 and the University of Illinois all-century team in 1990.<ref name="CBS obit" /><ref name="Agase on Illinois all-century team">{{cite news|last=Markus |first=Robert |title=Illini Football Centennial Celebration Hits The Road |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1990/06/22/illini-football-centennial-celebration-hits-the-road/ |access-date=October 12, 2012 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=June 22, 1990 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808055416/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-06-22/sports/9002220361_1_illini-red-grange-big-apple-nit |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Agase was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1963.<ref name="NYT obit" /> While living in Tarpon Springs, Florida, Agase was an active member of George Young United Methodist Church, later renamed East Lake United Methodist Church.  He died in 2007 at a hospital near his home in [[Tarpon Springs, Florida]].<ref name="NYT obit" />

==Head coaching record==
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Northwestern Wildcats football|Northwestern Wildcats]]
 | conf      = [[Big Ten Conference]]
 | startyear = 1964
 | endyear   = 1972
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1964 NCAA University Division football season|1964]]
 | name         = [[1964 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 3–6
 | conference   = 2–5
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1965 NCAA University Division football season|1965]]
 | name         = [[1965 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 4–6
 | conference   = 3–4
 | confstanding = 6th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1966 NCAA University Division football season|1966]]
 | name         = [[1966 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 3–6–1
 | conference   = 2–4–1
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1967 NCAA University Division football season|1967]]
 | name         = [[1967 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 3–7
 | conference   = 2–5
 | confstanding = 8th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1968 NCAA University Division football season|1968]]
 | name         = [[1968 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 1–9
 | conference   = 1–6
 | confstanding = T–8th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1969 NCAA University Division football season|1969]]
 | name         = [[1969 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 3–7
 | conference   = 3–4
 | confstanding = T–5th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1970 NCAA University Division football season|1970]]
 | name         = [[1970 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 6–4
 | conference   = 6–1
 | confstanding = T–2nd
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1971 NCAA University Division football season|1971]]
 | name         = [[1971 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 7–4
 | conference   = 6–3
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1972 NCAA University Division football season|1972]]
 | name         = [[1972 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 2–9
 | conference   = 1–8
 | confstanding = 10th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Northwestern
 | overall    = 32–58–1
 | confrecord = 26–40–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue Boilermakers]]
 | conf      = [[Big Ten Conference]]
 | startyear = 1973
 | endyear   = 1976
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1973 NCAA Division I football season|1973]]
 | name         = [[1973 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   = 4–4
 | confstanding = T–4th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1974 NCAA Division I football season|1974]]
 | name         = [[1974 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 4–6–1
 | conference   = 3–5
 | confstanding = 6th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1975 NCAA Division I football season|1975]]
 | name         = [[1975 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 4–7
 | conference   = 4–4
 | confstanding = T–3rd
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[1976 NCAA Division I football season|1976]]
 | name         = [[1976 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   = 4–4
 | confstanding = T–3rd
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Purdue
 | overall    = 18–25–1
 | confrecord = 15–17
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall  = 50–83–2
 | bowls    = no
 | poll     = no
 | polltype =
 | legend   = no
}}

==References==

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|last=Piascik|first=Andy|year=2007|title=The Best Show in Football: The 1946–1955 Cleveland Browns|publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing|location=Lanham, Maryland|isbn=978-1-58979-571-6}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{commons category-inline}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Alex Agase—championships, awards, and honors
| list1 =
{{1948 Cleveland Browns}}
{{1949 Cleveland Browns}}
{{1950 Cleveland Browns}}
{{1953 Baltimore Colts}}
{{1943 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1946 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Chicago Tribune Silver Football navbox}}
{{Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year}}
{{Northwestern Wildcats football coach navbox}}
{{Purdue Boilermakers football coach navbox}}
{{Eastern Michigan Eagles athletic director navbox}}
{{Green Bay Packers 1944 NFL draft picks}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agase, Alex}}
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