View source for Chuck Mills

{{Short description|American college football coach (1928–2021)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Chuck Mills
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1928|12|1}}
| birth_place = [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|1|18|1928|12|1}}
| death_place = [[Honolulu|Honolulu, Hawaii]], U.S.
| alma_mater = [[Illinois State University]]
| coach_years1 = 1951
| coach_team1 = [[Mount Carmel High School (Chicago)|Chicago Mount Carmel HS (IL)]] (assistant)
| coach_years2 = 1952–1953
| coach_team2 = Mendel Catholic HS (IL)
| coach_years3 = 1954
| coach_team3 = [[North Chicago Community High School|North Chicago HS (IL)]]
| coach_years4 = 1955
| coach_team4 = [[Loyola High School (Los Angeles)|Loyola HS (CA)]]
| coach_years5 = 1956
| coach_team5 = [[Citrus Owls football|Citrus]] (line)
| coach_years6 = 1957–1958
| coach_team6 = [[Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens football|Pomona]] (assistant)
| coach_years7 = 1959–1961
| coach_team7 = Pomona
| coach_years8 = 1962–1963
| coach_team8 = [[IUP Crimson Hawks football|Indiana State (PA)]]
| coach_years9 = 1964
| coach_team9 = [[Merchant Marine Mariners football|Merchant Marine]]
| coach_years10 = 1965
| coach_team10 = [[Arizona Wildcats football|Arizona]] (assistant)
| coach_years11 = 1966
| coach_team11 = [[Kansas City Chiefs]] (assistant)
| coach_years12 = 1967–1972
| coach_team12 = [[Utah State Aggies football|Utah State]]
| coach_years13 = 1973–1977
| coach_team13 = [[Wake Forest Demon Deacons football|Wake Forest]]
| coach_years14 = 1980–1988
| coach_team14 = [[Southern Oregon Raiders football|Southern Oregon]]
| coach_years15 = 1997
| coach_team15 = [[Coast Guard Bears football|Coast Guard]]
| admin_years1 = 1978–1980
| admin_team1 = [[Blue–Gray Football Classic]] (exec. dir.)
| admin_years2 = 1980–1989
| admin_team2 = [[Southern Oregon Raiders football|Southern Oregon]]
| admin_years3 = 1989–1999<ref name=DayObit>Vickie Fulkerson, [https://www.theday.com/local-colleges/20210123/coast-guard-coach-athletic-director-chuck-mills-left-a-legacy-of-wisdom-laughter/ Coast Guard coach, athletic director Chuck Mills left a legacy of wisdom, laughter], ''The Day'', January 23, 2021, accessed June 12, 2024.</ref>
| admin_team3 = [[Coast Guard Bears|Coast Guard]]
| overall_record = 132–133–5 (college)
| bowl_record = 
| tournament_record = 1–1 (NAIA D-I playoffs)<br>0–1 (NCAA D-III playoffs)
| championships = 1 [[Freedom Football Conference|FFC]] (1997)
| awards = 
| coaching_records = 
}}
'''Morton J.''' "'''Chuck'''" '''Mills''' (December 1, 1928 – January 18, 2021) was an American [[college football]] coach. He served as the head coach at [[Pomona College]] (1957–1961), [[Indiana University of Pennsylvania]] (1962–1963), the [[United States Merchant Marine Academy]] (1964), [[Utah State University]] (1967–1972), [[Wake Forest University]] (1973–1977), [[Southern Oregon University]] (1980–1988), and the [[United States Coast Guard Academy]] (1997).

==Education==
A native of [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], Mills graduated from [[Illinois State University]] in 1950.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hoffmann |first=Doug |date=January 19, 2021 |title=Former Utah State head football coach Chuck Mills dies at age 92 |url=https://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/archive/2021/01/19/former-utah-state-head-football-coach-chuck-mills-dies-at-age-92/ |work=Cache Valley Daily |access-date=January 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Judd |first=Brandon |title=Former Utah State football coach Chuck Mills dies |url=https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/19/22238848/former-utah-state-aggies-football-coach-chuck-mills-dies-age-92 |work=Deseret News |access-date=January 19, 2021 |date=January 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Burglund |first=Matthew |title=Former IUP football coach Mills dies at 93 |url=https://www.indianagazette.com/sports/former-iup-football-coach-mills-dies-at-93/article_10cbabd2-5b35-584e-9ab6-f447f20878be.html |work=The Indiana Gazette |access-date=January 19, 2021 |date=January 19, 2021}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
Hired in February [[1967 Utah State Aggies football team|1967]] at [[Utah State Aggies football|Utah State University]], Mills was previously the [[offensive coordinator]] with the [[1966 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]],<ref name=asngco>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oAoKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FEoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6402%2C1877630 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |title=Ags name grid coach |date=February 9, 1967 |page=D1}}</ref><ref name=batpln>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oQoKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FEoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5733%2C2139834 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |last=Ferguson |first=George |title=USU grid coach maps battle plan |date=February 10, 1967 |page=D1}}</ref> the [[1966 American Football League Championship Game|champions]] of the [[American Football League]] (AFL). Previous USU head coach [[Tony Knap]] had resigned in January for an assistant coaching position with the [[1967 BC Lions season|BC Lions]] in the [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL).<ref name=tresdn>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H0gwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=y0kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7364%2C3455757 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |last=Miller |first=Hack |title=Aggies' Tony Knap resigns |date=January 18, 1967 |page=B2}}</ref><ref name=spres>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aKxWAAAAIBAJ&pg=3956,928632|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=(Spokane, Washington)|title=Tony Knap resigns|agency=Associated Press|date=January 19, 1967|page=11}}</ref>

During his six seasons at Utah State, Mills' Aggies went {{winpct|38|23|1|record=y}}; 8–3 marks in [[1971 Utah State Aggies football team|1971]] and [[1972 Utah State Aggies football team|1972]] were the best. He took the first American collegiate football team to Japan in December [[1971 NCAA University Division football season|1971]];<ref name=cerimp>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6RlQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UVUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5292%2C5367824 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |last=Flannery |first=John S.|agency=(Utah State University Athletics)|title=Ceremony impressive |date=December 20, 1971 |page=B6}}</ref> the Japanese equivalent of the [[Heisman Trophy]], known as the "Mills Trophy," is presented to the top collegiate football player in Japan each year.<ref name="MillsJT">{{cite web |last1=Nagatsuka |first1=Kaz |title=Chuck Mills, who inspired Japan's college football to flourish, dies at 92 |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/01/19/more-sports/football/chuck-mills-obit/ |work=Japan Times |access-date=January 19, 2021 |date=January 19, 2021 |archive-date=January 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119093120/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/01/19/more-sports/football/chuck-mills-obit/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Death==
In mid-January 2021, Mills was hospitalized in a [[Honolulu]] hospital for [[pneumonia]] and organ failure. He died on the morning of January 18, 2021, at age 92.<ref name="MillsJT" />

==Head coaching record==
===College===
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = Coaches }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens football|Pomona Sagehens]]
 | conf      = [[Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
 | startyear = 1959
 | endyear   = 1961
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1959 college football season|1959]]
 | name         = Pomona
 | overall      = 5–4
 | conference   = 3–2
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1960 college football season|1960]]
 | name         = Pomona
 | overall      = 2–7
 | conference   = 1–4
 | confstanding = 5th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1961 college football season|1961]]
 | name         = [[1961 Pomona Sagehens football team|Pomona]]
 | overall      = 5–4
 | conference   = 1–3
 | confstanding = 4th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Pomona
 | overall    = 12–15
 | confrecord = 5–0
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[IUP Crimson Hawks football|Indiana State Indians]]
 | conf      = [[Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference]]
 | startyear = 1962
 | endyear   = 1963
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1962 NCAA College Division football season|1962]]
 | name         = Indiana State
 | overall      = 5–2–1
 | conference   = 4–1–1
 | confstanding = T–2nd <small>(West)</small>
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1963 NCAA College Division football season|1963]]
 | name         = Indiana State
 | overall      = 7–1–1
 | conference   = 5–1
 | confstanding = 2nd <small>(West)</small>
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Indiana State
 | overall    = 12–3–2
 | confrecord = 9–2–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Merchant Marine Mariners football|Merchant Marine Mariners]]
 | conf      = [[NCAA College Division|NCAA College Division independent]]
 | startyear = 1964
 | endyear   = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1964 NCAA College Division football season|1964]]
 | name         = Merchant Marine
 | overall      = 3–7
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Merchant Marine
 | overall    = 3–7
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Utah State Aggies football|Utah State Aggies]]
 | conf      = [[NCAA University Division|NCAA University Division independent]]
 | startyear = 1967
 | endyear   = 1972
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1967 NCAA University Division football season|1967]]
 | name         = [[1967 Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State]]
 | overall      = 7–2–1
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1968 NCAA University Division football season|1968]]
 | name         = [[1968 Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State]]
 | overall      = 3–7
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1969 NCAA University Division football season|1969]]
 | name         = [[1969 Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State]]
 | overall      = 7–3
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1970 NCAA University Division football season|1970]]
 | name         = [[1970 Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State]]
 | overall      = 5–5
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1971 NCAA University Division football season|1971]]
 | name         = [[1971 Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State]]
 | overall      = 8–3
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1972 NCAA University Division football season|1972]]
 | name         = [[1972 Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State]]
 | overall      = 8–3
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = T–17
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Utah State
 | overall    = 38–23–1
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Wake Forest Demon Deacons football|Wake Forest Demon Deacons]]
 | conf      = [[Atlantic Coast Conference]]
 | startyear = 1973
 | endyear   = 1977
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1973 NCAA Division I football season|1973]]
 | name         = [[1973 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team|Wake Forest]]
 | overall      = 1–9–1
 | conference   = 0–5–1
 | confstanding = 7th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1974 NCAA Division I football season|1974]]
 | name         = [[1974 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team|Wake Forest]]
 | overall      = 1–10
 | conference   = 0–6
 | confstanding = 7th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1975 NCAA Division I football season|1975]]
 | name         = [[1975 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team|Wake Forest]]
 | overall      = 3–8
 | conference   = 3–3
 | confstanding = T–3rd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1976 NCAA Division I football season|1976]]
 | name         = [[1976 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team|Wake Forest]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   = 3–3
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1977 NCAA Division I football season|1977]]
 | name         = [[1977 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team|Wake Forest]]
 | overall      = 1–10
 | conference   = 0–6
 | confstanding = 7th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Wake Forest
 | overall    = 11–43–1
 | confrecord = 6–23–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Southern Oregon Raiders football|Southern Oregon Raiders]]
 | conf      = [[Evergreen Conference]]
 | startyear = 1980
 | endyear   = 1984
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1980 NAIA Division I football season|1980]]
 | name         = Southern Oregon 
 | overall      = 2–7
 | conference   = 2–3
 | confstanding = 4th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1981 NAIA Division I football season|1981]]
 | name         = Southern Oregon 
 | overall      = 6–4
 | conference   = NA
 | confstanding = NA
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1982 NAIA Division I football season|1982]]
 | name         = Southern Oregon 
 | overall      = 6–4
 | conference   = 3–1
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1983 NAIA Division I football season|1983]]
 | name         = Southern Oregon 
 | overall      = 9–2
 | conference   = 5–2
 | confstanding = T–2nd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1984 NAIA Division I football season|1984]]
 | name         = Southern Oregon 
 | overall      = 6–4
 | conference   = 4–3
 | confstanding = 4th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Southern Oregon Raiders football|Southern Oregon Raiders]]
 | conf      = [[Columbia Football League]]
 | startyear = 1985
 | endyear   = 1987
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1985 NAIA Division I football season|1985]]
 | name         = Southern Oregon 
 | overall      = 2–6–1
 | conference   = 1–4–1
 | confstanding = 6th <small>(Southern)</small>
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1986 NAIA Division I football season|1986]]
 | name         = Southern Oregon 
 | overall      = 4–5
 | conference   = 2–4
 | confstanding = T–4th <small>(Southern)</small>
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1987 NAIA Division I football season|1987]]
 | name         = Southern Oregon 
 | overall      = 7–4
 | conference   = 4–2
 | confstanding = T–2nd <small>(Southern)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[NAIA Football National Championship|NAIA Division I Quarterfinal]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Southern Oregon Raiders football|Southern Oregon Raiders]]
 | conf      = [[Columbia Football Association]]
 | startyear = 1988
 | endyear   = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1988 NAIA Division II football season|1988]]
 | name         = Southern Oregon 
 | overall      = 5–4
 | conference   = 3–3
 | confstanding = T–3rd <small>(Mount Hood)</small>
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Southern Oregon
 | overall    = 47–40–1
 | confrecord = 24–22–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Coast Guard Bears football|Coast Guard Bears]]
 | conf      = [[Freedom Football Conference]]
 | startyear = 1997
 | endyear   = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1997 NCAA Division III football season|1997]]
 | name         = Coast Guard
 | overall      = 9–2
 | conference   = 6–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = [[NCAA Division III Football Championship|NCAA Division III First Round]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Coast Guard
 | overall    = 9–2
 | confrecord = 6–0
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall  = 132–133–5
 | bowls    = no
 | poll     = no
 | polltype = 
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Navboxes
|list =
{{Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens football coach navbox}}
{{IUP Crimson Hawks football coach navbox}}
{{Merchant Marine Mariners football coach navbox}}
{{Utah State Aggies football coach navbox}}
{{Wake Forest Demon Deacons football coach navbox}}
{{Southern Oregon Raiders football coach navbox}}
{{Coast Guard Bears football coach navbox}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Chuck}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Arizona Wildcats football coaches]]
[[Category:Citrus Owls football coaches]]
[[Category:Coast Guard Bears athletic directors]]
[[Category:Coast Guard Bears football coaches]]
[[Category:College football bowl executives]]
[[Category:High school football coaches in California]]
[[Category:High school football coaches in Illinois]]
[[Category:Illinois State University alumni]]
[[Category:IUP Crimson Hawks football coaches]]
[[Category:Kansas City Chiefs coaches]]
[[Category:Merchant Marine Mariners football coaches]]
[[Category:Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens football coaches]]
[[Category:Southern Oregon Raiders athletic directors]]
[[Category:Southern Oregon Raiders football coaches]]
[[Category:Sports coaches from Chicago]]
[[Category:University of Tulsa alumni]]
[[Category:Utah State Aggies football coaches]]
[[Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons football coaches]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Hawaii]]
[[Category:Deaths from organ failure]]