View source for Fran Curci

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1938)}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Fran Curci
| image = Miami Hurricanes quarterback Fran Curci on the sideline during football game with FSU in Tallahassee, Florida.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Curci in 1957
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1938|6|11}}
| birth_place = [[Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| alma_mater = 
| player_years1 = 1957–1959
| player_team1 = [[Miami Hurricanes football|Miami (FL)]]
| player_positions = [[Quarterback]]
| coach_years1 = 1961–1967
| coach_team1 = [[Miami Hurricanes football|Miami (FL)]] (assistant)
| coach_years2 = 1968–1970
| coach_team2 = [[Tampa Spartans football|Tampa]]
| coach_years3 = 1971–1972
| coach_team3 = [[Miami Hurricanes football|Miami (FL)]]
| coach_years4 = 1973–1981
| coach_team4 = [[Kentucky Wildcats football|Kentucky]]
| coach_years5 = 1991
| coach_team5 = [[Tampa Bay Storm]]
| coach_years6 = 1992
| coach_team6 = [[Cincinnati Rockers]]
| overall_record = 81–70–2 (college)
| bowl_record = 1–0
| tournament_record = 
| championships =
| awards = 
* [[Southeastern Conference football individual awards#Coach of the Year|SEC Coach of the Year]] (1977)
* Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1959 College Football All-America Team|1959]])
| coaching_records = 
}}
'''Fran Curci''' (born June 11, 1938) is a former [[American football]] player and coach. He was an [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] [[quarterback]] at the [[Miami Hurricanes football|University of Miami]] in 1959. He served as head coach at the [[University of Tampa]] from 1968 to 1970, the University of Miami from 1971 to 1972 and the [[Kentucky Wildcats football|University of Kentucky]] from 1973 to 1981, compiling a career [[college football]] coaching record of 81–70–2.

==Coaching career==
[[File:University of Kentucky Football (1987.573).jpg|thumb|A football signed by Fran Curci and gifted to President [[Gerald Ford]]]]
Curci led the [[University of Tampa]] Spartans to a 25–6 record in three seasons (1968–1970). After his team defeated the [[Miami Hurricanes football|Miami Hurricanes]] at the [[Miami Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]] in 1970, and Tampa finished that season 10–1, he was hired by the [[University of Miami]].<ref name='tampa'>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/pressbox/8121/dabucsdb/ut_hist.htm |title=University of Tampa Football History |access-date=May 16, 2009 |publisher=Tampa Bay Football History Network |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091028080351/http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/pressbox/8121/dabucsdb/ut_hist.htm|url-status=dead |archive-date=October 28, 2009}}</ref>

Curci's record at Miami was 9–13. He was head coach at the University of Miami during the infamous ''[[Florida Flop]]'' in 1971 when the [[Florida Gators football|Florida Gators]] defense allowed Miami to score a touchdown late in the fourth quarter by dropping to the ground mid-play. The defense wanted quarterback [[John Reaves]] to get the ball back and set an [[NCAA]] career passing record. Florida won the game 45–16. Curci was particularly upset at the Gators' actions since the game was well out of reach by then. He refused to shake hands with Florida coach [[Doug Dickey]] after the game, and was quoted as saying, "I lost all respect for [Dickey] as a coach and as a man. What he did shows no class... I think he made a fool of himself."<ref name='espn'>{{cite news | first=Bob | last=Harig | title=UM-UF rivalry was once the biggest in the state | date=September 6, 2007 | publisher=ESPN.com | url =http://static.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/harig_bob/1427556.html | work =ESPN College Football | access-date = May 16, 2009 }}</ref><ref name='marz'>{{cite book | last = Marz | first = Jim | title = Tales from the Miami Hurricanes Sideline | publisher = Sports Publishing LLC | year = 2004 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=J-kCkKoxRtgC&q=miami+hurricanes+quarterback+%22gator+flop%22&pg=PA34 | isbn = 978-1-58261-751-0 }}</ref>

During his tenure at the [[University of Kentucky]], Curci compiled a record of 47–51–2. The 1976 Kentucky Wildcats finished 9–3 and 5–1 in conference play&mdash;their first winning season in 13 years&mdash;and defeated [[1976 North Carolina Tar Heels football team|North Carolina]] in the [[Peach Bowl]] 21–0, finishing ranked #18 in the final [[AP Poll|Associated Press poll]]. After that season, the Wildcats were slapped with two years' probation for numerous recruiting and amateurism violations. The Wildcats were also banned from bowl games and live television in 1977, and limited to only 25 scholarships in 1977 and 1978.<ref>[https://web1.ncaa.org/LSDBi/exec/miSearch?miSearchSubmit=publicReport&key=307&publicTerms=THIS%20PHRASE%20WILL%20NOT%20BE%20REPEATED 1976 infractions case]</ref>

The 1977 team finished 10–1, including a win at #4 [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State]] and an undefeated record in conference play though they were ineligible for the title due to probation. They finished the season ranked #6 in the final Associated Press poll. It was only the second 10-win season in school history.

Due in part to the loss of scholarships from the 1976 infractions case, Curci was never able to put together another winning team. In his last four years, he only won eight games in SEC play. Curci's tenure as Kentucky's coach ended after nine seasons, then the longest of any Kentucky coach (but since surpassed by [[Mark Stoops]]). In his final game as Kentucky's coach, Curci led the Wildcats to a 21–10 victory over [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Tennessee]] on November 21, 1981.

Curci later coached in the Arena Football League with the [[Tampa Bay Storm]] in [[1991 Tampa Bay Storm season|1991]], and the [[Cincinnati Rockers]] in [[1992 Cincinnati Rockers season|1992]]. He led the Storm, quarterbacked by future Washington Redskins head coach [[Jay Gruden]], to an [[ArenaBowl V]] championship and was named Coach of the Year in his only season with Tampa Bay. Curci also did radio broadcasts for [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] and college football games.

==Late life==
After leaving coaching, Curci served as Parks Commissioner for the Commonwealth of [[Kentucky]].

==Head coaching record==
===College===
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | conf = yes | bowl = yes | poll = both }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Tampa Spartans football|Tampa Spartans]]
 | conf      = [[NCAA College Division|NCAA College Division independent]]
 | startyear = 1968
 | endyear   = 1970
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1968 NCAA College Division football season|1968]]
 | name         = [[1968 Tampa Spartans football team|Tampa]]
 | overall      = 7–3
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1969 NCAA College Division football season|1969]]
 | name         = [[1969 Tampa Spartans football team|Tampa]]
 | overall      = 8–2
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1970 NCAA College Division football season|1970]]
 | name         = [[1970 Tampa Spartans football team|Tampa]]
 | overall      = 10–1
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Tampa
 | overall    = 25–6
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Miami Hurricanes football|Miami Hurricanes]]
 | conf      = [[NCAA University Division|NCAA University Division independent]]
 | startyear = 1971
 | endyear   = 1972
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1971 NCAA University Division football season|1971]]
 | name         = [[1971 Miami Hurricanes football team|Miami]]
 | overall      = 4–7
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1972 NCAA University Division football season|1972]]
 | name         = [[1972 Miami Hurricanes football team|Miami]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Miami
 | overall    = 9–13
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Kentucky Wildcats football|Kentucky Wildcats]]
 | conf      = [[Southeastern Conference]]
 | startyear = 1973
 | endyear   = 1981
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1973 NCAA Division I football season|1973]]
 | name         = [[1973 Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   = 3–4
 | confstanding = T–5th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1974 NCAA Division I football season|1974]]
 | name         = [[1974 Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky]]
 | overall      = 6–5
 | conference   = 3–3
 | confstanding = T–4th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1975 NCAA Division I football season|1975]]
 | name         = [[1975 Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky]]
 | overall      = 2–8–1
 | conference   = 0–6
 | confstanding = 10th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1976 NCAA Division I football season|1976]]
 | name         = [[1976 Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky]]
 | overall      = 8–4
 | conference   = 4–2
 | confstanding = T–3rd
 | bowlname     = [[1976 Peach Bowl|Peach]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 19
 | ranking2     = 18
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1977 NCAA Division I football season|1977]]
 | name         = [[1977 Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky]]
 | overall      = 10–1
 | conference   = 6–0
 | confstanding = T–1st ‡
 | bowlname     = ‡
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = ‡
 | ranking2     = 6
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1978 NCAA Division I-A football season|1978]]
 | name         = [[1978 Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky]]
 | overall      = 4–6–1
 | conference   = 2–4
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1979 NCAA Division I-A football season|1979]]
 | name         = [[1979 Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   = 3–3
 | confstanding = T–5th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1980 NCAA Division I-A football season|1980]]
 | name         = [[1980 Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky]]
 | overall      = 3–8
 | conference   = 1–5
 | confstanding = 8th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1981 NCAA Division I-A football season|1981]]
 | name         = [[1981 Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky]]
 | overall      = 3–8
 | conference   = 2–4
 | confstanding = T–6th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Kentucky
 | overall    = 47–51–2
 | confrecord = 25–30
}}<small>‡ Ineligible for [[Southeastern Conference|SEC]] title, bowl game and [[Coaches Poll]]</small>
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall  = 81–70–2
 | bowls    = no
 | poll     = two
 | polltype = 
 | legend   = no
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category-inline|Fran Curci}}{{Miami Hurricanes quarterback navbox}}
{{Tampa Spartans football coach navbox}}
{{Miami Hurricanes football coach navbox}}
{{Kentucky Wildcats football coach navbox}}
{{ArenaBowl V}}

{{Tampa Bay Storm}}
{{AFL COYs}}
{{Cincinnati Rockers}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curci, Fran}}
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football quarterbacks]]
[[Category:College football announcers]]
[[Category:Arena Football League coaches]]
[[Category:Kentucky Wildcats football coaches]]
[[Category:NFL announcers]]
[[Category:Miami Hurricanes football coaches]]
[[Category:Miami Hurricanes football players]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers announcers]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Storm coaches]]
[[Category:Tampa Spartans athletic directors]]
[[Category:Tampa Spartans football coaches]]
[[Category:NCAA sanctions]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Florida]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Pittsburgh]]