View source for Stu Holcomb

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Stu Holcomb
| image = Stu Holcomb.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Holcomb pictured in ''Debris 1954'', Purdue yearbook
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1910|9|11}}
| birth_place = [[Erie, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1977|1|11|1910|9|11}}
| death_place = [[Venice, Florida]], U.S.
| alma_mater = 
| player_years1 = 1929–1931
| player_team1 = [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]]
| player_positions = [[Halfback (American football)|Halfback]]
| coach_sport1 = Football
| coach_years2 = 1932–1935
| coach_team2 = [[Findlay Oilers football|Findlay]]
| coach_years3 = 1936–1940
| coach_team3 = [[Muskingum Fighting Muskies football|Muskingum]]
| coach_years4 = 1941
| coach_team4 = [[Washington & Jefferson Presidents football|Washington & Jefferson]]
| coach_years5 = 1942–1943
| coach_team5 = [[Miami RedHawks football|Miami (OH)]]
| coach_years6 = 1945–1946
| coach_team6 = [[Army Black Knights football|Army]] (assistant)
| coach_years7 = 1947–1955
| coach_team7 = [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue]]
| coach_sport8 = Basketball
| coach_years9 = 1932–1936
| coach_team9 = [[Findlay Oilers men's basketball|Findlay]]
| coach_years10 = 1936–1940
| coach_team10 = [[Muskingum Fighting Muskies men's basketball|Muskingum]]
| coach_years11 = 1945–1947
| coach_team11 = [[Army Black Knights men's basketball|Army]]
| admin_years1 = 1956–1966
| admin_team1 = [[Northwestern Wildcats|Northwestern]]
| admin_years2 = 1971–1973
| admin_team2 = [[Chicago White Sox]] (GM)
| overall_record = 93–75–12 (football)<br>54–40 (basketball)
| bowl_record = 
| tournament_record = 
| championships = 1 [[Ohio Athletic Conference|OAC]] (1939)<br>1 [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] (1952)
| awards = 
| coaching_records = 
}}
'''Stuart K. Holcomb''' (September 11, 1910 – January 11, 1977) was an [[American football]] and [[basketball]] coach best known for serving as head football coach for [[Miami University]] (1942–1943) and [[Purdue University]] (1947–1955). Before coaching, Holcomb was a starting [[running back|halfback]] at [[Ohio State University]] and the captain of the [[1931 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|1931 Buckeyes football team]]. Prior to arriving at Miami, Holcomb was the head football coach at three smaller schools: the [[University of Findlay]] (1932–1935), [[Muskingum University|Muskingum College]] (1936–1940), and [[Washington & Jefferson Presidents football|Washington & Jefferson College]] (1941). He also served as the head basketball coach at [[University of Findlay]] for four seasons, 1932–33 through 1935–36 and at the [[United States Military Academy]] from 1945 to 1947. After retiring from coaching, Holcomb was the [[athletic director]] at [[Northwestern University]] (1956–1966) and later the [[General manager (baseball)|general manager]] of [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[Chicago White Sox]] (1971–1973).

==Coaching career==
===Miami===
Holcomb was named [[Miami University]]'s head football coach for the 1942&nbsp;season succeeding [[Frank Wilton]]. His first team went 3–6 which equaled the number of wins of the three previous years for the Redskins. The next year Holcomb and the Redskins posted a winning record of 7–2–1. This team was dominated by defense, only allowing their opponents to score in double digits twice; A 34–12 win over [[Bradley University]] and a 35–0 blow out loss to [[University of Arkansas at Monticello|Arkansas A&M]]. In his two years as Miami’s head coach he compiled an overall record of 10–9–1. He left Miami to become an assistant coach for [[Earl Blaik]] at the [[United States Military Academy]]. He was replaced as Redskins coach by future [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Pro]] and [[College Football Hall of Fame]] coach [[Sid Gillman]] who was one of Holcomb's top assistant coaches.

===Army===
While an assistant football coach for the [[United States Military Academy]], Holcomb was head coach of the men’s basketball team for two seasons from 1945 through 1947. He led the cadets to two straight winning seasons of 9–6 and 9–7.

===Purdue===
During Holcomb’s tenure as Boilermakers head coach he compiled a record of 35–42–4. His best year was 1952 when he led the Boilermakers to a [[Big Ten Conference]] co-championship and a #18 ranking in the final poll. Despite having only a 4–3–2 overall record, Holcomb's team played well in conference with a 4–1–1 record. Holcomb’s Purdue teams are, perhaps, best remembered for ending Notre Dame's 39-game unbeaten streak when his Boilermakers defeated the Irish, 28–14, in the second game of the 1950 season. Holcomb was known for developing solid quarterbacks including [[Bob DeMoss]], [[Dale Samuels]] and [[Len Dawson]]. These players helped grow a strong tradition at Purdue of great quarterback play. On December 12, 1955, after his nine seasons at Purdue, Holcomb left Purdue to accept the athletic director position at the [[Northwestern University]]

==Sports administrator==
Holcomb served as the Athletic Director at Northwestern from 1956-1966. He hired fellow Miami alum [[Ara Parseghian]] to be the new Wildcats head coach in 1956, and Parseghian stayed at Northwestern until accepting the head coaching job at [[University of Notre Dame|Notre Dame]] following the 1963 season. One of the reasons for Parseghian's departure was his feud with Holcomb.<ref>Dent, Jim (2009). Resurrection: The Miracle Season That Saved Notre Dame. New York: St. Martin's Press. {{ISBN|978-0-312-56721-7}}.. Page 209</ref> He resigned from his Northwestern post on 1 December 1966.<ref name="brct660812f">Rockafield, Bob, "Holcomb to Leave N. U.; Will Manage New Soccer Team," ''Chicago Tribune'', Friday 12 August 1966. Retrieved 20 June 2025.</ref>

Four months prior on 11 August 1966, Holcomb was appointed as the [[general manager]] of the [[Chicago Mustangs (1967–68)|Chicago Mustangs]], a [[United Soccer Association]] franchise owned by [[Arthur Allyn, Jr.|Arthur]] and [[John Allyn]].<ref name="brct660812f"/> He was reassigned by the Allyn brothers to the [[1969 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]] as its [[public relations]] director on 11 October 1968,<ref>"Short's Job Shorter in Sox Change," ''Chicago Tribune'', Saturday 12 October 1968. Retrieved 27 June 2025.</ref> one month prior to the Mustangs withdrawing from the [[North American Soccer League]] (NASL).<ref>Korsower, Abe. "Pro Soccer Suspended; Mustangs May Disband," ''Chicago Tribune'', Saturday 2 November 1968. Retrieved 27 June 2025.</ref>

With the [[1970 Chicago White Sox season|White Sox]]'s record at 49&ndash;87 and en route to a franchise-worst 56&ndash;106 finish,<ref name="upi700902w">[https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/03/archives/gutteridge-is-released-as-white-sox-manager.html "Gutteridge Is Released As White Sox Manager," ''United Press International'' (UPI), Wednesday 2 September 1970.] Retrieved 10 December 2021.</ref> Holcomb was promoted to replace [[Ed Short]] as [[General manager (baseball)|general manager]] on 1 September 1970.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19700903&id=MLRVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4899,642248 "Gutteridge fired; Adair assumes job," ''The Associated Press'' (AP), Thursday 3 September 1970.] Retrieved 10 December 2021.</ref> He immediately began overhauling the ball club that month with the dismissal of [[Don Gutteridge]] on the 2nd and the hiring of [[Chuck Tanner]] and [[Roland Hemond]] from the [[Los Angeles Angels|California Angels]] as [[manager (baseball)|manager]] and director of player personnel respectively two days later on the 4th.<ref name="upi700902w"/><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/05/archives/tanner-is-appointed-white-sox-manager.html "Tanner Is Appointed White Sox Manager," ''The Associated Press'' (AP), Friday 4 September 1970.] Retrieved 10 December 2021.</ref> Holcomb resigned on 26 July 1973 as a result of disagreements with Tanner over the [[1973 Chicago White Sox season|team]]'s roster depth.<ref>Condon, David. "In the Wake of the News: Holcomb discloses feud with Tanner," ''Chicago Tribune'', Saturday 28 July 1973. Retrieved 27 June 2025.</ref> He was succeeded by Hemond as general manager four days later on 30 July.<ref>"Allyn names Hemond Sox GM," ''Chicago Tribune'', Tuesday 31 July 1973. Retrieved 27 June 2025.</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/roland-hemond-former-white-sox-and-orioles-general-manager-dies-at-92/ | title=Roland Hemond, former White Sox and Orioles general manager, dies at 92 }}</ref>

==Death==
Holcomb died of a heart attack, on January 11, 1977, in [[Venice, Florida]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Former Purdue Football Coach Stu Holcomb Dies In Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22003571/the_indianapolis_star/ |newspaper=[[The Indianapolis Star]] |location=[[Indianapolis|Indianapolis, Indiana]] |date=January 12, 1977 |page=28 |access-date=July 19, 2018 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{Open access}} }}</ref>

==Family==
Holcomb's three sons played college football: Chip at [[Northwestern University]], Doug at [[Purdue University]], and Bryan at [[Arizona State University]] and [[Florida State University]].

==Head coaching record==
===Football===
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = both }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Findlay Oilers football|Findlay Oilers]]
 | conf      = Independent
 | startyear = 1932
 | endyear   = 1935
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1932 college football season|1932]]
 | name         = Findlay
 | overall      = 3–2–2
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1933 college football season|1933]]
 | name         = Findlay
 | overall      = 5–2
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1934 college football season|1934]]
 | name         = Findlay
 | overall      = 3–3
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1935 college football season|1935]]
 | name         = Findlay
 | overall      = 4–4
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Findlay
 | overall    = 15–11–2
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Muskingum Fighting Muskies football|Muskingum Fighting Muskies]]
 | conf      = [[Ohio Athletic Conference]]
 | startyear = 1936
 | endyear   = 1940
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1936 college football season|1936]]
 | name         = Muskingum
 | overall      = 6–3
 | conference   = 5–1
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1937 college football season|1937]]
 | name         = Muskingum
 | overall      = 4–3–2
 | conference   = 3–2–2
 | confstanding = 6th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1938 college football season|1938]]
 | name         = Muskingum
 | overall      = 5–3–2
 | conference   = 4–1–1
 | confstanding = 5th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1939 college football season|1939]]
 | name         = Muskingum
 | overall      = 8–1
 | conference   = 6–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1940 college football season|1940]]
 | name         = Muskingum
 | overall      = 5–2–1
 | conference   = 3–1
 | confstanding = 4th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Muskingum
 | overall    = 28–12–4
 | confrecord = 21–6–3
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Washington & Jefferson Presidents football|Washington & Jefferson Presidents]]
 | conf      = Independent
 | startyear = 1941
 | endyear   = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1941 college football season|1941]]
 | name         = Washington & Jefferson
 | overall      = 5–1–1
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Washington & Jefferson
 | overall    = 5–1–1
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Miami RedHawks football|Miami Redskins]]
 | conf      = independent
 | startyear = 1942
 | endyear   = 1943
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1942 college football season|1942]]
 | name         = [[1942 Miami Redskins football team|Miami]]
 | overall      = 3–6
 | conference   =  
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1943 college football season|1943]]
 | name         = [[1943 Miami Redskins football team|Miami]]
 | overall      = 7–2–1
 | conference   =  
 | confstanding = 
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Miami
 | overall    = 10–8–1
 | confrecord =  
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue Boilermakers]]
 | conf      = [[Big Ten Conference]]
 | startyear = 1947
 | endyear   = 1955
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1947 college football season|1947]]
 | name         = [[1947 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 5–4   
 | conference   = 3–3
 | confstanding = T–3rd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1948 college football season|1948]]
 | name         = [[1948 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 3–6   
 | conference   = 2–4
 | confstanding = T–5th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1949 college football season|1949]]
 | name         = [[1949 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 4–5   
 | conference   = 2–4
 | confstanding = 8th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1950 college football season|1950]]
 | name         = [[1950 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 2–7
 | conference   = 1–4    
 | confstanding = T–8th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1951 college football season|1951]]
 | name         = [[1951 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 5–4    
 | conference   = 4–1
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 14
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[1952 college football season|1952]]
 | name         = [[1952 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 4–3–2   
 | conference   = 4–1–1
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 12
 | ranking2     = 18
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1953 college football season|1953]]
 | name         = [[1953 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 2–7   
 | conference   = 2–4
 | confstanding = 8th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1954 college football season|1954]]
 | name         = [[1954 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 5–3–1   
 | conference   = 3–3
 | confstanding = 6th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = [[1955 college football season|1955]]
 | name         = [[1955 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]]
 | overall      = 5–3–1   
 | conference   = 4–2
 | confstanding = 4th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      = 
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Purdue
 | overall    = 35–42–4
 | confrecord = 25–23–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall  = 93–75–12
 | bowls    = no
 | poll     = two
 | polltype =
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{navboxes
|list  =
{{Findlay Oilers football coach navbox}}
{{Muskingum Fighting Muskies football coach navbox}}
{{Washington & Jefferson Presidents football coach navbox}}
{{Miami RedHawks football coach navbox}}
{{Army Black Knights men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Purdue Boilermakers football coach navbox}}
{{Northwestern Wildcats athletic director navbox}}
{{Chicago White Sox general managers}}
{{1945 Army Cadets football navbox}}
{{1946 Army Cadets football navbox}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holcomb, Stu}}
[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:1977 deaths]]
[[Category:American football halfbacks]]
[[Category:Army Black Knights football coaches]]
[[Category:Army Black Knights men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox executives]]
[[Category:Findlay Oilers football coaches]]
[[Category:Findlay Oilers men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball general managers]]
[[Category:Miami RedHawks football coaches]]
[[Category:Muskingum Fighting Muskies football coaches]]
[[Category:Muskingum Fighting Muskies men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Northwestern Wildcats athletic directors]]
[[Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players]]
[[Category:Purdue Boilermakers football coaches]]
[[Category:Washington & Jefferson Presidents football coaches]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Erie, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Coaches of American football from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Pennsylvania]]