Jim Carlen

Jim Carlen
Carlen in 1962 with Georgia Tech
Biographical details
Born(1933-07-11)July 11, 1933
Cookeville, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedJuly 22, 2012(2012-07-22) (aged 79)
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, U.S.
Playing career
1953–1954Georgia Tech
Position(s)Linebacker, punter
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1958–1960Georgia Tech (freshmen)
1961–1965Georgia Tech (defense)
1966–1969West Virginia
1970–1974Texas Tech
1975–1981South Carolina
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1975–1981South Carolina
Head coaching record
Overall107–69–6
Bowls2–5–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 SoCon (1967)
Awards
2× SWC Coach of the Year (1970, 1973)

James Anthony Carlen III (July 11, 1933 – July 22, 2012) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at West Virginia University (1966–1969) and Texas Tech University (1970–1974). He served as both the head football coach and athletic director of the University of South Carolina (1975–1981). Carlen compiled an overall career college football record of 107–69–6.

Coaching career

Carlen coached the West Virginia Mountaineers from 1966 to 1969 with a record of 25–13–3 (.658). Then he coached the Texas Tech Red Raiders from 1970 to 1974, where he amassed a 37–20–2 record. From 1975 to 1981, he was the head football coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks where he coached Heisman Trophy running back George Rogers and compiled a 45–36–1 record. Carlen 45 wins are third most in the program's history after Steve Spurrier's 86 and Rex Enright's 64. In 1979 and 1980, Carlen led the Gamecocks to consecutive 8–4 campaigns with appearances in the Hall of Fame Classic and Gator Bowl. His career bowl game record is 2–5–1.

In July 2008, four years before his death, Carlen was inducted into the Texas Tech Athletics Hall of Honor.[1]

Coach Carlen was actively involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) during his entire post-coaching life. In April 2011 he was quoted as saying, “I was one of the original six members of the FCA, the originals. FCA started very small, and then it snowballed. When I hired a coach I always took a close look at his spiritual life,” Carlen said. “When you have God on your side you don’t have to worry.” [2]

Death

Carlen died on July 22, 2012, at the age of seventy-nine at a nursing home near his home at Hilton Head Island in Beaufort County in southeastern South Carolina.[3] A memorial service was scheduled for Friday, July 27, at 4 p.m. at the Trenholm Road United Methodist Church in Columbia, South Carolina.[4]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
West Virginia Mountaineers (Southern Conference) (1966–1967)
1966 West Virginia 3–5–2 3–0 2nd
1967 West Virginia 5–4–1 3–0–1 1st
West Virginia Mountaineers (NCAA University Division independent) (1968–1969)
1968 West Virginia 7–3
1969 West Virginia 10–1 W Peach 18 17
West Virginia: 25–13–3 6–0–1
Texas Tech Red Raiders (Southwest Conference) (1970–1974)
1970 Texas Tech 8–4 5–2 3rd L Sun
1971 Texas Tech 4–7 2–5 7th
1972 Texas Tech 8–4 4–3 T–2nd L Sun
1973 Texas Tech 11–1 6–1 2nd W Gator 11 11
1974 Texas Tech 6–4–2 3–4 6th T Peach
Texas Tech: 37–20–2 20–15
South Carolina Gamecocks (NCAA Division I / I-A independent) (1975–1981)
1975 South Carolina 7–5 L Tangerine
1976 South Carolina 6–5
1977 South Carolina 5–7
1978 South Carolina 5–5–1
1979 South Carolina 8–4 L Hall of Fame Classic
1980 South Carolina 8–4 L Gator
1981 South Carolina 6–6
South Carolina: 45–36–1
Total: 107–69–6
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. ^ Tech Hall of Fame, Hall of Honor announces seven new inductees[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ Coach Jim Carlen: College Football Hall of Fame Nominee for 2011
  3. ^ Former USC Head Coach Jim Carlen Dies
  4. ^ "George Watson, "Former Texas Tech football coach Jim Carlen dies at age 79:Jim Carlen wasn't at Texas Tech long, but the impact he had resonates today"". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2012.