Bill Kollar
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1952)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Bill Kollar
| image = Bill kollar bengals.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Kollar with the Bengals
| number = 68, 77
| current_team =
| position = Defensive tackle
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1952|11|27|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Warren, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 255
| high_school = Warren G. Harding
(Warren, Ohio)
| college = Montana State (1971–1973)
| draftyear = 1974
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 23
| pastteams =
- Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|1974|1976}})
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|1977|1981}})
| pastcoaching =
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|1984}})
Special teams coordinator & defensive assistant - Illinois (1985)
Graduate assistant - Illinois (1986–1987)
Defensive line coach & special teams coordinator - Purdue (1988–1989)
Defensive line coach & special teams coordinator - Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|1990|2000}})
Defensive line coach - St. Louis Rams ({{NFL Year|2001|2005}})
Defensive line coach - Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2006|2008}})
Defensive line coach - Houston Texans ({{NFL Year|2009|2014}})
Defensive line coach - Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2015|2022}})
Defensive line coach
| highlights = ; As a player
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (1974)
- First-team All-American (1973)
- First-team Little All-American (1973)
- Montana State Bobcats No. 77 retired
; As a coach
| statlabel1 = Sacks
| statvalue1 = 18
| statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue2 = 11
| pfr = K/KollBi20
| CollegeHOF = 2509
}}
William Wallace Kollar (born November 27, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. Kollar played as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1974 to 1976, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1977 to 1981. Kollar has 34 years of coaching experience, including the last 28 seasons coaching defensive linemen in the NFL. Before coming to Denver in 2015, he coached the defensive line for Houston (2009–2014), Buffalo (2006–2008), St. Louis (2001–2005) and Atlanta (1990–2000).
Early life
Kollar grew up in Warren, Ohio and attended Warren G. Harding High School, graduating in 1970.{{cite web | url=http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/566305/Kollar-helps-Texans-oust-Bengals.html?nav=5024 | title=Kollar helps Texans oust Bengals }} He then attended Montana State University, where he was a three-time First-team All-Big Sky Conference selection and a two-time Little All-American. As a junior for the Bobcats, he was named the Big Sky Player of the Year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.msubobcats.com/news/2013/6/13/FB_0613131141.aspx|title = Bobcats by the Numbers: 77}} Kollar went on to earn Most Valuable Player honors at the 1974 Senior Bowl and was inducted into the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame in 2014.{{cite web |last1=Schubert |first1=Erich |title=Broncos Media Guide |url=http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |website=denverbroncos.com |access-date=2018-07-11 |archive-date=2019-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216001512/http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |url-status=dead }} His jersey #77 has been retired by Montana State.[https://msubobcats.com/news/2015/6/12/FB_0612152225 Bill Kollar] at Msubobcats.com, 18 Jun 2015
Coaching career
=Early years=
He began coaching as a defensive assistant and special teams coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under coach John McKay in 1984. He then spent three seasons at the University of Illinois, first as a graduate assistant and then a defensive line/special teams coach, and two years at Purdue University.
=NFL=
Kollar began his NFL coaching career as the defensive line coach for the Atlanta Falcons in 1990. He spent more than a decade (1990-2000) coaching the defensive line for the Falcons, highlighted by an NFC Championship in 1998 and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII against Denver. Kollar then spent five seasons coaching the defensive line in St. Louis. Kollar’s defensive line was instrumental in the Rams’ 2001 Super Bowl run as the club ranked third in the NFL in rush defense (85.9 ypg) while tying for the seventh-most sacks (45) in the league.{{cite web |last1=Schubert |first1=Erich |title=Broncos Media Guide |url=http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |website=denverbroncos.com |access-date=2018-07-11 |archive-date=2019-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216001512/http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |url-status=dead }} Kollar then spent three years coaching the defensive line in Buffalo (2006–08), where he coached future All-Pro defensive tackle Kyle Williams and two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Aaron Schobel.{{cite web |last1=Schubert |first1=Erich |title=Broncos Media Guide |url=http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |website=denverbroncos.com |access-date=2018-07-11 |archive-date=2019-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216001512/http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |url-status=dead }}
==Houston Texans==
Kollar joined the Houston Texans in 2009 and spent six years there, including his first five years as assistant head coach/defensive line. During his tenure with the Texans, the team ranked eighth in the NFL in total defense (329 .4 ypg) and third in the league in opponent third-down percentage (35.9).{{cite web |last1=Schubert |first1=Erich |title=Broncos Media Guide |url=http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |website=denverbroncos.com |access-date=2018-07-11 |archive-date=2019-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216001512/http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |url-status=dead }} Kollar’s unit adjusted to the defense’s transition to a 3-4 scheme in 2011 under Houston Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips. The Texans went on to post the third-largest defensive turnaround (-91.2 ypg) in NFL history in 2011.{{cite web |last1=Schubert |first1=Erich |title=Broncos Media Guide |url=http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |website=denverbroncos.com |access-date=2018-07-11 |archive-date=2019-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216001512/http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |url-status=dead }} Defensive ends Mario Williams, Antonio Smith and J. J. Watt combined for five Pro Bowls playing for Kollar in Houston.{{cite web |last1=Schubert |first1=Erich |title=Broncos Media Guide |url=http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |website=denverbroncos.com |access-date=2018-07-11 |archive-date=2019-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216001512/http://files.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/email_blast/2018_Denver_Broncos_Media_Guide_a.pdf |url-status=dead }}
==Denver Broncos==
After the 2014 season, Kollar left the Texans and became the Denver Broncos defensive line coach, where he reunited with Gary Kubiak.{{Cite web |url=http://www.houstontexans.com/team/coaches/bill-kollar/92e30978-6a30-4e27-8728-d5b2afb4679d |title=Houston Texans: Bill Kollar |access-date=February 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121226234625/http://www.houstontexans.com/team/coaches/bill-kollar/92e30978-6a30-4e27-8728-d5b2afb4679d |archive-date=December 26, 2012 |url-status=dead }} On February 7, 2016, Kollar was part of the Broncos coaching staff that won Super Bowl 50. In the game, the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers by a score of 24–10.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201602070den.htm|title=Super Bowl 50 - Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers - February 7th, 2016|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=August 31, 2017}}
Personal life
Kollar and his wife, Jan, have two sons, Chad and Clint.{{cite web|url=http://media.houstontexans.com/images/9057/Media_Guides/2013MG/2013CoachingStaff.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=November 11, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111225614/http://media.houstontexans.com/images/9057/Media_Guides/2013MG/2013CoachingStaff.pdf |archive-date=November 11, 2014 }}
In 1995, Kollar was inducted into his hometown Warren Sports Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=http://warrensportshof.com/inductees.php|title = Warren Sports Hall of Fame}} On April 10, 2014, he was named to the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame, commemorating the 40th anniversary of his being named MVP of the annual college all-star game.{{Cite web |url=http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Bill-Kollar-selected-to-Sr-Bowl-Hall-of-Fame/a5869f0c-fa85-46c3-832e-b5d94271343c |title=Bill Kollar selected to Sr. Bowl Hall of Fame |access-date=November 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111214013/http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Bill-Kollar-selected-to-Sr-Bowl-Hall-of-Fame/a5869f0c-fa85-46c3-832e-b5d94271343c |archive-date=November 11, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121226234625/http://www.houstontexans.com/team/coaches/bill-kollar/92e30978-6a30-4e27-8728-d5b2afb4679d Houston Texans bio]
{{1974 NFL Draft}}
{{Bengals1974DraftPicks}}
{{BengalsFirstPick}}
{{Super Bowl 50}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kollar, Bill}}
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Atlanta Falcons coaches
Category:Buffalo Bills coaches
Category:Cincinnati Bengals players
Category:Denver Broncos coaches
Category:Houston Texans coaches
Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football coaches
Category:Montana State Bobcats football players
Category:Players of American football from Warren, Ohio
Category:Purdue Boilermakers football coaches
Category:St. Louis Rams coaches
Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaches
Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players