Bill MacDermott

{{Short description|American gridiron football player and coach (1936–2016)}}

{{Infobox college coach

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1936|5|14}}

| birth_place = Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|5|5|1936|5|14}}

| death_place = Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

| alma_mater =

| player_years1 = 1950s

| player_team1 = Trinity (CT)

| player_positions = Offensive lineman

| coach_years1 = 1966–1970

| coach_team1 = Wesleyan (assistant)

| coach_years2 = 1971–1986

| coach_team2 = Wesleyan

| coach_years3 = 1987–1989

| coach_team3 = Cal Poly (assistant)

| coach_years4 = 1990

| coach_team4 = Toronto Argonauts (assistant)

| coach_years5 = 1991–1992

| coach_team5 = Orlando Thunder (OL)

| coach_years6 = 1992

| coach_team6 = Montreal Alouettes (assistant)

| coach_years7 = 1992–1996

| coach_team7 = Edmonton Eskimos (OL)

| coach_years8 = 1997

| coach_team8 = Winnipeg Blue Bombers (AHC)

| coach_years9 = 1997–1998

| coach_team9 = San Diego Chargers (TE)

| coach_years10 = 1999–2006

| coach_team10 = Edmonton Eskimos (OL)

| coach_years11 = 2008

| coach_team11 = Toronto Argonauts (OL)

| coach_years12 = 2010

| coach_team12 = Edmonton Huskies

| coach_years13 = 2011

| coach_team13 = Saskatchewan Roughriders (RB)

| coach_years14 = 2012–2013

| coach_team14 = Spruce Grove Panthers (RB)

| coach_years15 = 2013–2015

| coach_team15 = Ottawa (OL)

| coach_years16 = 2016

| coach_team16 = Alberta (OL)

| overall_record = 66–59–3

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record =

| championships =

| awards =

| coaching_records =

}}

Bill MacDermott (May 14, 1936 – May 5, 2016) was an American gridiron football coach. He played college football at Trinity College. After graduating from Trinity, he spent the next 50 years as a football coach at the college and professional levels. He was the head football coach at Wesleyan University from 1971 to 1986 and has also held coaching positions with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the Orlando Thunder, San Diego Chargers, Montreal Alouettes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts, and Edmonton Eskimos.

Biography

A native of Providence, Rhode Island, MacDermott graduated in 1960 from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. He began his coaching career in 1961 at Hopkins School in New Haven, Connecticut. He spent six years as the football and wrestling coach at the Hopkins School. From 1966 to 1970, he was an assistant football coach at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. He was named Wesleyan's head football coach in December 1970 following the retirement of Don Russell.{{cite news|title=Macdermott Named Wesleyan Coach|newspaper=The Day, New London, Connecticut|date=1970-12-18|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MCIiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fHQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3207,3214328&dq=bill-macdermott+wesleyan&hl=en}} He continued to hold that position through the 1986 season.{{cite news|title=Spencer Named Football Coach At Wesleyan|newspaper=Schenectady Gazette|date=1987-06-06|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NhAhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y3IFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3588,1471348&dq=bill-macdermott+wesleyan&hl=en}} In 16 years as the head coach at Wesleyan, MacDermott compiled a record of 66–59–3.{{cite web|title=ALL-TIME COACHING RECORDS |publisher=Wesleyan University |url=http://www.wesleyan.edu/athletics/football/alltimerecs/fbcoachatrecs.html |access-date=2010-06-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601173731/http://www.wesleyan.edu/athletics/football/alltimerecs/fbcoachatrecs.html |archive-date=1 June 2010 |url-status=dead }} His 66 wins rank him third among all head coaches in the history of the Wesleyan football program. During his tenure at Wesleyan, MacDermott coached Bill Belichick, who would himself go on to have a distinguished coaching career in the NFL. MacDermott also served as the wrestling coach at Wesleyan.

MacDermott has also been a football coach for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the Orlando Thunder (World League) and the San Diego Chargers (tight ends coach from 1997 to 1998). He later coached in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts, and Edmonton Eskimos.{{cite web|author=Tom Yantz |title=Bill MacDemott |publisher=Toronto Argonauts |url=http://www.argonauts.ca/page/bill-macdermott |access-date=2010-06-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611052908/http://www.argonauts.ca/page/bill-macdermott |archive-date=2011-06-11 }}{{cite news|title=FORMER CARDINAL, LINING UP ESKIMOS; BILL MACDERMOTT: WESLEYAN|newspaper=Hartford Courant |date=2002-11-10|page=E.8|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/235917281.html?dids=235917281:235917281&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+10,+2002&author=TOM+YANTZ;+Courant+Staff+Writer&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=FORMER+CARDINAL,+LINING+UP+ESKIMOS+;+BILL+MACDERMOTT:+WESLEYAN&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102134836/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/235917281.html?dids=235917281:235917281&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+10,+2002&author=TOM+YANTZ;+Courant+Staff+Writer&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=FORMER+CARDINAL,+LINING+UP+ESKIMOS+;+BILL+MACDERMOTT:+WESLEYAN&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 2, 2012 | first=Tom | last=Yantz}} In 2010, he took over as the head coach of the Edmonton Huskies. MacDermott died of congestive heart failure on May 5, 2016, in Edmonton.{{Cite web|url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/2016/05/06/edmonton-football-community-mourns-loss-of-bill-macdermott|title=Edmonton football community mourns loss of Bill MacDermott}}

References

Category:1936 births

Category:2016 deaths

Category:American football offensive linemen

Category:Alberta Golden Bears football coaches

Category:Cal Poly Mustangs football coaches

Category:Edmonton Elks coaches

Category:Montreal Alouettes coaches

Category:Orlando Thunder coaches

Category:Ottawa Gee-Gees football coaches

Category:San Diego Chargers coaches

Category:Toronto Argonauts coaches

Category:Trinity Bantams football players

Category:Wesleyan Cardinals football coaches

Category:Wesleyan University faculty

Category:Winnipeg Blue Bombers coaches

Category:Players of American football from Providence, Rhode Island