Chuck Mills

{{Short description|American college football coach (1928–2021)}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Chuck Mills

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1928|12|1}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|1|18|1928|12|1}}

| death_place = Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.

| alma_mater = Illinois State University

| coach_years1 = 1951

| coach_team1 = Chicago Mount Carmel HS (IL) (assistant)

| coach_years2 = 1952–1953

| coach_team2 = Mendel Catholic HS (IL)

| coach_years3 = 1954

| coach_team3 = North Chicago HS (IL)

| coach_years4 = 1955

| coach_team4 = Loyola HS (CA)

| coach_years5 = 1956

| coach_team5 = Citrus (line)

| coach_years6 = 1957–1958

| coach_team6 = Pomona (assistant)

| coach_years7 = 1959–1961

| coach_team7 = Pomona

| coach_years8 = 1962–1963

| coach_team8 = Indiana State (PA)

| coach_years9 = 1964

| coach_team9 = Merchant Marine

| coach_years10 = 1965

| coach_team10 = Arizona (assistant)

| coach_years11 = 1966

| coach_team11 = Kansas City Chiefs (assistant)

| coach_years12 = 1967–1972

| coach_team12 = Utah State

| coach_years13 = 1973–1977

| coach_team13 = Wake Forest

| coach_years14 = 1980–1988

| coach_team14 = Southern Oregon

| coach_years15 = 1997

| coach_team15 = Coast Guard

| admin_years1 = 1978–1980

| admin_team1 = Blue–Gray Football Classic (exec. dir.)

| admin_years2 = 1980–1989

| admin_team2 = Southern Oregon

| admin_years3 = 1989–1999Vickie Fulkerson, [https://www.theday.com/local-colleges/20210123/coast-guard-coach-athletic-director-chuck-mills-left-a-legacy-of-wisdom-laughter/ Coast Guard coach, athletic director Chuck Mills left a legacy of wisdom, laughter], The Day, January 23, 2021, accessed June 12, 2024.

| admin_team3 = Coast Guard

| overall_record = 132–133–5 (college)

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record = 1–1 (NAIA D-I playoffs)
0–1 (NCAA D-III playoffs)

| championships = 1 FFC (1997)

| awards =

| coaching_records =

}}

Morton J. "Chuck" Mills (December 1, 1928 – January 18, 2021) was an American college football coach. He served as the head coach at Pomona College (1957–1961), Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1962–1963), the United States Merchant Marine Academy (1964), Utah State University (1967–1972), Wake Forest University (1973–1977), Southern Oregon University (1980–1988), and the United States Coast Guard Academy (1997).

Education

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Mills graduated from Illinois State University in 1950.{{cite web |last=Hoffmann |first=Doug |date=January 19, 2021 |title=Former Utah State head football coach Chuck Mills dies at age 92 |url=https://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/archive/2021/01/19/former-utah-state-head-football-coach-chuck-mills-dies-at-age-92/ |work=Cache Valley Daily |access-date=January 19, 2021}}{{cite web |last=Judd |first=Brandon |title=Former Utah State football coach Chuck Mills dies |url=https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/19/22238848/former-utah-state-aggies-football-coach-chuck-mills-dies-age-92 |work=Deseret News |access-date=January 19, 2021 |date=January 19, 2021}}{{cite web |last=Burglund |first=Matthew |title=Former IUP football coach Mills dies at 93 |url=https://www.indianagazette.com/sports/former-iup-football-coach-mills-dies-at-93/article_10cbabd2-5b35-584e-9ab6-f447f20878be.html |work=The Indiana Gazette |access-date=January 19, 2021 |date=January 19, 2021}}

Coaching career

Hired in February 1967 at Utah State University, Mills was previously the offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oAoKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FEoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6402%2C1877630 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |title=Ags name grid coach |date=February 9, 1967 |page=D1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oQoKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FEoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5733%2C2139834 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |last=Ferguson |first=George |title=USU grid coach maps battle plan |date=February 10, 1967 |page=D1}} the champions of the American Football League (AFL). Previous USU head coach Tony Knap had resigned in January for an assistant coaching position with the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League (CFL).{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H0gwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=y0kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7364%2C3455757 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |last=Miller |first=Hack |title=Aggies' Tony Knap resigns |date=January 18, 1967 |page=B2}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aKxWAAAAIBAJ&pg=3956,928632|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=(Spokane, Washington)|title=Tony Knap resigns|agency=Associated Press|date=January 19, 1967|page=11}}

During his six seasons at Utah State, Mills' Aggies went {{winpct|38|23|1|record=y}}; 8–3 marks in 1971 and 1972 were the best. He took the first American collegiate football team to Japan in December 1971;{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6RlQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UVUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5292%2C5367824 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |last=Flannery |first=John S.|agency=(Utah State University Athletics)|title=Ceremony impressive |date=December 20, 1971 |page=B6}} the Japanese equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, known as the "Mills Trophy," is presented to the top collegiate football player in Japan each year.{{cite web |last1=Nagatsuka |first1=Kaz |title=Chuck Mills, who inspired Japan's college football to flourish, dies at 92 |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/01/19/more-sports/football/chuck-mills-obit/ |work=Japan Times |access-date=January 19, 2021 |date=January 19, 2021 |archive-date=January 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119093120/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/01/19/more-sports/football/chuck-mills-obit/ |url-status=dead }}

Death

In mid-January 2021, Mills was hospitalized in a Honolulu hospital for pneumonia and organ failure. He died on the morning of January 18, 2021, at age 92.

Head coaching record

=College=

{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = Coaches }}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Pomona Sagehens

| conf = Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

| startyear = 1959

| endyear = 1961

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1959

| name = Pomona

| overall = 5–4

| conference = 3–2

| confstanding = 3rd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1960

| name = Pomona

| overall = 2–7

| conference = 1–4

| confstanding = 5th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1961

| name = Pomona

| overall = 5–4

| conference = 1–3

| confstanding = 4th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Pomona

| overall = 12–15

| confrecord = 5–0

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Indiana State Indians

| conf = Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

| startyear = 1962

| endyear = 1963

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1962

| name = Indiana State

| overall = 5–2–1

| conference = 4–1–1

| confstanding = T–2nd (West)

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1963

| name = Indiana State

| overall = 7–1–1

| conference = 5–1

| confstanding = 2nd (West)

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Indiana State

| overall = 12–3–2

| confrecord = 9–2–1

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Merchant Marine Mariners

| conf = NCAA College Division independent

| startyear = 1964

| endyear = single

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1964

| name = Merchant Marine

| overall = 3–7

| conference =

| confstanding =

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Merchant Marine

| overall = 3–7

| confrecord =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Utah State Aggies

| conf = NCAA University Division independent

| startyear = 1967

| endyear = 1972

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1967

| name = Utah State

| overall = 7–2–1

| conference =

| confstanding =

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1968

| name = Utah State

| overall = 3–7

| conference =

| confstanding =

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1969

| name = Utah State

| overall = 7–3

| conference =

| confstanding =

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1970

| name = Utah State

| overall = 5–5

| conference =

| confstanding =

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1971

| name = Utah State

| overall = 8–3

| conference =

| confstanding =

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1972

| name = Utah State

| overall = 8–3

| conference =

| confstanding =

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = T–17

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Utah State

| overall = 38–23–1

| confrecord =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Wake Forest Demon Deacons

| conf = Atlantic Coast Conference

| startyear = 1973

| endyear = 1977

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1973

| name = Wake Forest

| overall = 1–9–1

| conference = 0–5–1

| confstanding = 7th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1974

| name = Wake Forest

| overall = 1–10

| conference = 0–6

| confstanding = 7th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1975

| name = Wake Forest

| overall = 3–8

| conference = 3–3

| confstanding = T–3rd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1976

| name = Wake Forest

| overall = 5–6

| conference = 3–3

| confstanding = 3rd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1977

| name = Wake Forest

| overall = 1–10

| conference = 0–6

| confstanding = 7th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Wake Forest

| overall = 11–43–1

| confrecord = 6–23–1

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Southern Oregon Raiders

| conf = Evergreen Conference

| startyear = 1980

| endyear = 1984

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1980

| name = Southern Oregon

| overall = 2–7

| conference = 2–3

| confstanding = 4th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1981

| name = Southern Oregon

| overall = 6–4

| conference = NA

| confstanding = NA

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1982

| name = Southern Oregon

| overall = 6–4

| conference = 3–1

| confstanding = 3rd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1983

| name = Southern Oregon

| overall = 9–2

| conference = 5–2

| confstanding = T–2nd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1984

| name = Southern Oregon

| overall = 6–4

| conference = 4–3

| confstanding = 4th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Southern Oregon Raiders

| conf = Columbia Football League

| startyear = 1985

| endyear = 1987

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1985

| name = Southern Oregon

| overall = 2–6–1

| conference = 1–4–1

| confstanding = 6th (Southern)

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1986

| name = Southern Oregon

| overall = 4–5

| conference = 2–4

| confstanding = T–4th (Southern)

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1987

| name = Southern Oregon

| overall = 7–4

| conference = 4–2

| confstanding = T–2nd (Southern)

| bowlname = NAIA Division I Quarterfinal

| bowloutcome = L

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Southern Oregon Raiders

| conf = Columbia Football Association

| startyear = 1988

| endyear = single

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1988

| name = Southern Oregon

| overall = 5–4

| conference = 3–3

| confstanding = T–3rd (Mount Hood)

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Southern Oregon

| overall = 47–40–1

| confrecord = 24–22–1

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Coast Guard Bears

| conf = Freedom Football Conference

| startyear = 1997

| endyear = single

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship = conference

| year = 1997

| name = Coast Guard

| overall = 9–2

| conference = 6–0

| confstanding = 1st

| bowlname = NCAA Division III First Round

| bowloutcome = L

| bcsbowl =

| ranking =

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Coast Guard

| overall = 9–2

| confrecord = 6–0

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record End

| overall = 132–133–5

| bowls = no

| poll = no

| polltype =

}}

References