Cole Proctor
{{Short description|American football coach and scout (1942–2020)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Cole Proctor
| image = Cole Proctor, 1968.png
| alt =
| caption = Proctor in 1968
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1942|6|25}}
| birth_place = Meriden, Connecticut, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|9|18|1942|6|25}}
| death_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
| alma_mater = Morehead State University (1967, 1968)
| player_years1 = 1962–1963
| player_team1 = State College of Iowa
| player_years2 = 1964–1966
| player_team2 = Morehead State
| player_positions = Offensive tackle
| coach_years1 = 1967
| coach_team1 = Morehead State (GA)
| coach_years2 = 1968
| coach_team2 = Lees–McRae (line)
| coach_years3 = 1969–1971
| coach_team3 = Gardner–Webb (line)
| coach_years4 = 1972
| coach_team4 = Chatham Township HS (NJ)
| coach_years5 = 1973–1975
| coach_team5 = Keene HS (NH)
| coach_years6 = 1976–1978
| coach_team6 = Lees–McRae
| coach_years7 = 1979–1980
| coach_team7 = East Tennessee State (DL)
| coach_years8 = 1981–1985
| coach_team8 = San Diego State (DL)
| coach_years9 = 1986
| coach_team9 = Iowa State (DL)
| coach_years10 = 1987–1989
| coach_team10 = Utah (DL)
| coach_years11 = 1990–1993
| coach_team11 = Morehead State
| coach_years12 = 1994–1998
| coach_team12 = Arizona Cardinals (scout)
| coach_years13 = 1999–2011
| coach_team13 = Tennessee Titans (scout)
| admin_years1 = 1976–1979
| admin_team1 = Lees–McRae
| overall_record = 15–29 (college)
14–15 (junior college)
12–27 (high school)
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships =
| awards = OVC Coach of the Year (1990)
| coaching_records =
}}
Cole A. Proctor (June 25, 1942 – September 18, 2020) was an American college football coach and scout. He was the head football coach for Chatham Township High School in 1972, Keene High School from 1973 to 1975, Lees–McRae College from 1976 to 1978, and Morehead State University from 1990 to 1993. He also coached for Gardner–Webb, East Tennessee State, San Diego State, Iowa State, and Utah. He served as a scout for the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for State College of Iowa—now known as Northern Iowa—and Morehead State as an offensive tackle.
Early life and playing career
Proctor was born in Meriden, Connecticut, attended Lyman Hall High School, and prepped at Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton, Maine. While attending Lyman Hall he received All-State honors in football.{{Cite news |date=June 7, 1968 |title=Cole Proctor Is L-M Aide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-knoxville-news-sentinel-cole-proctor/158595222/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=The Knoxville News-Sentinel |pages=35}}
Proctor signed to play college football for the State College of Iowa—now known as Northern Iowa—from 1962 to 1963. In 1964, he transferred to Morehead State University. He was a member of the 1966 Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) championship team. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in education in 1967 and 1968, respectively.
Coaching career
Proctor began his coaching career as the line coach under head coach George Litton for Lees–McRae.{{Cite news |date=July 7, 1968 |title=Lees-McRae Bobcats Sign Grid Assistant |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/elizabethton-star-lees-mcrae-bobcats-sig/158595318/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=Elizabethton Star |pages=4}} He replaced Jerry Kirk who was hired as the line coach for Ferrum, a fellow Coastal Football Conference (CFC) opponent. He resigned after one season to accept a similar position at Gardner–Webb.{{Cite news |date=July 20, 1969 |title=Lees-McRae Again Hunting Assistant Football Coach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/asheville-citizen-times-lees-mcrae-again/158595891/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=Asheville Citizen-Times |pages=20}}{{Cite news |date=August 11, 1969 |title=Sports in Short |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/statesville-record-and-landmark-sports-i/158595928/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=Statesville Record and Landmark |pages=11}} He was retained as Litton was hired as head coach in 1970.
In 1972, Proctor was hired as the head football coach for Chatham Township High School in Chatham Township, New Jersey.{{Cite news |date=August 24, 1972 |title=Gardner-Webb Has New Coach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/elizabethton-star-gardner-webb-has-new-c/158596291/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=Elizabethton Star |pages=6}} He inherited a team that went 3–6.{{Cite news |date=September 19, 1972 |title=Chatham Township |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-news-chatham-township/158596253/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=The Herald-News |pages=36}} Despite only having 28 players on the roster, he helped lead the team to a 7–2 record, the conference championship, and he was named conference coach of the year.{{Cite news |last=Jenkins |first=Henry |date=August 8, 1976 |title=Sideline Review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/johnson-city-press-sideline-review/158596992/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=Johnson City Press |pages=25}} After his lone year in New Jersey, he was hired as the head football coach for Keene High School in Keene, New Hampshire.{{Cite news |last=Curley |first=Bob |date=May 14, 1973 |title=Curley-Cues |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-curley-cues/158596448/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=The News |pages=20}} In his first season with the Blackbirds, the team finished winless with an 0–10 record.{{Cite news |last=Campbell |first=Ken |date=September 7, 1974 |title=Speaking of Sports |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brattleboro-reformer-speaking-of-spo/158596568/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=The Brattleboro Reformer |pages=18}} In three seasons he amassed an overall record of 12–27.
In 1976, Proctor was hired as the head football coach for Lees–McRae, rejoining the team after seven years away.{{Cite news |date=July 18, 1976 |title=Bobcats Select Proctor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/asheville-citizen-times-bobcats-select-p/158597124/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=Asheville Citizen-Times |pages=29}}{{Cite news |date=July 18, 1976 |title=Proctor Named To Grid Post |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-proctor-named-to-g/158597169/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=The News and Observer |pages=29}} He finished his three-year career with an overall record of 14–15 with his best season coming in his first as the team finished 5–4. In 1979, he left Lees–McRae and was hired as the defensive line coach for East Tennessee State under head coach Jack Carlisle.{{Cite news |date=February 2, 1979 |title=Cole Proctor Joins ETSU Football Coaching Staff |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-cole-proctor-joins-etsu/158597703/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=Kingsport Times |pages=14}}{{Cite news |date=February 2, 1979 |title=Lees-McRae's Proctor joins Buc grid staff |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/johnson-city-press-lees-mcraes-proctor/158597738/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=Johnson City Press |pages=21}} In 1981, he resigned from East Tennessee State and was hired as the defensive line coach for San Diego State. After five seasons with San Diego State, he was hired in the same capacity for Iowa State.{{Cite news |date=December 31, 1985 |title=Aztecs hire receivers coach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-county-times-aztecs-hire-receivers/158598791/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=North County Times |pages=18}}{{Cite news |date=January 7, 1986 |title=Cyclones fill defensive line coaching spot with SDS aide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sioux-city-journal-cyclones-fill-def/158598893/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=The Sioux City Journal |pages=13}} In 1987, Proctor was hired to be defensive line coach for his fourth school at Utah.
In 1990, Proctor earned his second collegiate head coaching job as he was hired by his alma mater, Morehead State.{{Cite news |last=McIntyre |first=Christy |date=December 15, 1989 |title=Utah aide hired to lead Eagles |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lexington-herald-leader-utah-aide-hired/158599100/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=Lexington Herald-Leader |pages=51}}{{Cite news |date=December 16, 1989 |title=Morehead To Name Proctor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leaf-chronicle-morehead-to-name-proc/158599155/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=The Leaf-Chronicle |pages=18}}{{Cite news |last=Terhune |first=Jim |title=Proctor is named new football coach at Morehead State |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-proctor-is-named-new/158599204/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=The Courier-Journal |pages=8}} In four years with the team he finished with an overall record of 15–29. During his tenure, he hired future NFL head coach Rex Ryan as his defensive coordinator.{{cite news |last=Wentworth |first=Bridget |date=January 21, 2009 |title=New York Jets coach Rex Ryan has right attitude, right pedigree |url=http://nj.com/jets/2009/01/new_york_jets_coach_rex_ryan_h.html |access-date=August 29, 2019 |publisher=nj.com}} He resigned from the team after the university's president Ronald G. Eaglin attempted to turn Morehead State into a non-scholarship football school.{{Cite news |last=Terhune |first=Jim |date=March 6, 1994 |title=Morehead's president still proposing no-scholarship football |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-moreheads-president/158599418/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=The Courier-Journal |pages=16}}
From 1994 to 2011, Proctor served as a scout for the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL).{{cite web |title=Cole Proctor |url=http://prod.static.titans.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/p47-64Admin.pdf |access-date=August 29, 2019 |publisher=Tennessee Titans}}{{cite web |title=Administration |url=http://prod.static.titans.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/p47-64Admin.pdf |access-date=August 29, 2019 |publisher=Tennessee Titans}}{{cite news |last=McCormick |first=Terry |date=July 17, 2012 |title=Ruskell joins Titans front office |url=https://247sports.com/nfl/tennessee-titans/Article/Long-time-executive-Tim-Ruskell-joins-Titans-front-office-81163/ |access-date=August 29, 2019 |publisher=247sports.com}}
Personal life
In 1983, Proctor was indicted on four felony counts of grand theft and insurance fraud. It was alleged that he made a false $20,000 insurance claim on a $14,000 boat and trailer that he and a partner had hidden in Mexico. Richard Guseman, a former California Highway Patrol officer who pleaded guilty to two felony charges of insurance fraud in June 1983, assisted Proctor by filing a false $6,934 insurance claim from an unrelated case in January and was assumed to be the partner in Proctor's alleged crime.{{Cite news |last=Forster |first=Mark |date=September 20, 1983 |title=SDSU Assistant Coach Accused of Fraud |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-sdsu-assistant-coa/158598211/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=The Los Angeles Times |pages=25}}{{Cite news |date=September 20, 1983 |title=SDSU football coach indicted on theft charges |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-times-advocate-sdsu-football-coach/158598553/ |access-date=November 7, 2024 |work=Daily Times-Advocate |pages=11}}
Proctor died on September 18, 2020, in his home in Cincinnati.
Head coaching record
=College=
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Morehead State Eagles
| conf = Ohio Valley Conference
| startyear = 1990
| endyear = 1993
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1990
| name = Morehead State
| overall = 5–6
| conference = 3–3
| confstanding = T–4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1991
| name = Morehead State
| overall = 4–7
| conference = 3–4
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1992
| name = Morehead State
| overall = 3–8
| conference = 3–5
| confstanding = 5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1993
| name = Morehead State
| overall = 3–8
| conference = 2–6
| confstanding = T–7th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Morehead State
| overall = 15–29
| confrecord = 11–18
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 15–29
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
| legend = no
}}
=Junior college=
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Lees–McRae Bobcats
| conf = Coastal Football Conference
| startyear = 1976
| endyear = 1978
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1976
| name = Lees–McRae
| overall = 5–4
| conference = 3–2
| confstanding = 3rd (Southern)
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1977
| name = Lees–McRae
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 1–4
| confstanding = 7th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1978
| name = Lees–McRae
| overall = 5–5
| conference = 2–4
| confstanding = 6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Lees–McRae
| overall = 14–15
| confrecord = 6–10
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 14–15
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
| legend = no
}}
=High school=
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Chatham Township Gladiators
| conf =
| startyear = 1972
| endyear = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1972
| name = Chatham Township
| overall = 7–2
| conference =
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Chatham Township
| overall = 7–2
| confrecord =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Keene Blackbirds
| conf =
| startyear = 1973
| endyear = 1975
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1973
| name = Keene
| overall = 0–10
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1974
| name = Keene
| overall = 3–7
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1975
| name = Keene
| overall = 2–8
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Keene
| overall = 5–25
| confrecord =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 12–27
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Lees–McRae Bobcats athletic director navbox}}
{{Lees–McRae Bobcats football coach navbox}}
{{Morehead State Eagles football coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Proctor, Cole}}
Category:American football tackles
Category:Arizona Cardinals scouts
Category:East Tennessee State Buccaneers football coaches
Category:Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football coaches
Category:Lees–McRae Bobcats athletic directors
Category:Lees–McRae Bobcats (junior college) football coaches
Category:Morehead State Eagles football coaches
Category:Morehead State Eagles football players
Category:Northern Iowa Panthers football players
Category:San Diego State Aztecs football coaches
Category:Tennessee Titans scouts
Category:Utah Utes football coaches
Category:High school football coaches in New Hampshire
Category:High school football coaches in New Jersey
Category:Bridgton Academy alumni
Category:People from Meriden, Connecticut
Category:People from Wallingford, Connecticut