AFCA to honor Ad Rutschman at annual convention
Former Linfield College coach and athletic director Ad Rutschman will be honored during the 2018 American Football Coaches Association convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The AFCA will honor Rutschman, together with Kansas State coach Bill Snyder and two other longtime coaches, with "Honorary Membership" plaques on January 8 as part of the annual coaches convention.
Todd Berry, executive director of AFCA, informed Rutschman in a letter, writing, "This special award is being given to you for your service to the game of football."
Rutschman, 86, lives in McMinnville and will not attend the convention. Accepting the award on his behalf is current Linfield football coach Joseph Smith, an All-America player under Rutschman during his 24 seasons as Linfield head football coach (1968–1991).
A 1950 Hillsboro High School and 1954 Linfield graduate (with a Master of Education degree in 1958), Rutschman was a standout three-sport athlete at both of his alma maters in football, basketball and baseball. After graduating from Linfield, he coached Hillsboro High to three state baseball championships (one a co-championship) and led the Spartans to one football state title.
At Linfield he was baseball coach from 1971 until 1983, and athletic director from 1973 to 1996. His very first Linfield baseball team won the 1971 NAIA national championship. His Linfield football teams won NAIA national championships in 1982, 1984 and 1986. He is the only college coach from any level to lead teams to national titles in both football and baseball.
"I greatly appreciate this honor," said Rutschman, Linfield athletic director emeritus. "I also have pride in the success of those whom I've coached."
As head high school football coaches, Rutchman's former Linfield football players went on to lead their respective teams to 29 state football titles in six different states: Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, Alaska, Arizona and Florida. More than 120 of his former football players and assistant football coaches went on to become high school head football coaches. Eighteen of them have become college head football coaches.
