Story text by McMinnville N-R/News-Register staff: Online
Jan. 8, 2018. Print Jan. 9, 2018. Photo by Marcus Larson, N-R.
If there is a Mount Rushmore for football coaches,
Linfield’s Ad Rutschman would certainly be among those chiseled into that
granite mountain. The former Linfield College coach and athletic director will
be honored during the 2018 American Football Coaches Association convention in
Charlotte, North Carolina.
The AFCA will honor Rutschman, together with Kansas State’s
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, "This special award is being given to you for your service to
the game of football."
Rutschman, 86, lives in McMinnville and didn’t attend the
celebration. Accepting the award on his behalf is current Linfield football
coach Joseph Smith, an All-America player under Rutschman during his 24 seasons
(1968–1991).
A 1950 Hillsboro High School and 1954 Linfield graduate
(with a Master of Education in 1958), Rutschman shined as a standout three-sport
athlete at both 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 a 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 sports.
Rutschman added, “By and large, you don’t receive an award
like this without having success. But you don’t get success without having a
great staff and players who buy into what you are trying to achieve.
“While the AFCA
singles out an individual person, it does take a team to become successful;
they may single out the coach for the award, but behind that single person are
a team of people and players every bit as dedicated to the success of the
program,” he said.
While Rutschman, famous for his championship teams and
winning record in both football and baseball, the Linfield legend is perhaps as
proud of the many who came through the doors and went on to successful and
purposeful lives, both in athletics and as outstanding members of communities.
"I greatly appreciate this honor," said Rutschman,
Linfield athletic director emeritus. "I also have pride in the success of
those whom I've coached."
He has been a second father to many whom he coached. As
current Wildcat head baseball coach Stan Manley, who also played for Rutschman,
said, “He’s one of the most influential men in my life along with my own
father.”
As head high school football coaches, Rutschman'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.
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