EKU Football History

Eastern Kentucky University possesses one of the richest traditions in all of college football, and the future appears to be just as bright as the past . Now in its second century of football, the current group of Colonels hopes to leave its mark in the EKU annals just as the first 100 teams put together ‘A Century of Excellence.’

EKU football has come a long way since the first organized game was played in 1909 on Stateland Field, and much of the credit is given to Roy Kidd, an All-American quarterback at Eastern in 1953, who returned to his alma mater in 1963 and proceeded to build a national powerhouse .

Kidd’s 39-year record at Eastern concluded in 2002 with 314 wins, 124 losses and eight ties, for a remarkable .713 winning percentage . He was twice chosen National I-AA Coach of the Year and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame .

The popularity of Eastern football grew so rapidly in the 1960s that Hanger Stadium, the home of the Maroons (the school’s nickname later became Colonels) since 1936, was too small for the large enthusiastic crowds . Eastern paid “old” Hanger a fitting farewell in 1968 as it thrashed rival Morehead State, 35-7 . A new era in EKU football began the following year when the Colonels moved to Hanger Field, a modern 20,000seat facility . Eastern christened its new playing field with a 29-10 drubbing of Austin Peay . In 1990, the stadium portion of the football complex was named in honor of Roy Kidd . The Colonels defeated the University of Central Florida that day, 24-12 .

There have been many memorable moments in the rich heritage of Eastern football . One came in 1967 when EKU, the OVC champion, won the NCAA Mideast Regional championship by defeating Ball State, 27-13, in the Grantland Rice Bowl . Another occurred in 1954 when Eastern’s third regular season undefeated team (the first was in 1940) made the school’s first bowl appearance only to fall to the University of Omaha, 7-6, in the Tangerine Bowl .

Under the guidance of Coach Kidd on Dec . 18, 1982, EKU capped a perfect 13-0 season by defeating Delaware in the NCAA

Division I-AA title game, 17-14, for the University’s second national championship . That victory marked Eastern’s fourth-straight appearance in the Division I-AA championship game, having also won the title in 1979 while taking the runner-up trophies in both 1980 and 1981 . Kidd’s status among the coaching profession was wellknown, but Eastern has had other successful coaches during its football history . Previous coaches include James Park (1909), Clyde Wilson (191011), Charles Keith (1912), Ben Bernard (1913-16), Clyde McCoy (1919-21), George Hembree (1922-28) , Charles “Turkey” Hughes (1929-34), Rome Rankin (1935-42, 1945-46), Tom Samuels (1947-53), Glenn Presnell (1954-Former EKU head coach Roy Kidd and the Colonels celebrate their first national championship after defeating Lehigh, 30-7, on Dec. 15, 1979. 63), Danny Hope (2003-07), Dean Hood (2008-15) and Mark Elder

EKU Football (2016-19). Walt Wells, the program’s NCAA Division I FCS National Championships (2) 15th head coach, took the helm • 1979, 1982 in December 2019 . He served NCAA Division I FCS National Runners-Up (2) previously at EKU as an assis• 1980, 1981 tant under Kidd (1997-02) and NCAA Division I FCS Playoff Appearances (21) again under Hood (2015). • 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, Following Kidd’s retirement, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014 the Colonels won conference championships in 2007, 2008 and NCAA Division II Playoff Appearances (1) 2011 under head coaches Hope • 1976 and Hood . EKU remained a Conference Championships (21) player on the national stage with • 1954, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, FCS playoff appearances in 2007, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2011 2008, 2011 and 2014 . Eastern Kentucky’s 17-13 win Grantland Rice Bowl at Austin Peay on Nov . 3, 2018 • 1967 was the 600th victory in program Tangerine Bowl history . The Colonels are now • 1954 609-391-38 in 106 seasons of football . EKU was the 20th FCS program to win 600 games . Since 1948, EKU has won 16 regular season conference titles outright (1954, ’67, ’68, ’74, ’76, ’81, ’82, ’83, ’84, ’88, ’91, ’93, ’94, ’97, ’07 and ’08), shared five titles (1962, ’86, ’87, ’90 and ’11). EKU football has produced 67 All-Americans and has had 40 players drafted into the professional ranks . Three of the best known former Eastern players are 1972 All-American Wally Chambers, who was voted 1973 NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year as a tackle with the Chicago Bears; 1993 All-American Chad Bratzke, who spent 11 years with the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts as a pass-rushing defensive end; and Noah Spence, the 39th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft .