Darrell Mudra, a two-time national championship-winning head coach and 2000 College of Football Hall of Fame inductee, died Wednesday at the age of 93.
Nicknamed “Dr. Victory,” Mudra totaled 200 wins and a 70.9 winning percentage (200-81-4) over a nearly 30-year head-coaching career.
He was well known for coaching all of his games from the press box, breaking from the normal custom of coaching from the sidelines.
Mudra also famously proceeded another College Football Hall of Fame coach at Florida State, coaching the Seminoles for two seasons prior to Bobby Bowden taking over in 1976.
He also served stints at Adams State, North Dakota State, Arizona, Western Illinois, Eastern Illinois and Northern Iowa. Mudra won his first national title with North Dakota State in 1965, in the Pecan Bowl, and claimed his second with Eastern Illinois in 1978 at the Division II level.
Current Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley addressed Mudra’s passing on social media.
“The @UNIFootball family has lost one of greatest leaders of all time; Coach Darrell Mudra,” Farley said in part. “He guided UNI Football into (an) era that changed UNI forever.”
The ?@UNIFootball? family has lost one of greatest leaders of all time; Coach Darrell Mudra. He guided UNI Football into and era that changed UNI forever May he R.I.P. knowing he made a lasting impact on many players and coaches and a legacy of success pic.twitter.com/HB76tBK7p6
– Mark Farley (@CoachMarkFarley) September 21, 2022
–Field Level Media
