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Dale Lindsey

Dale Lindsey
Biographical details
Born (1943-01-18) January 18, 1943 (age 81)
Bedford, Indiana, U.S.
Playing career
1961Kentucky
1962–1964Western Kentucky
1965–1972Cleveland Browns
1973New Orleans Saints
Position(s)Linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1974Cleveland Browns (LB)
1975Portland Thunder (DC)
1977–1978Warren Central HS (KY)
1978–1980Toronto Argonauts (LB)
1981–1982Toronto Argonauts (DC)
1983Boston Breakers (LB)
1984–1985New Jersey Generals (DC/LB)
1986–1987Green Bay Packers (LB)
1989SMU (DC)
1990New England Patriots (DL)
1991Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LB)
1992–1996San Diego Chargers (LB)
1997–1998Washington Redskins (LB)
1999–2001Chicago Bears (LB)
2002–2003San Diego Chargers (DC)
2004–2006Washington Redskins (LB)
2007San Diego (LB)
2009–2010New Mexico State (AHC/LB)
2011New Mexico State (DC)
2012San Diego (DC)
2013–2022San Diego
Head coaching record
Overall80–30 (college)
Tournaments2–4 (NCAA D-I playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
7 PFL (2014–2019, 2021)
Awards
<First-team Little All-American (1964)
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Jersey No. 44 retired
PFL Coach of the Year (2014, 2016, 2019)

Phillip Dale Lindsey (born January 18, 1943) is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at the University of San Diego.[1][2] Lindsey has also worked as a coach in the National Football League (NFL), the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the United States Football League (USFL).

Early life

Lindsey attended and played high school football at Bowling Green High School in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he was an All-State player.

College career

After high school, Lindsey signed with the University of Kentucky, where he was part of the infamous Thin Thirty team, but quit the team in the spring of his freshman year. He then transferred to Western Kentucky University, where he starred on the Hilltoppers's undefeated 1963 team that won the Tangerine Bowl.

Professional career

As a player

Lindsey was drafted in the seventh round of the 1965 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns, where he played from 1965 to 1972. He then signed with the New Orleans Saints in 1973.

As a coach

After his playing career, Lindsey was a coach for several different NFL teams, including the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears and the San Diego Chargers. He was also a coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and the Boston Breakers and the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League.

In 1988, Lindsey joined Forrest Gregg at SMU. As the defensive coordinator, he helped to revitalize the historic SMU football program after the NCAA executed its one and only death penalty for a college football program. During the 1989 season, SMU's first season back after 1987, Lindsey's defense was instrumental in SMU's wins over UConn and North Texas.

He was terminated as the linebackers coach for the Washington Redskins on January 16, 2007.[3] This was his second stint with Washington. He was one of several former NFL coordinators serving as a position coach on the Redskins' coach staff.

Lindsey was hired as the head coach for the University of San Diego in 2012, a position he held through the 2022 season. The school announced his retirement following the season, but Lindsey maintains he was fired.[4] At the time of his departure he had the most wins of any head coach in school history and held the fourth highest winning percentage in FCS football.[5]

Lindsey, now a resident of San Diego, lost his home in the wildfires of October 2007.

Head coaching record

College

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs STATS# FCS°
San Diego Toreros (Pioneer Football League) (2013–present)
2013 San Diego 8–3 0–0 (7–1) T–1st[a 1]
2014 San Diego 9–3 7–1 T–1st L NCAA Division I First Round
2015 San Diego 9–2 7–1 T–1st
2016 San Diego 10–2 8–0 1st L NCAA Division I Second Round 19 T–21
2017 San Diego 10–3 8–0 1st L NCAA Division I Second Round 23 25
2018 San Diego 9–3 8–0 1st L NCAA Division I First Round 25 20
2019 San Diego 9–3 8–0 1st L NCAA Division I First Round
2020–21 San Diego 4–2 4–2 T–2nd
2021 San Diego 7–4 7–1 T–1st
2022 San Diego 5–5 4–3 5th
San Diego: 80–30 61–8 (68–9)
Total: 80–30
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
  • #Rankings from final STATS poll.
  • °Rankings from final FCS Coaches poll.

Notes

  1. ^ San Diego declared itself ineligible for consideration as conference champions due to improper financial aid awarded to players. Their official conference record for this season is recognized as 0–0.

References

  1. ^ "Dale Lindsey Named USD Head Football Coach". USDToreros.com. December 29, 2012. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
  2. ^ "Longtime San Diego head coach Dale Lindsey to retire". Footballscoop.com. March 22, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  3. ^ "Redskins dismiss linebackers coach". The Washington Times. January 16, 2007. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
  4. ^ "Former USD Head Football Coach Dale Lindsey says he was fired, school maintains he retired". CBS News 8. April 12, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  5. ^ "Athletics: Dale Lindsey, Winningest Coach in Football Program History, to Retire from USD". USD News Center. March 21, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.