Frank Kush

Bio

Frank Kush coached Arizona State 22 years, 1958-1979, and had 20 winning seasons. His career record was 176-54-1, a winning percentage of .764. He was 6-1 in bowl games. His teams won seven championships in the Western Athletic Conference. In the last 14 times the Sun Devils faced their traditional rival, Arizona, Kush's team went 13-1. Two of the teams were undefeated. The 1970 team beat North Carolina 48-26 in the Peach Bowl, finished 11-0 and was ranked No. 6 nationally by the Associated Press. The 1975 team beat Nebraska 17-14 in the Fiesta Bowl, finished 12-0, and was ranked No. 2 by both the Associated Press and United Press International. Kush was named 1975 Coach of the Year. Kush grew up in Windber, Pennsylvania, in a family of 14 children. He attended Michigan State, was a 170-pound guard, and made All-America in 1952. Michigan State had a 26-1 record in his three years and was national champion in 1952. He served two years in the Army and rose to the rank of first lieutenant. He was assistant coach under Dan Devine at Arizona State 1955-57 and moved up to head coach in 1958. After his Arizona State days, Kush coached in the pro leagues - the Canadian (Hamilton), the NFL (Baltimore), and the U.S. Football League (Phoenix). He became director of the Arizona Boys Ranch, a center for reforming juvenile offenders. "Young people need positive direction. This is why we have them here," he said of his work with 300 boys. Arizona State announced plans for Frank Kush Day naming the playing field at Sun Devil Stadium for Frank Kush and starting the Frank Kush Endowment, a $3 million fund raiser for Arizona State athletics.