Sid Gillman

Bio

Sid Gillman devoted a lifetime to football. He played end for Ohio State and was co-captain of the 1933 team, which had a 7-1 record. In his first coaching assignments, he was an assistant at Denison, Ohio State and Miami of Ohio. In 1944, at age 32, Sid became Miami's head coach, and his career rocketed. He won his first eight games before losing to DePauw. His 1947 team was undefeated and won the Sun Bowl, giving him a 31-6-1 record in four Miami years. For 1948, Sid worked as assistant under Earl Blaik at Army. A year later he was head coach again, at the University of Cincinnati. His first two teams were 15-8; the next four went 35-5-1, with a 16-game winning streak. His totals as a college head coach are spectacular: Ten years, 81-19-2. In 1955, at age 43, he took over the Los Angeles Rams, launching a 31-year career with the pros. For 20 years he was head coach or general manager - sometimes both - in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Houston. Then came 11 years as assistant coach or consultant to four pro teams. He cultivated the passing game and lectured at clinics on the theme, "The Big Play". When he retired, he devoted his time to studying football films and advising coaches who called.