Frank Kush facts for kids

Frank Joseph Kush (born January 20, 1929 – died June 22, 2017) was a famous American football player and coach. He is best known for being the head coach at Arizona State University from 1958 to 1979. During his time there, his team won 176 games, lost 54, and tied 1.

Kush also coached in other professional leagues. He led the Canadian Football League (CFL)'s Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1981. Later, he coached the National Football League (NFL)'s Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts from 1982 to 1984. His last coaching job was with the Arizona Outlaws in the United States Football League (USFL) in 1985. Frank Kush was recognized for his achievements and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995. He was of Polish descent and is also in the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Playing Career

Frank Kush was born in Windber, Pennsylvania. He played football at Michigan State University for three years, from 1950 to 1952. He was a defensive lineman, weighing about 160 pounds and standing 5 feet 7 inches tall. In 1952, he earned All-American honors. That same year, he helped the Spartans win a national championship.

College Coaching Career

After playing football, Kush joined the United States Army. He became a first lieutenant and even coached the football team at Fort Benning. After his time in the Army, he became an assistant coach at Arizona State College. In 1958, he was promoted to head coach, a role he held for 22 years.

Kush's Coaching Style

Frank Kush was known for his very demanding coaching style. He pushed his players hard, both physically and mentally. His daily practices in the hot Arizona desert were legendary.

One of his famous drills was called "Bull in the Ring." Players would form a circle, and one player would stand in the middle. Kush would call out a uniform number, and that player would charge the one in the middle. They would hit each other until Kush blew the whistle. The player who showed the most effort would go back to the circle. The player who didn't try hard enough would stay in the middle until Kush was satisfied. Once, a player named Curley Culp even broke a teammate's facemask during this drill.

Another drill involved only a center, quarterback, and two running backs on offense. They would run plays against the entire defense without other offensive linemen. Kush would make a running back run into the line many times. This helped players get used to the tough hits they would take in games.

Kush also used a motivational technique called "Mount Kush." This was a very steep hill near the team's training camp. It had rocks and cacti, and no shade from the sun. If Kush felt a player needed extra discipline, that player would have to run up and down Mount Kush many times.

Success at Arizona State

During his long career at Arizona State, Kush's teams had an amazing record of 176 wins, 54 losses, and 1 tie. He only had one losing season. In his first eleven years, his teams won two conference titles.

In 1969, Kush briefly accepted a coaching job at the University of Pittsburgh. But just five days later, he changed his mind and returned to Arizona State. This decision started a very successful period for Sun Devil football.

From 1969 to 1973, the Sun Devils won five Western Athletic Conference championships in a row. They had a fantastic record of 50 wins and only 6 losses in conference games during this time. They also won the 1970 Peach Bowl and the first three Fiesta Bowl games.

In 1975, Arizona State had an undefeated season, winning all 12 of their games. They won the Fiesta Bowl with a thrilling 17-14 victory. Kush's son, Danny, kicked three field goals in that game, including the winning one. The team finished second in the national polls, which was their highest ranking ever.

In 1977, the Sun Devils went 9-3. They lost their only bowl game under Kush's leadership, a 42-30 defeat to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl.

In 1978, the Sun Devils joined the Pacific-10 Conference. They continued their success, finishing 9-3 and winning the Garden State Bowl. This win was one of the last highlights of Kush's time as head coach.

Departure from Arizona State

In 1979, some serious issues arose that led to Frank Kush leaving Arizona State. A former player, Kevin Rutledge, made claims about how he was treated. The school started an investigation.

On October 13, 1979, Kush was let go from his coaching position. This was because he was accused of trying to influence the school's investigation. He was allowed to coach one last game, which was against Washington. The Sun Devils won that game 12-7, and the crowd was very supportive of Kush. After the game, his team carried him off the field. However, three of the team's wins that season were later taken away because some players were found to be ineligible.

After leaving Arizona State, Kush was away from coaching for nearly two years. In 1980, the NCAA placed Arizona State on probation for two years due to rule violations that happened under Kush.

Many future NFL players played for Frank Kush at Arizona State. These include Charley Taylor, Curley Culp, Danny White, Benny Malone, Mike Haynes, John Jefferson, and Steve Holden. Even Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson played football for Kush for one year on a scholarship before focusing on baseball.

Professional Coaching Career

After his time at Arizona State, Frank Kush moved to the Canadian Football League (CFL). In 1981, he coached the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. His team had a good season, with 11 wins, 4 losses, and 1 tie. They made it to the CFL Eastern Conference championship game.

The next year, Kush returned to the United States to coach the Baltimore Colts in the NFL. In his first season, which was shortened by a strike, the Colts did not win any games, finishing 0-8-1. Some people believe that famous quarterback John Elway did not want to play for the Colts after they drafted him because he did not want to play for Kush.

The Colts improved in 1983, with a 7-9 record. In 1984, the team moved to Indianapolis. Kush was disappointed because he had hoped the team would move to Phoenix, where he lived. After winning only four games in 1984, Kush resigned on December 13, just before the last game of the season. He wanted to be closer to his family and friends. He then accepted a contract with the United States Football League's Arizona Outlaws. However, the USFL league closed down in 1986.

After the USFL folded, Kush used his coaching experience to help young players. He joked that he was the "highest-paid Pop Warner coach in the country." He also worked as a director at the Arizona Boys Ranch, a place that helps young people who have had trouble.

Life After Coaching

In 1995, Frank Kush was honored by being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The next year, he was welcomed back to Arizona State as a special ambassador. On September 21, 1996, Arizona State held "Frank Kush Day." They announced that the playing field at Sun Devil Stadium would be named "Frank Kush Field" in his honor. When Kush became coach in 1958, the stadium had 30,000 seats. By the time he left, it had grown to over 70,000 seats, showing how much the football program had grown under him. On that same night, Arizona State upset the #1 ranked Nebraska team, winning 19-0. A bronze statue of Frank Kush was also placed outside the stadium.

In 2000, Kush officially returned to Arizona State as an assistant to the athletic director. He helped raise money for the athletic department. Frank Kush passed away on June 22, 2017, at the age of 88.