Fred Akers facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 17, 1938 Blytheville, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | December 7, 2020 (aged 82) Horseshoe Bay, Texas, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1958–1959 | Arkansas |
| Position(s) | Halfback, kicker, punter |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1963–1964 | Edinburg HS (TX) |
| 1965 | Lubbock HS (TX) |
| 1966–1974 | Texas (co-OC) |
| 1975–1976 | Wyoming |
| 1977–1986 | Texas |
| 1987–1990 | Purdue |
| 1999 | Shreveport Knights |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 108–75–3 (college) 26–12–1 (high school) |
| Bowls | 2–8 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 WAC (1976) 2 SWC (1977, 1983) |
|
Fred Akers (born March 17, 1938 – died December 7, 2020) was an American college football player and coach. He was the head football coach for three different universities. These were the University of Wyoming (from 1975 to 1976), the University of Texas at Austin (from 1977 to 1986), and Purdue University (from 1987 to 1990). Throughout his college coaching career, he had a record of 108 wins, 75 losses, and 3 ties.
Contents
Fred Akers' Coaching Journey
Fred Akers had an exciting career as a football coach. He started by coaching high school teams. Later, he became a college coach, leading some big teams.
Early Coaching Days
Akers began his coaching journey in high school. He coached at Edinburg HS and Lubbock HS in Texas. After that, he moved to college football. He worked as a co-offensive coordinator for the Texas Longhorns from 1966 to 1974.
Leading the Wyoming Cowboys
His first job as a head coach for a college team was at the University of Wyoming. He coached the Wyoming Cowboys for two seasons, in 1975 and 1976. In 1976, his team even shared the championship title for the WAC.
Success with the Texas Longhorns
Akers then became the head coach for the Texas Longhorns in 1977. This was a big step in his career.
- In 1977, his team had a perfect regular season. They won all their games!
- During this time, he coached a famous player named Earl Campbell. Earl won the Heisman Trophy in 1977. This award goes to the best college football player in the country.
- The Longhorns also had another undefeated regular season in 1983.
- Under Akers, Texas won the SWC championship twice, in 1977 and 1983.
- He had a good record against the Oklahoma Sooners, a big rival team.
Even with these successes, some fans felt he didn't quite reach the high standards set by the coach before him, Darrell Royal. His teams sometimes struggled in important bowl games at the end of the season.
Moving to Purdue
In 1986, after a tough season with Texas, Akers moved to Purdue University. He became the head coach for the Purdue Boilermakers.
- At Purdue, his teams didn't win as many games.
- He coached there for four years, from 1987 to 1990.
- After the 1990 season, which was difficult for the team, Akers left Purdue.
Later Coaching Role
Later in 1999, Fred Akers coached a professional team. He was the head coach for the Shreveport Knights. This team was part of a short-lived league called the Regional Football League.
Fred Akers' Life
Fred Akers was born on March 17, 1938. He was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity when he was in college. He lived in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. Fred Akers passed away on December 7, 2020, at the age of 82.
