Joe Krivak facts for kids

Joseph John Krivak (born March 20, 1935 – died December 25, 2012) was a well-known American football player and coach. He led the Maryland Terrapins football team as head coach from 1987 to 1991. During his time there, his team had a record of 20 wins, 34 losses, and 2 ties.

Joe Krivak also worked as an assistant coach. He helped teams at Syracuse, Navy, and Virginia. At Maryland, he coached several future National Football League (NFL) quarterbacks. These included famous players like Boomer Esiason, Neil O'Donnell, and Frank Reich. Overall, he was part of seven teams that won Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championships. He also coached in 14 bowl games.

Playing Career

Joe Krivak was a talented football player. He played for the Syracuse Orangemen from 1954 to 1956. He played as an offensive lineman and a linebacker. He helped block for the amazing All-American running back Jim Brown. Krivak also helped the Syracuse team reach the 1957 Cotton Bowl Classic.

Besides football, Krivak also played baseball for Syracuse. He played third base and earned one letter in baseball. He finished his degree in history science in 1957. Later, he earned a master's degree in education from Syracuse in 1961. In 2011, Syracuse University honored Krivak for his achievements.

Coaching Career

High School Coaching

Joe Krivak started his coaching journey at Madonna High School. This school is in Weirton, West Virginia. He coached there for 11 seasons. For eight of those seasons, he was the head coach. His team even won a state Catholic championship.

Assistant Coach Roles

After high school, Krivak became an assistant coach at Syracuse. He worked there for five years under head coach Ben Schwartzwalder. From 1974 to 1976, he was an assistant coach at Maryland. He worked for head coach Jerry Claiborne. Next, he spent five years coaching at Navy. He worked under George Welsh there.

In 1982, Krivak returned to Maryland. He joined Bobby Ross's staff as the quarterbacks coach. He was also in charge of the wide receivers. He played a big part in planning the team's offense. Krivak was the one who called the offensive plays in a famous game. Maryland won 42–40 against Miami in the Orange Bowl. The team came back from being down 31–0 at halftime. This was known as the greatest comeback in college football for many years. At Maryland, Krivak helped train several quarterbacks who later played in the NFL.

Maryland Head Coach

After the 1986 season, Joe Krivak became the head coach at Maryland. He was 51 years old. The previous coach, Bobby Ross, left Maryland due to new university rules. As head coach, Krivak's record was 20 wins, 34 losses, and 2 ties. His team played in one minor bowl game, the 1991 Independence Bowl. Maryland tied Louisiana Tech 34–34 in that game.

One of Krivak's memorable games at Maryland was a tie in 1989. Maryland tied Penn State 13–13. They scored a field goal in the last minute. This tie was very important. It broke Maryland's long 24-game losing streak against Penn State. Krivak's biggest win came in 1990. His team upset #8 ranked Virginia on the road. After the 1990 season, Krivak signed a new five-year contract.

Krivak resigned after the 1991 season. The team had a tough year with many injuries and a 2–9 record. The athletic director reviewed the program and talked to players. Some players criticized Krivak directly. Krivak said he resigned because he felt he had lost trust from his players.

Return to Assistant Coaching

In 1995, Krivak became the quarterbacks coach for Virginia. He worked again under George Welsh, who had been his boss at Navy. In 1996, Virginia's offensive coordinator left. Krivak then called the offensive plays for a bowl game. Virginia lost to Miami 31–21. Krivak resigned from the staff shortly after this. After coaching, Krivak ran football camps for young players. These camps were held in the Mid-Atlantic area.

Death

Joe Krivak passed away on Christmas Day, December 25, 2012. He was 77 years old. He died in Bowie, Maryland, after a long fight with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and leukemia.

Head Coaching Record

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