Glen Mason

Glen Mason
Biographical details
Born (1950-04-09) April 9, 1950 (age 74)
Colonia, New Jersey, U.S.
Playing career
1970–1971Ohio State
Position(s)Linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1972Ball State (GA)
1973Allegheny (DC)
1974Ball State (DL)
1975–1976Iowa State (OL/TE)
1977Illinois (OL)
1978–1979Ohio State (OL/LB)
1980–1985Ohio State (OC)
1986–1987Kent State
1988–1996Kansas
1997–2006Minnesota
Head coaching record
Overall123–121–1
Bowls5–4
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
MAC Coach of the Year (1986)
2x Big Eight Coach of the Year (1991, 1995)
Big Ten Coach of the Year (1999)

Glen Orin Mason (born April 9, 1950) is an American former college football player and coach. Mason served as the head football coach at Kent State University from 1986 to 1987, the University of Kansas from 1988 to 1996, and the University of Minnesota from 1997 to 2006, compiling a career college football record of 123–121–1.

Early life and playing career

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Raised in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, Mason attended Colonia High School.[1]

Mason played college football at Ohio State University, graduating in 1972 with a B.A. in education. He was a linebacker on the depth chart behind Randy Gradishar, Stan White, Vic Koegel, Arnie Jones, and Rick Middleton.[citation needed]

Coaching career

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Mason served as an assistant coach at Ball State University, Allegheny College, Iowa State University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Ohio State University. He served as the outside linebackers coach and the offensive line coach at Ohio State in 1978 and 1979. In 1980, he was promoted to offensive coordinator of the Buckeyes and remained in that position through the 1985 season.

Mason was head coach for Kent State University in 1986 and 1987 and the University of Kansas from 1988 to 1996. In 1995, as Kansas prepared for the Aloha Bowl against UCLA, Mason accepted the head coaching position at the University of Georgia. Mason had a change of heart and stayed with the Jayhawks, but left for the University of Minnesota one season later. His first game with Minnesota in 1997 was against Hawaii, at Aloha Stadium, Minnesota lost the game, 17–3.

In January 2002, Mason was named the president of the American Football Coaches Association. He was the third Minnesota coach to be awarded this honor joining Bernie Bierman (1935) and Murray Warmath (1968). On December 31, 2006, Minnesota fired Mason immediately following the Gophers' 44–41 overtime loss to Texas Tech in the 2006 Insight Bowl, a game in which the Gophers blew a 38–7 third-quarter lead. At the end of the 2006 season, he had a career record of 123–121–1.

Following his tenure at Minnesota, Mason became a college football analyst and broadcaster for the Big Ten Network.

Personal

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Mason has two children and lives in the suburbs of Minneapolis.

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Kent State Golden Flashes (Mid-American Conference) (1986–1987)
1986 Kent State 5–6 5–3 T–2nd
1987 Kent State 7–4 5–3 T–2nd
Kent State: 12–10 10–6
Kansas Jayhawks (Big Eight Conference) (1988–1995)
1988 Kansas 1–10 1–6 7th
1989 Kansas 4–7 2–5 6th
1990 Kansas 3–7–1 2–4–1 T–4th
1991 Kansas 6–5 3–4 5th
1992 Kansas 8–4 4–3 T–3rd W Aloha 23 22
1993 Kansas 5–7 3–4 5th
1994 Kansas 6–5 3–4 5th
1995 Kansas 10–2 5–2 T–2nd W Aloha 10 9
Kansas Jayhawks (Big 12 Conference) (1996)
1996 Kansas 4–7 2–6 5th (North)
Kansas: 47–54–1 25–38–1
Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big Ten Conference) (1997–2006)
1997 Minnesota 3–9 1–7 T–9th
1998 Minnesota 5–6 2–6 T–7th
1999 Minnesota 8–4 5–3 T–4th L Sun 17 18
2000 Minnesota 6–6 4–4 T–5th L MicronPC.com
2001 Minnesota 4–7 2–6 T–10th
2002 Minnesota 8–5 3–5 7th W Music City
2003 Minnesota 10–3 5–3 T–4th W Sun 17 20
2004 Minnesota 7–5 3–5 8th W Music City
2005 Minnesota 7–5 4–4 7th L Music City
2006 Minnesota 6–7 3–5 T–6th L Insight
Minnesota: 64–57 32–48
Total: 123–121–1

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kerkhoff, Blair. "Kickoff Classic Notebook", Kansas City Star, August 28, 1993. Accessed August 7, 2019. "Mason grew up in Woodbridge, NJ, and graduated from nearby Colonia High."