Former WVU coach Bill Stewart dies

[KPENN]

ESPN NCAAF Bill Stewart dies at age 59

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Former West Virginia football coach Bill Stewart died Monday of what athletic department officials said was an apparent heart attack.

A statement issued by spokesman Michael Fragale said Stewart's family notified the university on Monday. Fragale said Stewart was golfing at the time.

Stewart, 59, resigned last summer and was replaced by Dana Holgorsen the same night. Stewart had gone 28-12 in three seasons after taking over for Rich Rodriguez but failed to earn a Bowl Championship Series berth.

Stewart had signed a six-year contract in September 2008, but the agreement was amended in 2010 when athletic director Oliver Luck decided to replace him. Holgorsen was hired as offensive coordinator and head coach-in-waiting, while Stewart was to serve his final season in 2011.

But both Holgorsen and Stewart made unwanted headlines in the weeks leading up to the shake-up.

An intoxicated Holgorsen was escorted out of a casino, then a former newspaper reporter said that Stewart had approached him shortly after Holgorsen's hiring to "dig up dirt" on his eventual successor.

When Holgorsen was hired, West Virginia had anticipated that arrangement might not work. His initial contract included a clause that gave him a raise if he became head coach before or during the 2011 season.

Luck had said he hired Holgorsen because he believed the Mountaineers couldn't win a national championship under Stewart's leadership.

In Holgorsen's first season at the helm, the Mountaineers went 10-3, were Big East co-champions and beat Clemson 70-33 in the Orange Bowl.

 

[yankeeND]

That's just terrible. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Stewart family.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Bill Stewart was a personal friend of my family. His older brother, Ted, was my brother's best friend in high school, and the family used to babysit little Billy when he was young. His main characteristic as an athlete was toughness --- major league will power. If you were going to beat Bill Stewart you were going to have to kill him, because he would not quit.

Bill was also one of the nicest most authentic people you will meet, especially in bigtime sports. I can attest to you that he was that exact friendly welcoming hometown boy that he seemed on TV. I got to play a little softball in summer leagues against Bill's teams. He got everything that he could out of himself. He played third base, and his nickname in the league was "Dirt", which tells you where he was, diving after every ball.

Bill Stewart was a good man and a family friend... his death [while at a charity function, naturally] floored my brother who barely got through his teaching schedule after the word was passed on to him. Sad stuff. Bill Stewart was good for college football, even if he was more suited to being an assistant than a head coach. God Speed old warrior.

 

[Redbar]

Bill Stewart was a personal friend of my family. His older brother, Ted, was my brother's best friend in high school, and the family used to babysit little Billy when he was young. His main characteristic as an athlete was toughness --- major league will power. If you were going to beat Bill Stewart you were going to have to kill him, because he would not quit.

Bill was also one of the nicest most authentic people you will meet, especially in bigtime sports. I can attest to you that he was that exact friendly welcoming hometown boy that he seemed on TV. I got to play a little softball in summer leagues against Bill's teams. He got everything that he could out of himself. He played third base, and his nickname in the league was "Dirt", which tells you where he was, diving after every ball.

Bill Stewart was a good man and a family friend... his death [while at a charity function, naturally] floored my brother who barely got through his teaching schedule after the word was passed on to him. Sad stuff. Bill Stewart was good for college football, even if he was more suited to being an assistant than a head coach. God Speed old warrior.

Indeed. Godspeed.

 

[ClausentoTate]

 

[anarin]

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RIP Stew

 

[Old Man Mike]

Thanks for the video... Bill at his finest.

 

[rock_knutne]

RIP Coach Stew!! A good man who IMO got the shaft at WVU when Oliver Luck took over as AD.