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John O'Grady - Head Football Coach |
John O'Grady enters his 18th year as head coach at UW-RF and stands second in all-time football wins. Under O'Grady the Falcons have compiled an 92-75-3 overall record, a winning percentage of .550. Among WIAC active coaches he is third in wins and is eighth in all-time wins of all WIAC coaches. He needs just three wins to reach the seventh spot. In WIAC play O'Grady has led the Falcons to one first place finish (1998), three second place finishes (1994, 1995, 1996) and five third place finishes (1989, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001). He has had winning seasons in 10 of his 17 seasons with the Falcons. Year-in and year-out the Falcons are one of the top teams in the WIAC under the veteran coach. In 1998, the Falcons surprised most WIAC observers. The team finished 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the WIAC good for a tie for first place. In 1996 the team finished 9-2 overall and lost to La Crosse (44-0) in the first round of the playoffs. In 1995 the Falcons were 9-3 overall. The nine wins tied the school record. In the playoffs the Falcons beat Central, Iowa, (10-7) but then lost to La Crosse (28-14). In 1999 the Falcons were 6-4 and 5-2 (third place) in the WIAC. In 2005 the Falcons finished 3-7 overall and 2-5 (7th place) in the WIAC. O'Grady was named the 1995 WIAC Coach of the Year. His teams have compiled a 61-54-3 record in WIAC play. O'Grady combines his vast football knowledge and intensity to help the Falcons succeed. O'Grady, 53, played for the Falcons (linebacker) from 1972-75 and earned four letters. He was the team captain and voted most dedicated in 1975 when the Falcons won their first WIAC title in 18 years. He coached for two years at Miami University of Ohio as an offensive line coach and offensive special teams coordinator. Before that, he coached at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1985-86) as an offensive line coach and special teams coordinator, at Kent State University, Ohio, where he was offensive coordinator/offensive line and offensive special teams coordinator (1983-84), and at the University of Wisconsin as a part time assistant coach of tight ends and special teams (1981-82). He also was an assistant at UW-River Falls (1976-80) as a linebacker, secondary and special teams coach. O'Grady played football at Sullivan High School, Chicago, Ill., from 1968-71 and was team captain, most valuable player and winner of a coach's award as a senior. He is a native of Worcester, Mass. He earned his undergraduate degree in physical education from UW-River Falls in 1979 and his master's degree in supervision and instructional leadership from UWRF in 1983. Besides coaching football, O'Grady teaches classes in the University's health and human performance department. O'Grady is a firm believer in education and helps all UWRF students in pursuit of collegiate degrees. In his career as head coach, 166 of 167 Falcon football players, who have completed four seasons of eligibility, have earned undergraduate degrees. Several have gone on to highly successful careers in education, coaching, business. He runs three summer football camps - Wishbone, Kickers and Big O & D. About 400 participants and 75 coaches, many of them are UWRF graduates, attend the camps each summer. The Kickers Camp has been a mainstay at UWRF for 33 years and has had top NFL and college kickers attend as counselors. Gary Zauner, special teams coach of the Baltimore Ravens, has been a counselor for 29 years. O'Grady is well known as a speaker and clinician throughout the midwest. He has spoken at the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association spring clinic several times and has addressed participants at the Indiana Wishbone Coaches Association clinic. He has been invited to give clinics in Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Minnesota. For the past 16 years he has worked with former Falcon football player and teammate, Darryl Herrick, at a football clinic in Gilman, Wis. The clinic was established by Herrick, who is the superintendent of the Cedarburg school district, in memory of a nephew who was killed in a hunting accident. He and wife, Jody, have three children: Lindsey, 25, Jaclyn, 22 and Logan 19. Lindsey, a UWRF graduate, teaches social studies and coaches volleyball and track & field at the Mauston middle school. Jaclyn graduated in 2005 from the University of Minnesota with a degree in film studies. She plans on going to graduate school. Logan enters his second year at the University of St. Thomas this fall. He was a member of the Tommies cross country adn track & field teams in 2005-06 and will compete in the same sports in 2006-07. |
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Falcon Football
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