Dick Bestwick
Encyclopedia
Dick Bestwick is a former American football
coach who served as head coach
of the University of Virginia
from 1975-1981 finishing with a career record as a head coach of 16-49-1. A native of Grove City, Pennsylvania
, he played football and graduated from North Carolina
in 1952. Dick went on to receive his Masters in Education
from Penn State
. Prior to his tenure at Virginia, Dick spent 1954-1962 as a high school football coach at 3 different schools to include his alma mater, Grove City High School, and 1967-1975 as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech
. Bestwick was hired as the Marshall University
Head Football Coach in 1971 after the 1970 Plane Crash disaster that took the lives of most of the University's football team and coaching staff. He left the position after two days on the job and returned to Georgia Tech.
from 1982 to 1983, assistant athletic director
at the Missouri
from 1983 to 1985 and the executive director
of the Peach Bowl from 1985 to 1986. He served as the Assistant Athletic Director
at Georgia
from 1986–1988, Athletic Director
at USC
in 1988, returned to Georgia as Associate Athletic Director in 1990, and finally retiring as a Senior Associate Athletic Director in 2000. He is the father of three children, with five grandchildren. He currently lives in Athens, Ga.
He was inducted into the Peach Bowl Hall of Fame
in 2002.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach who served as head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
from 1975-1981 finishing with a career record as a head coach of 16-49-1. A native of Grove City, Pennsylvania
Grove City, Pennsylvania
Grove City is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, approximately north of Pittsburgh. It is the home of Grove City College, a private conservative Christian liberal arts college; General Electric; Instron; USIS; George G. Howe Co.; and a number of small businesses. It is also the home to...
, he played football and graduated from North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
in 1952. Dick went on to receive his Masters in Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
from Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
. Prior to his tenure at Virginia, Dick spent 1954-1962 as a high school football coach at 3 different schools to include his alma mater, Grove City High School, and 1967-1975 as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
. Bestwick was hired as the Marshall University
Marshall Thundering Herd
The Marshall Thundering Herd are the intercollegiate athletic teams that collectively represent the Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Thundering Herd athletic teams compete in Conference USA, which are members of the NCAA Division I...
Head Football Coach in 1971 after the 1970 Plane Crash disaster that took the lives of most of the University's football team and coaching staff. He left the position after two days on the job and returned to Georgia Tech.
After head coaching career
After his time at Virginia he became a national scout for the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
from 1982 to 1983, assistant athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
at the Missouri
Missouri Tigers
The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States...
from 1983 to 1985 and the executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Peach Bowl from 1985 to 1986. He served as the Assistant Athletic Director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
at Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs
The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams of the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference...
from 1986–1988, Athletic Director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
at USC
South Carolina Gamecocks
The University of South Carolina's 19 varsity sports teams are known as the "Gamecocks". The unique moniker is held in honor of Thomas Sumter, a South Carolina war hero who was given the name "The Carolina Gamecock" during the American Revolution for his fierce fighting tactics, regardless of his...
in 1988, returned to Georgia as Associate Athletic Director in 1990, and finally retiring as a Senior Associate Athletic Director in 2000. He is the father of three children, with five grandchildren. He currently lives in Athens, Ga.
Honors and awards
The Dick Bestwick Award for the male athlete graduating with the highest GPA at the University of Georgia was named in his honorHe was inducted into the Peach Bowl Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
in 2002.