Earle Bruce
Encyclopedia
Earle Bruce is a former American football
player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa
(1972), Iowa State University
(1973–1978), Ohio State University
(1979–1987), the University of Northern Iowa
(1988), and Colorado State University
(1989–1992), compiling a career college football
record of 154–90–2. At Ohio State, Bruce was the successor to the legendary Woody Hayes
, and won four Big Ten Conference
titles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
as a coach in 2002. Bruce returned to coaching in 2003 to helm the Iowa Barnstormers
of the Arena Football League
for a season and also guided the Columbus Destroyers
the following year.
at the Ohio State University by head coach Wes Fesler
. He played on the OSU freshman team in 1950, but before he could join the varsity team in 1951 he suffered a torn meniscus
, ending his football career. Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes asked Bruce to join the coaching staff, which he did until his graduation in 1953. He was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity while attending Ohio State.
coaches in Ohio
history, accumulating a record of 82–12–3 in 10 seasons of head coach
ing positions with three Ohio high schools. He led four different college teams to bowl game
s, where he had a 7–5 record.
in Mansfield, Ohio
. In 1956, Bruce accepted his first head coaching position, at Salem High School
in Salem, Ohio
. Over the next four seasons, he led the Quakers to a record of 28–9. From 1960 until 1963, Bruce coached the Blue Streaks at Sandusky High School
, Sandusky, Ohio
. He compiled a record at Sandusky of 34–3–3.
Massillon High School
then hired Bruce as head coach, where his teams went undefeated in 1964 and 1965. Though the Massillon Tigers have gained national fame for their football teams over the years, Bruce remains the only undefeated head football coach in Massillon High School history.
s. After five seasons the University of Tampa
brought Bruce on as head coach in 1972. During his first season, Tampa went 10–2, including a win in the Tangerine Bowl
. Bruce moved into the head coaching position at Iowa State University
following his success at Tampa. Iowa State experienced some success in six seasons with Bruce as head coach. In 2000, Iowa State inducted Bruce into their school hall of fame, named the Louis Menze Hall of Fame.
, losing the game and the national championship by a single point. In 1987, Bruce was fired just prior to the last game of the season—against Michigan—but was allowed to finish out the year. Bruce was able to defeat Michigan
at Ann Arbor
. This is something Ohio State would not do again until 2001 under head coach Jim Tressel
. After the game, Bo Schembechler
told Bruce, "I always mind losing to Ohio State but I didn't mind so much today."
as head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks
after the 1987 season, but due to a contract dispute, KU did not hire him. KU instead hired Glen Mason
out of Kent State. Bruce took over the head coaching position at the University of Northern Iowa
for one year, and then finished his intercollegiate coaching career at Colorado State University
. In his second season, he led the Rams to a winning record and a victory over Oregon in the Freedom Bowl
, their first bowl appearance since 1948 and their first bowl victory ever. He was fired two years later for, among other things, verbally and physically abusing his players and discouraging players from taking classes that conflicted with football practice. After Colorado State, he moved on to the Arena Football League
, where he coached the Cleveland Thunderbolts
in 1994 and the St. Louis Stampede
in 1995 and 1996 before retiring.
's Iowa Barnstormers
, guiding them to a 7–3 record. In 2004, Bruce returned to Ohio to become the head coach for the Columbus Destroyers
, who were moving from Buffalo
to Columbus
that year. He retired to a front office position after coaching the Destroyers to a 6–10 record in 2004, and was replaced as head coach by Chris Spielman
, who played for Bruce at Ohio State
. Bruce finished with a 19–25 record over four seasons in the AFL.
Today, Bruce works as an Ohio State football analyst for WTVN
610AM in Columbus as well as being an analyst for ONN on their OSU programming.
In his private life, Earle Bruce is married with four children and eight grandchildren. His daughters' names are Lynn, Mikky, Aimee, and Noel.
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...
player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa
University of Tampa
The University of Tampa , is a private, co-educational university in Downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2006, the University celebrated its 75th anniversary...
(1972), Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
(1973–1978), Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
(1979–1987), the University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
(1988), and Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
(1989–1992), compiling a career college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
record of 154–90–2. At Ohio State, Bruce was the successor to the legendary Woody Hayes
Woody Hayes
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...
, and won four Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
titles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
as a coach in 2002. Bruce returned to coaching in 2003 to helm the Iowa Barnstormers
Iowa Barnstormers
The Iowa Barnstormers are an arena football team based in Des Moines, Iowa. They are currently members of the Arena Football League , which they joined in 2010 following the organization's restructuring...
of the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
for a season and also guided the Columbus Destroyers
Columbus Destroyers
The Columbus Destroyers were an Arena Football League team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team was founded in as the Buffalo Destroyers, based in Buffalo, New York, and relocated to Columbus in . They folded along with the original incarnation of the AFL following the 2008 season, after a total of...
the following year.
As a player and player/coach
Bruce was recruited as a full backFullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
at the Ohio State University by head coach Wes Fesler
Wes Fesler
Wesley Eugene "Wes" Fesler was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach of football and basketball. He was three-sport athlete at Ohio State University and a consensus first-team selection to the College Football All-America Team three straight years...
. He played on the OSU freshman team in 1950, but before he could join the varsity team in 1951 he suffered a torn meniscus
Meniscus (anatomy)
In anatomy, a meniscus is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that, in contrast to articular disks, only partly divides a joint cavity. In humans it is present in the knee, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints; in other organisms they may be present in other...
, ending his football career. Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes asked Bruce to join the coaching staff, which he did until his graduation in 1953. He was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity while attending Ohio State.
Coaching career
Bruce accumulated a collegiate coaching record of 154–90–2 with five different universities. Preceding that, Bruce was one of the most successful high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
coaches in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
history, accumulating a record of 82–12–3 in 10 seasons of 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...
ing positions with three Ohio high schools. He led four different college teams to bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s, where he had a 7–5 record.
High school coaching
Upon graduating from Ohio State, Bruce accepted a position as an assistant coach at Mansfield High SchoolMansfield Senior High School
Mansfield Senior High School is located in Mansfield, Ohio, USA. The school serves grades 9-12 and is part of the Mansfield City School District. The school enrolls 1,389 students as of the 2006-2007 academic year...
in Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Richland County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau, approximately southwest of Cleveland and northeast of Columbus....
. In 1956, Bruce accepted his first head coaching position, at Salem High School
Salem High School (Ohio)
Salem High School is a public high school in Salem, Ohio, USA. It is the only high school in the Salem City School district. Since 2006 the building has also housed Salem Junior High School, for grades 7 and 8, though it is administered separately from the high school. As of the 2009–2010...
in Salem, Ohio
Salem, Ohio
Salem is a city in northern Columbiana County and extreme southern Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. At the 2000 census, the city's population was 12,197....
. Over the next four seasons, he led the Quakers to a record of 28–9. From 1960 until 1963, Bruce coached the Blue Streaks at Sandusky High School
Sandusky High School
Sandusky High School, or SHS, is a secondary school in Sandusky, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Sandusky City School District, and one of three high schools in the city of Sandusky; the other two are St Mary Central Catholic High School, and Perkins High School.SHS was one of the first...
, Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
. He compiled a record at Sandusky of 34–3–3.
Massillon High School
Massillon Washington High School
Massillon Washington High School, is a 9 to 12 grade secondary school within the Massillon City School District located in the city of Massillon, Ohio. It serves students within the city of Massillon as well as parts of Tuscarawas Township...
then hired Bruce as head coach, where his teams went undefeated in 1964 and 1965. Though the Massillon Tigers have gained national fame for their football teams over the years, Bruce remains the only undefeated head football coach in Massillon High School history.
College coaching
Hayes then hired Bruce back to Ohio State as a position coach for the offensive line and later defensive backDefensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
s. After five seasons the University of Tampa
University of Tampa
The University of Tampa , is a private, co-educational university in Downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2006, the University celebrated its 75th anniversary...
brought Bruce on as head coach in 1972. During his first season, Tampa went 10–2, including a win in the Tangerine Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
. Bruce moved into the head coaching position at Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
following his success at Tampa. Iowa State experienced some success in six seasons with Bruce as head coach. In 2000, Iowa State inducted Bruce into their school hall of fame, named the Louis Menze Hall of Fame.
Ohio State
After Woody Hayes was fired from Ohio State, Bruce was offered that head coaching position. Bruce coached Ohio State from 1979–1987. In the first year, Ohio State went undefeated in the regular season and played in the Rose BowlRose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
, losing the game and the national championship by a single point. In 1987, Bruce was fired just prior to the last game of the season—against Michigan—but was allowed to finish out the year. Bruce was able to defeat Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. This is something Ohio State would not do again until 2001 under head coach Jim Tressel
Jim Tressel
James Patrick Tressel is a gameday consultant for the Indianapolis Colts, and former collegiate football head coach at both The Ohio State University from 2001 to 2011 and at Youngstown State University from 1986 to 2000. Tressel is most notable for his time at Ohio State. He was hired by the...
. After the game, Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
told Bruce, "I always mind losing to Ohio State but I didn't mind so much today."
After Ohio State
Bruce was the leading candidate to replace Bob ValesenteBob Valesente
Bob Valesente is a former American football player and coach. He played college football at Ithaca College and spent more than 35 years as a football coach...
as head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas Jayhawks
The sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference...
after the 1987 season, but due to a contract dispute, KU did not hire him. KU instead hired Glen Mason
Glen Mason
Glen O. Mason is an American football coach. Mason previously served as the head football coach at Kent State University, the University of Kansas, and the University of Minnesota, compiling a career college football record of 123–121–1.-Playing career:Mason played college football at...
out of Kent State. Bruce took over the head coaching position at the University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
for one year, and then finished his intercollegiate coaching career at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
. In his second season, he led the Rams to a winning record and a victory over Oregon in the Freedom Bowl
Freedom Bowl
The Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994. Beginning with the 1995 season, the Freedom Bowl's WAC tie-ins were merged with that of the Holiday Bowl and the game was dissolved...
, their first bowl appearance since 1948 and their first bowl victory ever. He was fired two years later for, among other things, verbally and physically abusing his players and discouraging players from taking classes that conflicted with football practice. After Colorado State, he moved on to the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
, where he coached the Cleveland Thunderbolts
Cleveland Thunderbolts
The Cleveland Thunderbolts were a professional American football team in the Arena Football League.-Columbus Thunderbolts:Established as the Columbus Thunderbolts and playing its home games at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum, the team relocated to Cleveland after a winless single season in the Arena...
in 1994 and the St. Louis Stampede
St. Louis Stampede
The St. Louis Stampede was a team in the Arena Football League. The Stampede competed in the 1995 and 1996 seasons, playing their home games in the Kiel Center , also the home of the St...
in 1995 and 1996 before retiring.
Return to coaching and later life
In 2001, Bruce came out of retirement to coach the final ten games for the Arena Football LeagueArena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
's Iowa Barnstormers
Iowa Barnstormers
The Iowa Barnstormers are an arena football team based in Des Moines, Iowa. They are currently members of the Arena Football League , which they joined in 2010 following the organization's restructuring...
, guiding them to a 7–3 record. In 2004, Bruce returned to Ohio to become the head coach for the Columbus Destroyers
Columbus Destroyers
The Columbus Destroyers were an Arena Football League team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team was founded in as the Buffalo Destroyers, based in Buffalo, New York, and relocated to Columbus in . They folded along with the original incarnation of the AFL following the 2008 season, after a total of...
, who were moving from Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
to Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
that year. He retired to a front office position after coaching the Destroyers to a 6–10 record in 2004, and was replaced as head coach by Chris Spielman
Chris Spielman
Charles Christopher "Chris" Spielman is a former American football player and is currently an analyst for ESPN's coverage of college football games.-Football career:...
, who played for Bruce at Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
. Bruce finished with a 19–25 record over four seasons in the AFL.
Today, Bruce works as an Ohio State football analyst for WTVN
WTVN
WTVN is a full-service AM radio station in Columbus, Ohio located at 610 kHz. It has news, talk, and sports programs, is the dominant AM station in the Columbus market and is consistently rated either #1 or #2 by Arbitron...
610AM in Columbus as well as being an analyst for ONN on their OSU programming.
In his private life, Earle Bruce is married with four children and eight grandchildren. His daughters' names are Lynn, Mikky, Aimee, and Noel.