Jim Sochor
Encyclopedia
Jim Sochor is a former American football
player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the University of California, Davis
from 1970 to 1988 during which time compiling a record of 156–41–5 and won 18 consecutive conference championships, then a college football
record. Sochor also served as the athletic director
at UC Davis from 1988 to 1991. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
as a coach in 1999.
from 1967 to 1969.
He was named national coach of the year in NCAA Division II in 1983. He was the coach of future NFL
quarterbacks Mike Moroski and Ken O'Brien
and kicker Rolf Benirschke
. He was also a mentor to several future head coaches including Dan Hawkins, Paul Hackett, Mike Bellotti
, Chris Petersen
, and Bob Biggs
.
for the NCAA Division II national football championship
against the Jim Wacker
-led Southwest Texas State
, but lost 34–9. Aggie Quarterback Ken O'Brien
had suffered leg and ankle injuries in the semi-final game two weeks before, and as a result reserve Scott Barry had to lead the offense.
of the Scottish Claymores
of NFL Europe
for three years. They won World Bowl IV
, 32–27, over the Frankfurt Galaxy
during his time there.
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, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
from 1970 to 1988 during which time compiling a record of 156–41–5 and won 18 consecutive conference championships, then a 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. Sochor also served as the 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 UC Davis from 1988 to 1991. 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 1999.
Playing career
Sochor was a quarterback for San Francisco State from 1957 to 1959 and led them to three league championships.Early coaching career
Sochor started his coaching career as an assistant at San Francisco State from 1960 to 1965. He then served as an assistant at the University of California, DavisUniversity of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
from 1967 to 1969.
Head coach
Sochor became the head coach at UC Davis in 1970. Following his first year there, he had a streak of 18 consecutive conference championships, from 1971 to 1988. The only college football program in NCAA history on any division level for this remarkable streak has been Mount Union College. His overall record between 1970 and 1988 was 156–41–5, a winning percentage of .785. In conference games under Jim, the Aggies were 92–5. He had winning streaks of 41 and 38 in conference games. His Aggies were the final poll leaders at the end of the regular season in 1983 and 1985.He was named national coach of the year in NCAA Division II in 1983. He was the coach of future NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
quarterbacks Mike Moroski and Ken O'Brien
Ken O'Brien
Kenneth John O'Brien is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles. When he retired he was the only Jets quarterback to have ever been the top ranked passer in a season. He held the team record for most...
and kicker Rolf Benirschke
Rolf Benirschke
Rolf Joachim Benirschke is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers from 1978 to 1987, and was the host of the NBC daytime Wheel Of Fortune in 1989.-Early career:...
. He was also a mentor to several future head coaches including Dan Hawkins, Paul Hackett, Mike Bellotti
Mike Bellotti
Robert Michael "Mike" Bellotti is a college football analyst for ESPN and ABC. A native of California, he was hired as football offensive coordinator by the University of Oregon in 1989. From 1995 to 2009, he was the head coach of the Oregon Ducks football team...
, Chris Petersen
Chris Petersen
Chris Petersen is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the head football coach at Boise State University, a position he has held since the 2006 season. Peterson has guided the Broncos to two BCS bowl wins, in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and the 2010 Fiesta...
, and Bob Biggs
Bob Biggs
-External links:*...
.
1982 Palm Bowl
Jim led the 1982 Aggies to the Palm Bowl in McAllen, TexasMcAllen, Texas
McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. It is located at the southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley and is part of the . Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the U.S.–Mexico border and the Mexican city of Reynosa, the Rio...
for the NCAA Division II national football championship
NCAA Division II national football championship
The NCAA Division II National Football Championship began in 1973. Prior to 1973, four regional bowl games were played in order to provide postseason action for what was then called the NCAA College Division and a poll determined the final champion....
against the Jim Wacker
Jim Wacker
Jim Wacker was an American football coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Texas Lutheran University , North Dakota State University , Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University–San Marcos, , Texas Christian University ,...
-led Southwest Texas State
Texas State University–San Marcos
Texas State University–San Marcos is a doctoral-granting university located in San Marcos, Texas...
, but lost 34–9. Aggie Quarterback Ken O'Brien
Ken O'Brien
Kenneth John O'Brien is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles. When he retired he was the only Jets quarterback to have ever been the top ranked passer in a season. He held the team record for most...
had suffered leg and ankle injuries in the semi-final game two weeks before, and as a result reserve Scott Barry had to lead the offense.
Later career
He served as the UC Davis director of athletics from 1988 to 1991. He served as the coach of the golf team for five years starting in 1992.NFL Europe
He served as the offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
of the Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
of NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
for three years. They won World Bowl IV
World Bowl IV
World Bowl '96 , the championship game of American football's WLAF, took place at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 23, 1996. The 7-3 Scottish Claymores defeated the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy 32-27 and, led by head coach Jim Criner, completed the league's first ever worst to first...
, 32–27, over the Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
during his time there.
Honors
- He was inducted into the Cal Aggie Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995
- He was inducted into the College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe 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...
in 1999. - He was awarded the Ronald L. Jensen Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Positive Coaching AlliancePositive Coaching AlliancePositive Coaching Alliance is a national non-profit organization that provides training workshops to coaches, parents, and administrators of schools and youth sports organizations in the United States. Founded in 1998, PCA has conducted more than 5,000 workshops for more than 1,100 schools or...
in 2008. - The field at Aggie Stadium is named Jim Sochor Field.