Phillip Dale Lindsey (born January 18, 1943) is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at the University of San Diego.[1][2] Lindsey has also worked as a coach in the National Football League (NFL), the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the United States Football League (USFL).
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 18, 1943 Bedford, Indiana, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1961 | Kentucky |
| 1962–1964 | Western Kentucky |
| 1965–1972 | Cleveland Browns |
| 1973 | New Orleans Saints |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1974 | Cleveland Browns (LB) |
| 1975 | Portland Thunder (DC) |
| 1977–1978 | Warren Central HS (KY) |
| 1978–1980 | Toronto Argonauts (LB) |
| 1981–1982 | Toronto Argonauts (DC) |
| 1983 | Boston Breakers (LB) |
| 1984–1985 | New Jersey Generals (DC/LB) |
| 1986–1987 | Green Bay Packers (LB) |
| 1989 | SMU (DC) |
| 1990 | New England Patriots (DL) |
| 1991 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LB) |
| 1992–1996 | San Diego Chargers (LB) |
| 1997–1998 | Washington Redskins (LB) |
| 1999–2001 | Chicago Bears (LB) |
| 2002–2003 | San Diego Chargers (DC) |
| 2004–2006 | Washington Redskins (LB) |
| 2007 | San Diego (LB) |
| 2009–2010 | New Mexico State (AHC/LB) |
| 2011 | New Mexico State (DC) |
| 2012 | San Diego (DC) |
| 2013–2022 | San Diego |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 80–30 (college) |
| Tournaments | 2–4 (NCAA D-I playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 7 PFL (2014–2019, 2021) | |
| Awards | |
| <First-team Little All-American (1964) Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Jersey No. 44 retired 3× PFL Coach of the Year (2014, 2016, 2019) | |
Early life
editLindsey attended and played high school football at Bowling Green High School in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he was an All-State player.
College career
editAfter high school, Lindsey signed with the University of Kentucky, where he was part of the infamous Thin Thirty team, but quit the team in the spring of his freshman year. He then transferred to Western Kentucky University, where he starred on the Hilltoppers's undefeated 1963 team that won the Tangerine Bowl.
Professional career
editAs a player
editLindsey was drafted in the seventh round of the 1965 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns, where he played from 1965 to 1972. He then signed with the New Orleans Saints in 1973.
As a coach
editAfter his playing career, Lindsey was a coach for several different NFL teams, including the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears and the San Diego Chargers. He was also a coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and the Boston Breakers and the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League.
In 1988, Lindsey joined Forrest Gregg at SMU. As the defensive coordinator, he helped to revitalize the historic SMU football program after the NCAA executed its one and only death penalty for a college football program. During the 1989 season, SMU's first season back after 1987, Lindsey's defense was instrumental in SMU's wins over UConn and North Texas.
He was terminated as the linebackers coach for the Washington Redskins on January 16, 2007.[3] This was his second stint with Washington. He was one of several former NFL coordinators serving as a position coach on the Redskins' coach staff.
Lindsey was hired as the head coach for the University of San Diego in 2012, a position he held through the 2022 season. The school announced his retirement following the season, but Lindsey maintains he was fired.[4] At the time of his departure he had the most wins of any head coach in school history and held the fourth highest winning percentage in FCS football.[5]
Lindsey, now a resident of San Diego, lost his home in the wildfires of October 2007.
Head coaching record
editCollege
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | STATS# | FCS° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Toreros (Pioneer Football League) (2013–present) | |||||||||
| 2013 | San Diego | 8–3 | 0–0 (7–1) | T–1st[a 1] | |||||
| 2014 | San Diego | 9–3 | 7–1 | T–1st | L NCAA Division I First Round | ||||
| 2015 | San Diego | 9–2 | 7–1 | T–1st | |||||
| 2016 | San Diego | 10–2 | 8–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I Second Round | 19 | T–21 | ||
| 2017 | San Diego | 10–3 | 8–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I Second Round | 23 | 25 | ||
| 2018 | San Diego | 9–3 | 8–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I First Round | 25 | 20 | ||
| 2019 | San Diego | 9–3 | 8–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I First Round | ||||
| 2020–21 | San Diego | 4–2 | 4–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 2021 | San Diego | 7–4 | 7–1 | T–1st | |||||
| 2022 | San Diego | 5–5 | 4–3 | 5th | |||||
| San Diego: | 80–30 | 61–8 (68–9) | |||||||
| Total: | 80–30 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Notes
edit- ^ San Diego declared itself ineligible for consideration as conference champions due to improper financial aid awarded to players. Their official conference record for this season is recognized as 0–0.
References
edit- ^ "Dale Lindsey Named USD Head Football Coach". USDToreros.com. December 29, 2012. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
- ^ "Longtime San Diego head coach Dale Lindsey to retire". Footballscoop.com. March 22, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ "Redskins dismiss linebackers coach". The Washington Times. January 16, 2007. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
- ^ "Former USD Head Football Coach Dale Lindsey says he was fired, school maintains he retired". CBS News 8. April 12, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ "Athletics: Dale Lindsey, Winningest Coach in Football Program History, to Retire from USD". USD News Center. March 21, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
External links
edit- San Diego profile
- Career statistics from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference