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Woody Widenhofer
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Woody Widenhofer spent a combined nine seasons as head coach at Missouri (in the Big Eight Conference) and Vanderbilt, coaching the teams to a combined record of 27-71-1.
He coached college football in five different decades and also spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns (under Bill Belichick and Nick Saban), serving as the Steelers’ defensive coordinator for four seasons from 1979-83 during the “Steel Curtain” era. Widenhofer earned four Super Bowl rings with the Steelers.
He also coached in the United States Football League.
Widenhofer, a Missouri graduate who also played linebacker at the school, ran a well-known fan ad campaign for the Tigers, telling fans to “climb on Woody’s Wagon,” but finished 5-6 in his best season with the team in 1987.
Widenhofer also reportedly worked in a toll booth in Destin, Fla., for three years, saying he wanted a way to keep busy and enjoyed meeting people. He quit when his wife, a Sprint Airlines employee, transferred to Dallas.
| Coaching History | Team | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive Coordinator | New Mexico State | 2005-2007 |
| Defensive Coordinator | Southeast Louisiana | 2003-2004 |
| Defensive Coordinator/Head Coach | Vanderbilt | 1995-2001 |
| Inside Linebackers | Cleveland Browns | 1993-1994 |
| Defensive Coordinator | Detroit Lions | 1989-1992 |
| Head Coach | Missouri | 1985-1988 |
| Head Coach | Oklahoma Outlaws | 1984 |
| Defensive Coordinator | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1979-1983 |
| Linebackers | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1973-1978 |
| Linebackers | Minnesota | 1972 |
| Linebackers | Eastern Michigan | 1971 |
| Defensive Line | Michigan State | 1969-1970 |
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
