George Karras (c. 1929 – March 5, 2017) was an American football player, coach, scout, and executive. He served as the head football coach at Wichita State University from 1965 to 1966, compiling a record of 4–15. Karras gave Bill Parcells his first full-time coaching job while he was the Wichita State head coach.[1] He left Wichita in 1966 to be the line coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He was previously been the defensive coach there before coming to Wichita in 1964. Karras played college football as a guard at Villanova University from 1953 to 1955.[2] Karras attended high school in Etna, Pennsylvania. He later worked for the United Scouting Combine and as the chief scout in the Northeastern United States for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). In 1987, he was named the director of pro personnel for the NFL's Los Angeles Raiders.[3] Karras died on March 5, 2017.[4]

George Karras
Biographical details
Born1928 or 1929 (age 94–95)
DiedMarch 5, 2017
Playing career
1953–1955Villanova
Position(s)Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1960–1962Villanova (line)
1963Wichita State (DL)
1964UMass (defensive assistant)
1965–1966Wichita State
1967UMass (line)
1971–1979Harvard (assistant)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1983–1986Denver Broncos (scout)
1987–1997Los Angeles Raiders (dir. pro pers.)
Head coaching record
Overall4–15

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Wichita State Shockers (Missouri Valley Conference) (1965–1966)
1965 Wichita State 2–7 0–4 6th
1966 Wichita State 2–8 1–3 T–4th
Wichita State: 4–15 1–7
Total: 4–15

References

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  1. ^ Parcells, Bill; Demasio, Nunyo (August 11, 2015). Parcells: A Football Life. ISBN 9780385346375.
  2. ^ "Karras Is Named Coach at Wichita". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. December 15, 1964. Retrieved September 27, 2014 – via Google News.
  3. ^ Katanik, Ralph (March 25, 1987). "Etna's Karras is an executive with Raiders". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 27, 2014 – via Google News.
  4. ^ Durkin, Jimmy (March 6, 2017). "Raiders mourn the loss of two members of their football family; Former offensive lineman and scout Mickey Marvin and former executive George Karras both died Monday". The Mercury News. San Jose, California. Retrieved August 11, 2017.