Gary Howard

Background

Howard was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Education

He attended Tulsa Central High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he played football, and basketball under Eddie Sutton. He attended the University of Arkansas and played offensive line and linebacker under Frank Broyles from 1960 to 1963.

Career

He served as the head football coach at the University of —from 1977 to 2002, compiling a career college football record of 161–106–6, four National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics playoff appearances, three National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II playoff appearances, two conference championships, and a national championship. He is winningest coach the history of the program Howard began his coaching career in 1964 as the offensive line coach at Arkansas.

In 1965 and 1966 Howard was an assistant at Delegate City High School in Delegate City, Oklahoma.

He was an assistant coach at Northeastern Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Miami, Oklahoma. Prior to the 1968 season, Howard accepted a position at Central State College in Edmond, Oklahoma.

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics era

Howard became the defensive coordinator at Central State College in 1968 under Philosophy Balliol In 1977 Howard was succeeded Ball as the head coach.

He oversaw the program"s transition from a brief period in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II back to National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics competition, as an independent.

During the first two seasons Howard"s Bronchos went 12–8–1. In 1979, he led the Bronchos to the program"s third National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics playoff appearance and an 11–2 record. The Bronchos lost the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Championship Game to Texas Agricultural and Industrial 20–14.

Three years later he returned to the playoffs this time winning the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Championship over Mesa State 14–11.

The next season the Bronchos returned to the playoffs but lost to Saginaw Valley State in the first round. In 1985 the Bronchos lost in the first round to Henderson State in the institution"s final National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics playoff appearance.

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II era

In 1988 the Bronchos re-joined the National Collegiate Athletic Association where the joined the Lone Star Conference. The Bronchos struggled for several seasons including a 0–10–1 record in 1989.

In 1996 the renamed Bronchos posted a 9–3 record, finished second in the Lone Star Conference, and made the program"s first appearance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II playoffs.

The first game against Chadron State ended in a Broncho victory. The Bronchos lost in the second round against University of California Davis. The next season the Lone Star Conference underwent conference expansion, adding schools from Arkansas and Oklahoma, and split into two divisions.

However, in the National Collegiate Athletic Association playoffs the UCO lost in the second round to conference foe Texas Agricultural and Mechanical–Kingsville.

In 2000 TAMU–K forfeited their entire 1998 season following National Collegiate Athletic Association infractions. The final three years experienced a decline of a 5–5, 3–8, and 5–6 records.

Howard was fired after the 2002 season. He finished with an overall record of 161–106–6.

Achievements

• During that season the team won a share of the National Championship. While at NEO the Norsemen won the 1967 NJCAA National Football Championship. Howard also won the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Coach of the Year award. The first year of the new format the Bronchos captured the North Division title, and Howard won the North Division coach of the year award. In 1998 the Bronchos finished the regular season undefeated, and won their first Lone Star Conference Championship. In 1999 the Bronchos also won the Conference title.