Career
He served as the head football coach at Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (VPI)—now Virginia Technical—from 1926 to 1929 and the University of Miami from 1948 to 1963, compiling a career college football record of 115–78–4. Gustafson was also the athletic director at Miami from 1963 to 1968. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1985.
Gustafson was born is Aurora, Illinois.
As a halfback at the University of Pittsburgh, Gustafson scored the first touchdown ever in Pitt Stadium in 1925 against Washington and Lee. Gustafson served as the head football coach of Virginia Technical from 1926 to 1929, where he compiled a 22–13–1 record.
Gustafson is considered one of the University of Miami"s most successful coaches, with a record of 93–65–3 (587). He led the Hurricanes to four seasons of eight wins or more and was the longest serving coach in school history.
He also served as the athletic director of the school, following his retirement as a head coach.