Former WKU Football head coach Jack Harbaugh and the Harbaugh Family will be honored by the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame as the recipients of the 2013 Blanton Collier Award. The family will be honored on Saturday, July 28 as part of the induction ceremony of the 2013 class of the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame in Louisville.
The Blanton Collier Award was established by the Kentucky Chapter of the NFL alumni in 2007 to honor individuals who not only excelled on the football field, but utilized the platform given them through their athletic careers to give back off the field. The annual winner is chosen by the Blanton Collier Sportsmanship Group. The award is named for Blanton Collier, who was head football coach at the University of Kentucky and went on to be head coach of the Cleveland Browns where he led them to the World Championship in 1964. Past recipients include Rich Brooks, Tony Dungy, Jim Brown, Gale Sayers and the Archie Manning family.
In 14 years at WKU, Harbaugh recorded a 91-68 mark while posting a 116-95-3 career record in 19 seasons as a head coach. In 2002, Harbaugh led the Hilltoppers to a 12-3 record and a 34-14 victory over McNeese State in the National Championship game of the NCAA I-AA Playoffs. WKU won their final six regular-season games of the season to reach the playoffs. For his efforts, Harbaugh was selected the American Coaches Association 2002 National Coach of the Year.
Under his guidance, WKU was the only I-AA school in the nation to rank in the top 10 in rushing offense every year since 1991, a run that stood at 12 straight through the 2002 campaign.
In 14 years at the helm of the WKU program, 33 student-athletes earned All-America recognition, including three who were named first- or second-team Academic All-America — Brian Bixler, Patrick Goodman and Brian Lowder.
In addition to the Collier Award, four current or past Hilltoppers are being recognized as part of the event as members of the All-Commonwealth Team as part of the top players in the state at the collegiate level for the past season. Quanterus Smith and Andrew Jackson were named to the First Team Defense while Jack Doyle and Adam Smith were named to the First Team Offense of the All-Commonwealth Team.
The Harbaugh family includes wife Jackie, sons John and Jim, and daughter Joanie. The Stadium Club at WKU’s football stadium is named for Jack and Jackie Harbaugh. John and Jim Harbaugh were the head coaches in this year’s NFL SuperBowl, with John’s Baltimore Ravens edging Jim’s San Francisco Giants. Joanie is married to Tom Crean, whose Indiana Hoosier basketball team won the Big Ten conference this year.
Other WKU football news
WKU will reveal new football uniforms for the 2013 season on July 18 during the Big Red Rally & Reveal, presented by Alumni Hall, at Greenwood Mall in Bowling Green. The new uniforms are made by WKU’s apparel provider Russell Athletic.
The event is being held in the jcpenny Court at Greenwood Mall.
“I think Hilltopper Nation will really be excited with our new uniforms," said Director of Athletics Todd Stewart. "This new look has been designed exclusively for WKU by Russell Athletic in conjunction with our coaches and staff and will maintain many of the traditions that are rooted within our rich history, while also adding some unique modern trends. These uniforms, along with our new helmet, will represent the bold and aggressive mindset that symbolizes the WKU football program."
The event will begin at 6 p.m. with the unveiling of the new uniforms. Following the unveiling of the new uniforms, WKU head coach Bobby Petrino, select assistant coaches and special guests will be on hand to sign autographs from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. A question-and-answer session with the assembled members of the coaching staff will follow until 8 p.m. WKU Cheerleaders, Topperettes and Big Red will also be in attendance at the event.
“We at Russell Athletic are really excited to work with our partner, WKU, to introduce their new football uniforms,” said Senior Vice President of Russell Athletic Gary Barfield. “We feel these cutting edge designs deliver Russell Athletic's best to Hilltopper Nation.”
The first 500 fans will receive a free WKU/Russell drawstring bag at the event. Fans will also have the chance to pick up the new football schedule poster for the 2013 season.
WKU previously released new chrome helmets featuring the traditional red towel logo on March 29 at the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce Coffee Hour at the Corvette Museum. The chrome helmets will be paired with the new uniforms for use by Petrino’s 2013 Hilltopper squad. The helmet features a reflective, chrome finish and is paired with a red stripe across the crown of the helmet and a red facemask.
WKU will debut the new uniforms and helmet on the field on Aug. 31 when the Hilltoppers face Kentucky at LP Field in Nashville at 6 p.m.
WKU head coach Bobby Petrino is listed as the nation’s top college football hire for 2013 while WKU is rated third in the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Ratings in the recently released Athlon Sports’ College Football Preview for 2013.
Petrino, who is entering his first year as head coach of the Hilltoppers, owns a 75-26 career record as a collegiate head coach, with seven bowl game appearances, including appearances in the 2011 Allstate Sugar Bowl and the 2007 FedEx Orange Bowl. Petrino is listed as a “proven winner” by the publication and notes that “he is a great coach who will win a bunch of games at Western Kentucky.” Petrino is the ranked 11th in the nation among active coaches in terms of career winning percentage. Among those with at least eight years of experience, he ranks sixth overall.
Athlon Sports ranks the 2013 edition of the Hilltoppers third in their preseason predicted order of finish for the Sun Belt Conference behind Louisiana-Lafayette and ULM.
WKU placed four players on the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team from the publication as running back Antonio Andrews, linebacker Andrew Jackson, safety Jonathan Dowling and corner Tyree Robinson were named to the list. In addition to the quartet of first teamers, tight end Mitchell Henry, center Sean Conway and offensive lineman Cameron Clemmons were named second team all-league selections by the publication. Andrews also earned first-team honors as a punt returner and second-team honors as a kick returner.
In a position-by-position look at the rosters of each Sun Belt Conference team, WKU had the top ranked compilation of running backs, linebackers and defensive backs.
Season tickets for the 2013 home football schedule are on sale now through WKUSports.com, by visiting the WKU Ticket Office in E.A. Diddle Arena or by calling 1-800-5 BIG RED.
In addition to season tickets, single game tickets for the game with Kentucky in Nashville on Aug. 31 are currently on sale. Tickets are priced at $67 for club level, $47 for lower level sideline, $32 for upper sideline and $22 for upper corner. To ensure seating in the WKU fan sections, all fans are encouraged to order tickets through the WKU Ticket Office. General public tickets may be ordered online at WKUSports.com or by calling 1-800-5-BIG RED or 270-745-5222 locally. Parking passes for this game may be ordered through Ticketmaster.com or through the WKU Ticket Office. The first 4,000 WKU students at the game on August 31 with a valid ID will receive a free ticket to the game. After 4,000, student tickets will be $13.
For complete coverage of WKU Football, visit www.wkusports.com.