William Frank Yeoman was born in Elnora, Indiana, and later lived in Glendale, Arizona, where he “Bill” was both an athletic and academic “star” and “lettered” in five sports. Most notably, he was “All-State” in football.
Following high school graduation, he took a scholarship to Texas A&M University and played varsity basketball and football as a freshman.
He then received an appointment to West Point, where he continued his successes as both a football and basketball player and earned varsity letters all three years in both sports.
During his third year there, he was elected as football captain and also earned All-American honors! (played center) (During his time at Army, their record was 22—2—4.)
For three years after graduating from the Academy, he was in Germany with the Army and climbed to the rank of Captain.
1954 was a turning point as Yeoman began his real training to become a “famous college football coach,” when Coach Duffy Daugherty hired him as Head Assistant Coach for the Michigan State University Football Spartans.
Two Rose Bowl Championships and eight years under his belt set him up to be hired in 1962 as the Head Coach for the University of Houston Cougars, where he put his philosophy of ‘service for the good of the school’ into motion, ultimately winning 160 (and tying 8) regular games and 11 bowl games and four of ten SWC Conference Championships during Houston’s years in that league.
He also was instrumental in helping to integrate college football by recruiting Warren McVea to Houston in 1964.
1965 saw the advent and introduction of the “triple option” and the “triple option offense” into college football by Coach Yeoman, which is still referred to as “revolutionary.” (the VEER)
Houston’s 1968 offensive total while running the VEER was 42.5 points per game, an NCAA record!
There are way too many awards that sit upon the Yeoman mantle to name even close to all of them, but a few I really admire are the following: The University of Houston and The College Football Halls of Fame, The Fellowship of Christian Athletes Athletic Hall of Champions, 1976 Texas and National Coach of the Year, Southwest Conference Hall of Fame, and the 2015 President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush and Community Impact Award.
And just recently, he was included in an up-to-date list of the top 150 college football coaches of all time!
Coach Bill Yeoman recently passed on at age 92.
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