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Former UMass HC Dies
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:37 pm
by Col Hogan
Head coach of four Yankee Conference winning teams, Bob Pickett passed away in Florida last night...he was 75...
Pickett served as head coach of the Minutemen from 1978-83, winning four Yankee Conference Championships. He went on to serve as an Associate Athletic Director at UMass until retiring in 1997. He also worked as a color commentator on radio broadcasts of Minutemen football from 1998-2003.
http://www.umassathletics.com/sports/m- ... 10aaa.html
Re: Former UMass HC Dies
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:50 pm
by yorkcountyUNHfan
Coach Pickett worked with my dad and was a friend of the familys while he was at Portsmouth High. I was to young to remember. I got to meet him later on at some coaches clinics in RI. He was a very nice man with a wealth of football knowledge.
Re: Former UMass HC Dies
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:07 pm
by LastMinuteman
Coach Pickett has a place in FCS History for taking UMass to the first FCS (then D-IAA) Championship Game ever played. RIP.
Re: Former UMass HC Dies
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:23 pm
by Col Hogan
LastMinuteman wrote:Coach Pickett has a place in FCS History for taking UMass to the first FCS (then D-IAA) Championship Game ever played. RIP.
Coach Pickett ran the Minutemen during my time on campus (76 - 80)...and I had a little interaction with him since I worked at WMUA...and my cousin also played on those teams...
A good man who cared for his teams...and that first IAA championship game is one of his high points...
Re: Former UMass HC Dies
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:37 pm
by UMass74
Coach Pickett was a class act.
His "Reward" for taking UMass to the '78 National Championship was to have his scholarships slashed. Coach Pickett said not a word of complaint.
UMass signed nine "walkons" in 1979, very few of whom even won one letter.
When the lack bodies led to back to back 3-8 seasons in 1983 and 1984, he was fired----and again he never said a word about the administration.
Coach Pickett remained a loyal and active supporter of UMass football until recent health problems forced him off the UMass broadcast team.
Re: Former UMass HC Dies
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 5:42 pm
by COBBLESTONE
Pickett was coaching UMASS during part of the time I was playing. Sad news, he was a good coach who got the most out of his players. His YC Championships speak for themselves.