Former Football Head Coach Pete Rodriguez Passed Away

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Former Western Illinois head football coach Pete Rodriguez passed away earlier this week. He was 74 years old.

He will be buried on December 10th. Pete is survived by his wife Sherry, and daughters Regina and Maria.

"We are saddened to hear the news of Pete Rodriguez passing away. When Pete joined WIU as the defensive coordinator for Coach Mudra in the early 1970s, we went 31-10 in that time. As our head coach, he played a key role leading our football program's transition to the NCAA Division I FCS level," said Western Illinois Athletic Director Tommy Bell. "As we say at Western, 'Once a Leatherneck, Always a Leatherneck' and Pete will always be a part of our program. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Pete's family and friends."

Rodriguez's career at Western began in 1970 when he joined then head coach Darrell Mudra's staff as defensive coordinator. He served in that capacity through the 1973 season.

Following stints as defensive coordinator at Florida State (1974-75) and Iowa State (1976-78), he returned to the Leathernecks in 1979 as head coach. During his four-year career (1979-82), Western went 14-28. The 1981 season marked the first year Western transitioned to the NCAA Division I FCS level.

After his time at Western, Rodriguez joined the professional ranks working in various capacities in the United States Football League, National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United Football League.

From 1988 through 2006, Rodriguez worked with five different NFL teams, including the: Los Angeles Raiders, Phoenix Cardinals, Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars. One of the first Hispanic coaches in professional football, he was a two-time Special Teams 'Coach of the Year' and was selected by the Dallas Morning News as the top Special Teams coach in the 1990s.

Jack Del Rio, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars, told the Florida Times-Union in an interview during his time as team's head coach, "I deflect to Pete when it comes to special teams. You're talking about one of the best in the business at what he does, if not the best."

The son of a Mexican immigrant, Rodriguez grew up in Chicago. He received his bachelor's and master's degree from Western State College (Colorado). He coached at the high school level and at the University of Arizona before joining WIU.

some information in report courtesy of Associated Press

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