Larry Donovan

Larry Donovan (born March 30, 1941) is a former head football coach for the Montana Grizzlies and BC Lions.

For the bridge jumper, see Larry Donovan (bridge jumper).
Larry Donovan
Biographical details
Born (1941-03-30) March 30, 1941
Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Alma materUniversity of Nebraska
Playing career
1960–1962Nebraska
Position(s)End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1967–1971South Dakota (assistant)
1972–1975Washington State (assistant)
1976–1978Iowa (assistant)
1979Kansas (assistant)
1980–1985Montana
1986–1987BC Lions (DL/ST)
1987–1989BC Lions
1990–1991Saskatchewan Roughriders (LB/ST)
Head coaching record
Overall25–38–1 (college)
14–12 (CFL)
Tournaments0–1 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 Big Sky (1982)
1 CFL West Division (1988)

A 1964 graduate of the University of Nebraska, Donovan served as an assistant at South Dakota, Washington State, Iowa, and Kansas before becoming Montana's head coach on December 15, 1979.[1]

In his six seasons as head coach of the Grizzlies, Donovan had a 25–38–1 (.398) record and only one winning season.[2] On November 25, 1985, athletic director Harley Lewis announced that the contracts of Donovan and eight of his assistants would not be renewed.[3][4] Donovan believed that he had been unjustly fired and blamed the antiquated Dornblaser Field for his lack of success in recruiting. His requests for a new stadium resulted in the construction of Washington–Grizzly Stadium, which opened in 1986.[5]

Donovan's next coaching job was as the defensive line coach for the BC Lions. On October 30, 1987, head coach Don Matthews was fired and Donovan was named interim head coach.[6] The Lions went 4–0 after the coaching change and finished the season in first place in the West Division, falling to the eventual Grey Cup champion Edmonton Eskimos in the West Final game. In 1988, his first and only full season as head coach, the Lions had a 10–8 record and made it to the Grey Cup, losing to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 22–21. The Lions struggled in 1989 and Donovan was fired after an 0–4 start.[7]

Donovan was an assistant coach for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1990 and 1991. He traveled to Japan to coach the Japanese X League Hurricanes sponsored by Hitachi Limited and Renesas Technologies from 1992 until 2007. He was a training camp coach and consultant for the Asahi Beverage Challengers in Osaka, Japan in 2010.

Head coaching record

College
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs NCAA#
Montana Grizzlies (Big Sky Conference) (1980–1985)
1980 Montana 3–71–68th
1981 Montana 7–35–23rd
1982 Montana 6–65–2T–1stL NCAA Division I-AA First Round19
1983 Montana 4–63–4T–5th
1984 Montana 2–8–10–78th
1985 Montana 3–82–56th
Montana: 25–38–116–26
Total:25–38–1
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. "Donovan Gets Montana Job". Spokane Daily Chronicle. December 15, 1979. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  2. "Larry Donovan Records by Year". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  3. "Donovan, eight assistants let go after dismal season". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 26, 1985. p. 8B.
  4. "Montana coach won't be returning". Gainesville Sun. (Florida). Associated Press. November 26, 1985. p. 3D. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  5. "Donovan still bitter over firing". The Spokesman-Review. December 1, 1985.
  6. "People in Sports". Eugene Register-Guard. October 15, 1987. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  7. "Ex-Griz Donovan fired by B.C." The Spokesman-Review. August 7, 1989. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
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