William C. Heiss

William Conrad Heiss Jr. (April 25, 1923 – May 27, 2020) was an American football player and coach of multiple sports. He served as the head football coach at Adams State College (1948–1949), St. Cloud State University (1950), Colorado College (1951–1953), and the University of Northern Colorado (1963–1965), compiling a career college football record of 40–34–5. Heiss was also the head basketball coach at Colorado College for one season in 1951–52, tallying a mark of 2–14, and the head baseball coach at the University of Denver from 1955 to 1959, amassing a record of 70–61–1. His 1957 baseball team won the Skyline Conference championship. Heiss played college football at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the mid-1940s.

William C. Heiss
Heiss, senior year, University of Illinois, c. 1947
Biographical details
Born(1923-04-25)April 25, 1923
Springfield, Illinois
DiedMay 27, 2020(2020-05-27) (aged 97)
Playing career
Football
1944–1946Illinois
Position(s)End, fullback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1947Detroit (ends/freshmen)
1948–1949Adams State
1950St. Cloud State
1951–1953Colorado College
1954Iowa State (backfield)
1955–1958Denver (ends)
1963–1965Colorado State–Greeley
Basketball
1947–1948Detroit (freshmen)
1951–1952Colorado College
Baseball
1955–1959Denver
Tennis
1965–1981Colorado State–Greeley / Northern Colorado
Head coaching record
Overall40–34–5 (football)
2–14 (basketball)
70–61–1 (baseball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Baseball
1 Skyline (1957)

Early life and playing career
Heiss on the University of Illinois football field, c. 1947

Heiss attended West Aurora High School in Aurora, Illinois. He then played football at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, primarily as an end, from 1944 to 1946. The 1946 Illinois team won the Big Ten Conference championship, with Heiss leading the team in pass receptions on offense and interceptions on defense. On October 26 of that season, Illinois visited Michigan in Ann Arbor for a game that ultimately decided the conference title. With the Illini trailing 7–0 in the first half, Heiss caught a 30-yard pass from Perry Moss, advancing to the Michigan 16-yard line and setting up a touchdown by Paul Patterson that tied the score going into halftime. Illinois won the game, 13–9.[1] The Illini finished the season at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1947, beating UCLA, 45–14.[2]

Coaching career

University of Detroit

Heiss was an assistant football coach and freshman basketball coach at the University of Detroit in 1947–48.

Adams State

Heiss was the fifth head football coach at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado and he held that position for two seasons, from 1948 until 1949, winning the New Mexico conference in 1949. His coaching record at Adams State was 11–5–1.[3]

St. Cloud State

During 1950–51, Heiss was the head football, wrestling, and tennis coach at St. Cloud State Teachers College. He won conference and AAU championships in wrestling.

Colorado College

From 1951 to 1953, Heiss was the head football coach at Colorado College.

Iowa State

Heiss was an assistant football coach at Iowa State University in 1954.

Denver

From 1955 to 1959, Heiss was an assistant football coach and head baseball coach at the University of Denver. In March 1958, he interviewed for the head football coaching position at Montana State University.[4]

Northern Colorado

Heiss coached at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado for three seasons, from 1963 to 1965, compiling a record of 12–14–2.[5] A rarity occurred in the 1964 season when the opposing team, Northern Arizona, forfeited the game on December 10, 1964.[6] From 1965 to 1981, Heiss was the head tennis coach at Northern Colorado. He twice won the school's Coach of the Year award.

Death

Heiss died on May 27, 2020.[7]

Head coaching record
1969 Northern Colorado tennis team; the team's record was 15–5; they won the conference championships and went to Division II Nationals; pictured: back row, left to right: Heiss, Mitch Friedfeld, Clive Grant, Steve Williams, Allen Kiel, Vic Moore; front row, left to right: Dick Salzenstein, Dave Eaton, unknown, unknown, unknown;

Football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Adams State Indians (New Mexico Intercollegiate Conference) (1948–1949)
1948 Adams State 6–23–12nd
1949 Adams State 5–3–13–1–12nd
Adams State: 11–5–16–2–1
St. Cloud State Huskies (Minnesota State College Conference) (1950)
1950 St. Cloud State 4–42–23rd
St. Cloud State: 4–42–2
Colorado College Tigers (Rocky Mountain Conference) (1951–1953)
1951 Colorado College 4–53–2T–2nd
1952 Colorado College 7–24–12nd
1953 Colorado College 2–4–21–2–24th
Colorado College: 13–11–28–5–2
Colorado State–Greeley Bears (Rocky Mountain Conference) (1963–1965)
1963 Colorado State–Greeley 4–52–23rd
1964 Colorado State–Greeley 4–51–23rd
1965 Colorado State–Greeley 4–4–22–12nd
Colorado State–Greeley: 12–14–25–5
Total:40–34–5

References
  1. "Illinois Tops Michigan, 13 to 9; Long Dashes Do the Trick for Winners". The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. October 26, 1946. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  2. "Bruins Bow, 45-14, To Big Nine Team; Young Paces Brilliant Attack of Illinois as U. C. L. A. Is Overcome at Pasadena" (PDF). The New York Times. United Press. January 2, 1947. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  3. College Football Data Warehouse Adams State Grizzlies all-time coaching records
  4. "Interviews Start for Job at MSU". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. March 8, 1958. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  5. College Football Data Warehouse William C "Bill" Heiss Records by Year
  6. College Football Data Warehouse William C. "Bill" Heiss 1964 Season Results
  7. "Bill Heiss". Greeley Tribune. Greeley, Colorado. May 31, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020 – via Legacy.com.
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