Texas Longhorn uber-fan Matthew McConaughey is starring in the new movie, We Are Marshall, the story about the rebuilding of the Marshall University football program after the devastating 1971 plane crash that killed most of the university’s players, coaches and support staff. But as noted in this Gene Frenette/Florida Times-Union article, the success of the Marshall rebuilding project owed much to legendary University of Houston football coach, Bill Yeoman, whose innovative Houston Veer offense allowed the undermanned Marshall program to spread the field and rely on deception and finesse in competing with its opposition. In the small world department, it was former West Virginia coach and legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden who introduced the Marshall coach at the time to Coach Yeoman’s creative offensive scheme.
Coach Yeoman was the head football coach of the Houston Cougars from 1962-1986, and he remains a vital member of the University of Houston community to this day. Coach Yeoman and the Cougars quickly gained national prominence after he introduced the explosive Veer offense in 1964, but more importantly, Coach Yeoman that year also broke the color barrier for major Texas football programs when San Antonioís Warren McVea accepted the University’s offer of a scholarship to play football at UH.
During his 25 year coaching career, Coach Yeoman compiled a record of 160-108-8 and guided the Cougars to 11 bowl games appearances including Cotton Bowl victories over Maryland in 1977 and Nebraska in 1980. He also led the Cougars to four Southwest Conference titles (1976, 1978, 1979 & 1984), including the 1976 title that came during Houstonís first year as a member of that venerable conference. For that achievement, Coach Yeoman was named Texas Coach of the Year and runner-up for National Coach of the Year. On top of all that, Coach Yeoman is one of the nicest and most engaging people that I have ever met, and yet another one of the numerous people that make Houston such a fascinating place to live.